When the Lookout Wild Film Festival kicks off Thursday night, the films on screen will be the product of a months-long selections process, canvassing 83 hours of submissions from 37 countries.
“When you look at the nearly 300 films we screened to make our selections, you know the 67 selected films are all outstanding,” said Lookout Wild Film Festival director Andy Johns. “The films we’ve picked for our audience are all truly the best of the best, both visually and in the way the filmmakers told their stories.”
The Lookout Wild Film Festival will bring 67 of what the organizers have chosen as the world’s best outdoor adventure and conservation films to Chattanooga Jan.
28-31. This year’s festival has expanded to include a fourth day with an opening night at The Camp House, backstage yoga sessions and more films than last year. In addition to Thursday at The Camp House, LWFF 2016 will be at Chattanooga’s Memorial Auditorium Community Theater.
The final wave of selections include films following a 260-mile canoe race in Texas, a young cyclist in Rwanda dealing with the aftermath of genocide, a rock climber pioneering a breath-taking new route in Lebanon and a group of young men who escape gang violence in Oakland by building their own unique “scraper bikes.” Another highlight will be “The Great Alone,” scheduled for Saturday afternoon at LWFF, which recently won the Grand Prize and “Best Exploration and Adventure Film” at the prestigious Banff Mountain Film Competition. “The Great Alone” will screen at LWFF two weeks ahead of its theatrical release in select theaters across the country.
“This is always a pretty exiting time for us — it’s like we’re in on a secret,” Mr. Johns said. “After months of work, we know how good these films are and we’re only a few days from sharing them with our audience.”
This year’s festival schedule includes:
Thursday (Films 7-9:30 p.m.)
The Camp House
$3 cover or show proof of weekend pass
7 p.m. Films
Nature RX
The Mysteries
Pull
The Wanderlust of Vanlife
Martin’s Boat
Aina
The Rocky Mountain Traverse
The Rider and the Wolf
Friday (Films 7-10:30 p.m.)
Memorial Auditorium Community Theater
$8 or weekend pass
Silent Auction opens at 7 p.m.
7 p.m. Films
The Thousand Year Journey
55 Hours in Mexico
Samaya
Climbing Ice: The Iceland Trifecta
Moving the Giants
Denali
The Mont Rebei Project
Appalachian Gold
Underground Revealed
Filmmaker Q&A-
Of Fells and Hills
BalooonSkiing
The Important Places
The Fisherman’s Son
Paddle for the North
Trail Mix Bar After Party in downstairs lobby
Saturday Matinee (Films 2-5:30 p.m.)
Memorial Auditorium Community Theater
$8 or weekend pass
1 p.m. Yoga and mediation films (free with ticket)
Dubrovnik: Pearl of the Adriatic
Eastern Skies
Into the Nature
The Third Eye: A Blinding Moroccan Experience
Seen by My Eyes
Winter in Lofoten
2 p.m. Films
In Current
Horizons: Hazel and Steve Findlay
Joe
Salween Spring
Chasing Ghosts
Unacceptable Risk
Canoes for Peru
Crystal Labyrinth
Free the Snake
Atchafalaya River
The Great Alone
5:30 p.m. Barbecue dinner at the theater $12 in advance, $15 at the door
Saturday Night (Films 7-10:30 p.m.)
Memorial Auditorium Community Theater
$8 or weekend pass
5:30 p.m. Barbecue dinner at the theater $12 in advance, $15 at the door
7 p.m. Films
Microadventures
I Will Not Fear
Sharing the Secrets
Cloudmont
Shut Up and Paddle
King of the Mountain
European Bike Stealing Championships 2015
The 82 Year Old Skydiver
Ride On Scraper Bike
If Your Mountain Bike Could Talk
The Water Tower
Eclipse
Sunday Matinee (Films 2-6 p.m.)
