Long before she ever picked up a camera, Shannon Pallin spent decades listening to flowers.
For nearly 40 years, Pallin has worked as a florist, beginning as a child in flower shops in California, then moving on to New York City before eventually settling in Pensacola. Today, she is the owner of FIORE of Pensacola where flowers arrive daily from around the world.
She greets them like old friends.
“I talk to them,” Pallin said. “I ask them where they came from, how their trip was, and then I get them water and get them hydrated.”
That curiosity about what it takes to get flowers into local hands became the inspiration for her first short documentary, “Follow the Flower,” which will be part of the screening of Mountainfilm on Tour at the Pensacola Little Theatre on Jan. 17, 2026.
The film follows the journey of an Alaskan peony from farm to florist, pulling back the curtain on an industry most people rarely consider. Pallin said that while farm-to-table stories are common in food culture, floral origins are often overlooked.
“There’s not a lot of information about where flowers come from,” she said. “I wanted to show what goes into cultivating something so beautiful.”
Though Pallin is a first-time filmmaker, she approached the project with the same creative eye she brings to her floral design work. She chose the Alaskan peony for its visual impact and knew the scenery had to be just as compelling as the story.
To make that happen, she partnered with Destyn Patera of Lensea Films. The two traveled together to remote locations in Alaska, often without a rigid plan, capturing footage as opportunities unfolded.
“At first it was really just the two of us,” Pallin said. “There were a lot of pivots, but the experience was incredible.”
Her background planning large-scale events helped her navigate logistics in challenging terrain. After filming, the footage was turned over to the Lensea team for editing and refinement.
What stayed with Pallin most was the work of the farmers.
“I was amazed by what it takes to keep flowers alive,” she said. “There’s a lot of grit behind the grace of beauty.”
That contrast sits at the heart of the film. Pallin hopes audiences walk away with a deeper appreciation for the connection between farmers and florists.
“Without one, there would not be the other,” she said.
Now back in Pensacola, Pallin said being part of Mountainfilm on Tour feels especially meaningful.
“It’s incredible that a film festival of this stature is in our town,” she said. “I hope our community comes out and supports these films and the people behind them.”
Mountainfilm on Tour will screen Saturday, Jan. 17, at the Pensacola Little Theatre. The evening features a curated lineup of short films focused on adventure, environmental stewardship and human connection, with proceeds supporting local environmental nonprofits.
Tickets and additional information are available through the Mountainfilm on Tour Pensacola Facebook page.
For Pallin, the journey is just beginning.
“I would follow every flower in the world if I could,” she said.
