"Film as dream, film as music. No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down in to the dark rooms of our souls."
- INGRID BERGMAN |
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mountainfilm 2008 film selections
A glimpse at some of what we have in store for our 30th annual festival:
Brave New West
In 1989 Jim Stiles began publishing the politically-progressive "Canyon County Zephyr" in the heart of conservative Mormon Utah. Now recognized as one of the best independent papers in the West, "The Zephyr" combines humor, history, honesty and artistry in its coverage of issues. Brave New West is a profile of Stiles and the land and people that are his passion.
King Lines
From South American fantasy boulders to uncharted deep water soloing in Greece to the future of sport climbing at Mount Clark, Chris Sharma and friends find and climb the most spectacular routes in the world.
Last Frontier
The new film by kayaker Trip Jennings, last seen at Mountainfilm 2006 in Mission Epicocity and a National Geographic 2007 Adventurer of the Year. The documentary shows the staging of the first whitewater kayaking expedition on Papua New Guinea's New Britain, which included the source-to-sea first descent of the Pandi River.
Play Gravity
Ueli Kestenholz and Mathias Roten go speedflying down Switzerland's Eiger, Monch, and Jungrau. Plus check out their antics paragliding, BASE-jumping, skydiving, mountaineering, and more.
Red Gold: The Pebble Mine Debate
World Premiere - Favorite local filmmakers Ben Knight and Travis Rummel partnered with Alaska Trout Unlimited this past summer and spent 68 days in Alaska's Bristol Bay. They were following the world's largest run of sockeye salmon as the fish moved from tidal waters to their natal spawning grounds within the footprint of the largest proposed gold and copper mine in North America. www.feltsoulmedia.com
Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk
Beneath the majestic walls of the Grand Canyon, a team of explorers is about to set out on an exhilarating river-rafting adventure to bring attention the most pressing environmental story of our time -- the world's growing shortage of fresh water. Experience their journey and learn what each of us can do to make a difference. Starring Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Kick Kennedy, Wade Davis, Tara Davis and Shana Watahomigie.
scrapple
This homegrown Telluride classic is best summarized in a review by The New York Times: "A Pot Dealer, a Drifter and the Pig That Gets in the Way- Christopher Hanson's Scrapple is a completely uncondescending, nearly letter-perfect re-creation of a late 60's-early 70's stoner comedy. As such, it's a very strange cultural artifact, though not an unappealing one...The effort itself is so impressive that it eclipses any qualms one might have about the point of undertaking the exercise in the first place. Filming on location in and around the now uber-chic ski resort of Telluride, CO, Mr. Hanson succeeds amazingly well in turning the clock back 30 years, to a time when Telluride (appearing here under the pseudonym of Ajax) was a remote outpost populated by ski bums, substance abusers and a few prescient real estate developers." Don't miss the post-screening Pig Roast at Chair 8!
Spray
Filmmaker Brian Solano followed Joe Kinder and Chris Lindner on their most recent journey to explore the climbing treasures of California's northern coastline. They ventured through the delicate beaches of Arcata, the stunning limestone of the Trinity Aretes, the historical shores of Mickey's Beach, and the alpine stone of Donner Summit.
Stranded
In 1972, a plane carrying the Uruguayan rugby team crashed in the Andes mountains. More than 30 years later, film director Gonzalo Arijon went with some of the survivors of this tragedy back to the site of the crash. Amazingly, all 16 survivors are still alive today, and all are interviewed in this powerful new documentary film. With Special Guest Nando Parrado in Person!
The Lord God Bird
A bird thought to be extinct in North America since 1944 - the victim of habitat loss, hunters & collectors, and forest clearcutting - suddenly reappears in the Southeast in 2004. Some people insist they have seen the enormous (two feet long with a three foot wingspan) ivory billed woodpecker several times, others argue that it is gone forever. "The film is about the tension between the people who love the bird and believe it exists and the cooly objective ornithologists who say it cannot possibly exist...And the bird is called, amongst other names, 'The Lord God Bird,' because when someone sighted the bird they would shriek out, 'Lord God, what was that that flew by?'" (from Director George Butler) Film clips are available here
Throw Down Your Heart
Throw Down Your Heart follows American banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck on his journey to Africa to explore the little known African roots of the banjo and record an album. Bela's boundary-breaking musical adventure takes him to Uganda, Tanzania, The Gambia, and Mali, and provides a glimpse of the beauty and complexity of Africa.
Stay tuned, the remainder of our official selections will be posted in early May!
All Films, Schedules, Events, and Presenter Participation are subject to change.
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