Memorial Auditorium Community Theater
$8 or weekend pass
1 p.m. Yoga and meditation films (free with ticket)
2 p.m. Films
Huayhash
Above All Else
Avaatara: The First Route Out
Reflections of an Underwater Cameraman
Mile for Mile
We Belong To It
Flying at 15
Bringing Back the Brooks
Juma of Itanda
Frank and the Tower
Frozen Falls
RAAMED
The Edge of Impossible
Operation Moffat
Unbranded
Film Descriptions:
Thursday (Films 7-9:30 p.m.)
The Camp House
$3 cover or show proof of weekend pass
7 p.m. Films
Nature RX
(2 mins, US)
Feeling tired, irritable or stressed out? Try nature. This harmless prescription has been shown to relieve the crippling symptoms of modern life — indifference, cynicism, narcissism, even murderous rage — and is healthy for people of all ages and even pets. Side effects may include authenticity, confidence, spontaneous euphoria or being in a good mood for no apparent reason.
The Mysteries
(8 mins, USA)
Adventure photographer Krystle Wright had a dream of being a bird soaring over BASE jumpers in the desert. How far will she go to create and capture that shot?
Pull
(3 mins, Canada)
PULL is a short documentary film that delves into reflections on journeying the cold Northern Canadian landscape by dog sled.
The Wanderlust of Vanlife
(13 mins, Washington)
In 2011, Foster Huntington created the #vanlife Instagram hashtag, and unexpectedly spawned hundreds of thousands of posts and a family of eager followers. It became a community of like-minded individuals who delight in the kind of adventure you can only get by traveling through the wilderness in a clunky, decades-old vehicle. In this documentary, we follow a group of #vanlife enthusiasts to uncover what the lifestyle means to them.
Martin’s Boat
(24 mins, Arizona)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0NA-FRGkeU
Preeminent conservationist David Brower called him his conscience: in the 1950’s when the Bureau of Reclamation proposed two dams in the Grand Canyon—one at Marble Canyon and the other at Bridge Canyon—the late Martin Litton made sure the Sierra Club didn't acquiesce. Martin believed the best way for people to understand how important it was to preserve the Grand Canyon was to have them experience this secret world from the river, but not in just any boat. Martin pioneered whitewater dories on the Colorado River in the 1960’s and started a proud tradition of naming the boats after wild places that had been lost or compromised by the hand of man. Now, some 50 years later, America’s open-air cathedral faces continued threats from development and mining and it’s up to all of us to ensure the crown jewel of our National Park system is protected now and for future generations. Martin’s Boat is a film that honors the legacy of Martin Litton and follows the newest boat in the Grand Canyon Dories fleet, the Marble Canyon, on its maiden voyage down the legendary Colorado River through the grandest canyon on Earth.
Aina
(23 mins, Hawaii)
AINA (pronounced "eye-nah") means “That Which Feeds Us” in the Hawaiian language. The film highlights a way to address some of the most pressing environmental and health crises facing the island of Kauai - and of island Earth. That may sound like an outstanding claim, but as ?AINA vividly illustrates, such is the power of agriculture and food for people and the planet.
The Rocky Mountain Traverse
(24 mins, Canada)
https://vimeo.com/122528605
Vol biv, or fly camp, is the next frontier in paragliding. Will Gadd and Gavin McClurg took the sport to a whole new level with their 34 day, 800km, flight along the Rocky Mountains from McBride, B.C. to the U.S./Canada border.
The Rider and the Wolf
(62 mins, Colorado)
https://vimeo.com/71929947
The Rider and The Wolf is story of Mike Rust, one of six Irish brothers who fell in love with bicycles in Colorado. "Mike the Bike" helped create the stoke for bikes in the rough mountain town of Crested Butte, leading to the sport called mountain biking. Some to try to claim that it all started in California, but Colorado is just as guilty. Mike Rust was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 1991. He later moved to the remote San Luis Valley to pursue his dreams of sustainable living in the mountains. There, some men broke into his house one night and he chased them down. He has never been seen again.
Friday (Films 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.)
Memorial Auditorium Community Theater
$8 or weekend pass
7 p.m. Films
The Thousand Year Journey
(5 mins, various)
Jedidiah quit a job that he loved to ride his bicycle from Oregon to the southern tip of South America. Filmmaker Kenny Laubbacher joined him for his month-and-a-half long journey to find out why.
55 Hours in Mexico
(10 mins, Colorado/Mexico)
For those with 9 to 5 office jobs, the weekend is a source of freedom and balance. How adventurous can one get in a single weekend and 55 hours away from home? Joey Schusler headed to Mexico with his favorite working stiff Karl Thompson to explore the limits of the weekend warrior.
Samaya
(5 mins, Iceland)
We humans are merely giving a guest performance on planet earth.
Linking cosmic and human scales our lives shrink to a blink of an eye. Samaya is a word taken from Sanskrit, the ancient Indian language having a broad meaning far beyond a single word. In this project’s context the rich meaning of samaya should primarily transpose two factors: the common connection and the concept of time.
Climbing Ice: The Iceland Trifecta
(17 mins, Iceland)
Adventure and jaw-droppingly beautiful landscapes as you’ve never experienced before. Hitch a death-defying ride with Tim Kemple and world-class climbers as they scale the frigid crags of Iceland.
Moving the Giants
(11 mins, Oregon/California)
https://vimeo.com/131977782
David Milarch is an arborist from central Michigan. In 1991, Milarch had a near death experience that inspired a personal quest – to archive the genetics of the world's largest trees before they're gone and to replant global forests to fight climate change. This is the story of David and the redwood champions of California.
Denali
(8 mins, California)
There's no easy way to say goodbye to a friend, especially when they've supported you through your darkest times.
The Mont Rebei Project
(19 mins, Spain)
From the highest rock wall in Spain, an International team of "Rope Jumpers" - Rock&Rope (Ukraine), Pyrenaline (France), and High Jump (Spain) - hurl themselves into the abyss, attached to a climbing rope, and broke the free fall World Record! Baraka Flims followed this team during a week, from the preparation to the performance's achievement.
Appalachian Gold
(5 mins, North Carolina)
This short documentary student film looks at the threats and conservation efforts around North Carolina’s native ginseng population.
Underground Revealed
(10 mins, Tennessee)
Chattanooga’s underground has long been shrouded in mystery and myth, a part of the city’s history that’s been buried beneath the city streets for decades. But what’s really down there? Join us as we investigate Chattanooga’s hidden history with Underground Revealed.
Of Fells and Hills
(7 mins, UK)
The term “fell” is an often used Northern England expression for hill or mountain. It is presumed that Shepherds were probably the first ever fell runners with the earliest documented accounts of running in the fells dating back to the 11th Century. By the 19th century organized fell runs began taking place in Cumbria in the United Kingdom. Locals raced each other up and down hills and a sport was born. In “Of Fells and Hills” we travel with American Writer, Photographer and Trail Runner, Rickey Gates, to the UK to explore and discover the history, culture and legends of the ancient practice of Fell Running.
BaloonSkiing
(8 mins, Austria)
Ever heard of balloonskiing? Flying up a mountain with a hot air balloon, then dropping the altitude as fast as possible and enjoying the eco-friendly powder snow - sound like a crazy idea? The “Heimschnee-Crew” together with VAUDE athlete Stephan Keck has done it! What better way to start this event than by letting nature decide your fate and just being led by the wind. Looking for a daredevil challenge to test their limits, the freeskiing crew invented balloonskiing. It's the perfect way to experience the wonders of nature while feeling as free and unconstrained as a bird.
The Important Places
(9 mins, Arizona)
When Forest Woodward was born, his father wrote a poem for him about the secret places of sublime beauty that he would find in life. “May you always remember the path that leads back, back to the important places,” it concluded. Nearly three decades later, Forest came across the poem in a box of family books and was propelled by the words to challenge his father to recreate a 1970 trip down the Grand Canyon. Together they set off on a 28-day journey down the Colorado River, where, surrounded by towering canyon walls and powerful whitewater, Forest watches his father “not just alive, but living again.”
The Fisherman’s Son
(29 mins, Chile/Hawaii)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDPqMVtAgP0
Born and raised at Punta de Lobos, Ramón Navarro found his passion riding the biggest waves on the planet. But his accomplishments in giant surf are just one part of a bigger vision to protect the culture and environment of the Chilean coast.
Paddle for the North
(33 mins, Canada)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzMZfxsssf8
Paddle for the North follows the adventures of six friends; Gabriel Rivest, Simon Lucas, Scott Sinton, Michah Rauguth, Alexandre Deschênes-Dénommé and Matt Holmes as they paddle three canoes 1500km through the deepest backcountry of North America, Canada to Alaska. The journey took two months through six rivers; The Hart, Peel, Rat, Bell, Porcupine and the Yukon Rivers. This story is about the incredible adventure through the untouched North and the amazing people encountered along the way, that inspired six friends (from all over the world) to take a stand.
Saturday Matinee (Films 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.)
Memorial Auditorium Community Theater
$8 or weekend pass
1 p.m. Yoga and mediation films (free with ticket)
Dubrovnik: Pearl of the Adriatic
(4 mins, Croatia)
Dubrovnik is a city on the Adriatic Sea, in the region of Dalmatia. The city is in the list of UNESCO work heritage sites. The film was shot in 8 days and nights.
Eastern Skies
(6 mins, West Virginia/North Carolina)
Five years ago filmmaker Mike Zorger started getting into researching areas of the East Coast that have dark skies such as the western states. He was told it doesn't exist but continued my search until he came across a small section of West Virginia called the Monongahela Nation Forest. There are only 2 roads that pass between towns that have 1 gas station and a small convenience store. Later he found more dark skies over Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks. Eastern Skies was shot over a 10 month period.
Into the Nature
(3 mins, Australia)
Recorded in Queensland, North Territory, Victoria and New South Wales. We are only a tiny little thing.
The Third Eye: A Blinding Moroccan Experience
(6 mins, Morocco)
The Third Eye. A Blinding Moroccan Experience is a video shot entirely using the timelapse technique, which lays emphasis on the unique energy and vibe of Morocco. The third eye is a gate leading to another space and dimension, where you can see more. Morocco dazzles, awes with its rich history, culture and the variety of landscapes. This video is the record of the filmmaker’s unique experience and the incredible joy of creating in this magical, mysterious country.
Seen by My Eyes
(5 minutes, Hong Kong)
In 2014, filmmaker Franso focused on parts of Hong Kong away from the hustle and bustle of the city: the pure, natural side of Hong Kong. These thousands of pictures have been turned into this time lapse video. Franso wants to show that we can still find these amazing natural scenery such as sunrise, sunset, starry nights and even clouds in our Hong Kong. Sadly, upon the increasing demands of urban developments, it would be a question of seeing such beautiful natural scenery of Hong Kong in the future.
Winter in Lofoten
(4 mins, Norway)
The sun rises and covers the landscape in a soft pink light. The rugged cliffs cast a long shadow. Winter has the island under control. The snowy mountains tower above the frozen fjords. The streets are empty and just a few tourists are en route. The sun shines and the turquoise water glitters in the sun. The day is marked by unpredictable weather changes. Quick rages the snow and the sea is stirred up by the storm. The fishing boats cross the rough sea to catch some codfish, while the already gutted fish hanging to dry on the stockfish racks and wrap the island into a fishy smell. In the evening the island comes to rest. The fishing boats return to the port. The small towns, with the famous red Rorbuers are brightly lit and tranquility settles in. The sun sets and the sky turns into a dark blue. As night falls in Lofoten, the sky comes to life and you will experience an exceptional spectacle of nature that is hard to put into words. The Northern Lights flicker across the sky and cover the landscape in a green light. For hours they dance in the sky before the sun finds its way over the horizon. A new winter day starts in Lofoten.
2 p.m. Films
In Current
(6 mins, Arizona)
Rowing a dory in the Grand Canyon is considered by some as the most coveted job in the world. It can take 20 years of paying your dues to earn a seat on one of these legendary wooden boats. Amber Shannon has been boating the Grand Canyon nine years, trying to work her way from the baggage boat to a dory, while spending as many days possible in current.
Horizons: Hazel and Steve Findlay
(5 mins, Australia/Norway)
Sky 1 gave Cut Media the task to make a film about our bucket list if we had 34 days to live... Rather than thinking about death we decided that Hazel Findlay (who is one of the Worlds top rock climbers), and her father Steve epitomised living for today and are the exact reason why if you live every day to the full then you don't need a bucket list!
Joe
(7 mins, Wyoming)
Joe Riis has the job that every child in the world dreams of: He is a celebrated National Geographic wildlife photographer. He spends his life embarking on adventures to the wildest places on Earth, often for months on end, to observe and photograph animals for National Geographic Magazine. He seemingly has the picture perfect life. Or does he?
This film tells a more personal story of an oft idolized character to remind that even those who have achieved it all still face many of the struggles that everyone else does. It also celebrates how a man’s love for the wilderness has helped to further curiosity, respect and protection for the natural world around us.
Salween Spring
(9 mins, China)
Travis Winn, an American, came to China 15 years ago on a whitewater expedition. Now, he's giving back to the people and rivers of China by running a rafting company called Last Descents River Expeditions. Kids and parents are both learning the value of river running on the Salween, a beautiful but threatened river.
Chasing Ghosts
(7 mins, Oregon)
PTSD survivor and U.S. Navy veteran turned gear designer Chad Brown has a passion for fly fishing. He says it's his medicine, and now he wants inner-city youth and fellow vets to experience the sport's healing power for themselves.
Unacceptable Risk
(12 mins, Colorado)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFMr_IJO9pg
Produced by The Story Group, Unacceptable Risk follows Colorado firefighters who are responding to record-breaking wildfires. The film examines how climate changes are transforming Colorado’s fire environment, bringing higher temperatures, drier fuels, and diseases to forests, which combine to create a volatile situation for firefighters and communities.
Canoes for Peru
(18 mins, Peru/New Zealand)
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/141448995
Documentary of an epic project bringing canoeing to the Amazon. The trials and tribulations of getting canoes there and then canoeing the Alta Madre de Dios river in the Peruvian Amazon. It’s a story about effort and life in an isolated part of the world experiencing great change.
Crystal Labyrinth
(24 mins, Bahamas)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WctGrmWe_7g
For over ten years Brian Kakuk has been obsessed with making the connection between Dan’s Cave and Ralph’s Cave on Abaco Island in the Bahamas. Considered the most decorated underwater caves in the world; the entrances are on a few thousand feet apart. Three different levels and thousands of feet of cave traveling in a myriad of directions make the system nothing short of Swiss cheese. Working together with Bret Hemphill, Brian Kakuk comes within a hundred feet or less of the connection in a two-week push to finish a 20-year project.
Free the Snake
(8 mins, Washington)
Snake River Salmon have been trucked, put on barges, diverted up fish ladders — all in the hope that enough would bypass the four dams standing in their way to reach their historic habitat, and ensure their future existence.. But it’s not working. The time has come to breach the dams and reconnect wild salmon to this important watershed.
Atchafalaya River
(7 mins, Louisiana)
The Atchafalaya River, draws us out of our fast-paced worlds and into the meditative slowness of nature we often forget to appreciate. Step on in and join John Ruskey and crew for a ride down the Mississippi.
The Great Alone
(88 mins, Alaska)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjdKgdMZdpA
The Great Alone is a feature length documentary shot in the arctic of Alaska that captures the inspiring comeback story of champion dog sled racer, Lance Mackey. From his sunniest days as a boy by his famous father’s side to cancer’s attempt to unseat him, The Great Alone pulls viewers along every mile of Lance’s emotional journey to become one of the greatest dog sled racers of all time.
Saturday Night (Films 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.)
Memorial Auditorium Community Theater
$8 or weekend pass
7 p.m. Films
Microadventures
(8 mins, UK)
Alastair Humphreys is an adventurer, blogger, author and motivational speaker.
As well as expeditions such as cycling round the world, walking across India and rowing the Atlantic, Alastair was named as a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year for his pioneering work on the concept of microadventures, trying to encourage people to get outside, get out of their comfort zone, go somewhere they’ve never been. A microadventure is an adventure that is close to home, cheap, simple, short, and yet very effective.
I Will Not Fear
(10 mins, Tennessee)
Trailer: https://www.facebook.com/iwillnotfearfilm/videos/337094816500145/
Ed Rusk realized the value of a relationship with God during an Ironman distance race in Penticton, Canada. He spent six months preparing for the event. He was ready to set a personal record. But halfway through the swim he started throwing up. Trying to persevere, Ed started the bike ride. But by mile twenty, things were even worse. He was ready to quit. Then, God stepped in.
Sharing the Secrets
(13 mins, Alabama)
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/145407819
After millions of years in the making, Alabama has over 4,000 caves that are explored and beloved by spelunkers from all over. With a diverse array of underground plants, animals and other organisms, conserving these massive underground formations and their delicate ecosystems is crucial. Follow some of the most enthusiastic and daring cavers into the breathtaking hidden treasures of northeast Alabama, an area that boasts one of the highest concentrations of caves in the U.S. and supports incredible cave biodiversity.
Cloudmont
(58 mins, Alabama)
https://vimeo.com/116983425
Cloudmont tells the story of the Jones family and their remarkable struggle against all odds to create the first and only ski hill in Alabama. For over 43 years, they have managed to persevere through climate change, personal tragedy and financial hardship in an attempt to keep their impossible dream alive in America’s deep south. It’s an inspiring tale that shows what’s possible when you harness the power of love, family and the will to endure.
Shut Up and Paddle
(7 mins, Texas)
What makes The Texas Water Safari the world’s toughest canoe race? 260 miles of non-stop paddling? Triple-digit heat? Alligators? Snakes? Portaging mile-long logjams? A wild and unpredictable bay? Hallucinations from sleep deprivation? Hell, that’s just naming a few. And the only way to finish in less than 100 hours is to shut up and paddle.
King of the Mountain
(9 mins, Rwanda)
As a boy growing up, Samuel Mugisha dreamed of being a part of the Rwandan national cycling team, Team Rwanda, as he believed it would be a way to help make money for his family. What he discovered was something else entirely. In a country trying to get over the trauma of a genocide, Team Rwanda represents a lot more than sport.
European Bike Stealing Championships 2015
(5 mins, Italy/Netherlands/Czech Republic)
In the Europe, bike thieves are a pain in the neck. So we took a bait bike along with the camera crew to Amsterdam, Rome and Prague to find out which city is the worst. And what happened after someone finally plucked up the courage to steal our bike? They never saw it coming!
The 82 Year Old Sky Diver
(4 mins, UK)
At 82, Dylis holds the world record for being the oldest female skydiver in the world. Full of confidence and liberated by her passion Dylis talks us through her mindset before each dive. She confides that her only worry when it comes to skydiving is refusing to get out of the car at the drop zone because she knows that if she backed out of a dive she would regret it. In her opinion “the ecstasy is far more than the fear”.
Ride On Scraper Bike
(6 mins, California)
The story of how an arts and cultural movement (scraper bikes) has transformed the lives of kids in violent east Oakland. Featuring the Scraper Bike King Tyrone Stevenson and the maker movement.
If Your Mountain Bike Could Talk
(4 mins, USA)
A different perspective on mountain biking.
The Water Tower
(28 mins, Kenya)
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/24669
In Central Kenya, northeast of the Rift Valley, there is a tower. It is a monumental granite swell with a crumbling pinnacle that stretches 17,058 feet into the sky. Mt. Kenya, the second tallest peak in Africa, is home to Ngai, the local water god that is said to create the rains. As a result, Ngai and the mountain provide 70% of the nation’s water supply, fed by glaciers and annual storms that eddy around this looming rock island. Pete McBride climbed its false summit with
his family when he was 9 years old. Returning in 2012 with a group of climbers, he noticed
something frightening. It wasn’t the same mountain he climbed as a boy. From the slums of Nairobi to the arid landscapes of Samburu National Reserve and the vast rose farms on Mt. Kenya’s foot hills, The Water Tower, is equal parts travel, advocacy and adventure film.
Eclipse
(32 mins, Canada/Norway)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCR5C6XqRPA
It was a ridiculous idea from the start. Travel to the edge of the earth to see one of the planet’s rarest events- a total solar eclipse in the Arctic. Faced with the likely reality of bad weather obscuring the sun and having to battle frigid, arctic temperatures and winds, the odds did not favor success. Despite this the Salomon Freeski TV team and set out on an expedition to realize photographer, Reuben Krabbe’s grand vision to capture a single unique image- one of skiing during a solar eclipse. Persistence, preparation and a positive attitude was a guarantee of nothing as March 20th, 2015, dawned. The fate of the expedition’s goal would rest entirely in the hands of the weather gods.
Sunday Matinee
Memorial Auditorium
1 p.m. Yoga and mediation films (free with ticket)
Huayhash
(13 mins, Colorado/Peru)
In the winter of 2014, three friends set out on a self supported ride, looking for nothing more than a truly genuine experience. The goal: to circumnavigate one of the most wonderful and wicked mountain ranges in the world – the Huayhuash, by bicycle.
This was all a spur of the moment idea; part of the vicious cycle of making every adventure more thrilling than the last. January was the off-season, or rainy season, for the Andes so the wilderness would be completely desolate. The three friends hoped to be the second group to complete this trek on bikes. However, they underestimated the relentless weather they would encounter as they traveled for a week above treeline.
Above All Else
(8 mins, USA)
Produced by Live Unbound and directed by Yali Sharon, Above All Else tells the tale of skydiver Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld and how he managed to overcome a life-altering accident in order to pursue his stratospheric dreams. Sharon uses a combination of archival video, reenactments, and original footage to tell Brodsky-Chenfeld’s story in a slick and kinetic way (the film is based on a book of the same name).
Avaatara: The First Route Out
(6 mins, Lebanon)
Accomplished climber David Lama fixed his sights on setting a route in the untouched Baatara Gorge in Lebanon for his latest adventure, and he faced a considerable challenge, maybe even more than he originally anticipated.
Reflections of an Underwater Cameraman
(5 mins, Ireland)
There aren’t many of us swimming about and diving in the North Atlantic all year around. Filmmakers try to record and articulate what’s occurring in a given situation. After ten years in the seas around Ireland, it felt like a natural thing to turn the mirror on myself, perhaps because of the solitude of my work or perhaps because of an inherent need to understand my own personal journey. The result is this short film.
Mile for Mile
(15 mins, Chile)
Ultrarunners Krissy Moehl, Jeff Browning and Luke Nelson run 106 miles through the newly opened Patagonia Park in Chile, to celebrate and highlight Conservacion Patagonica’s efforts to re-wild and protect this vast landscape. A short film by Rios Libres and Patagonia, Inc.
We Belong To It
(14 mins, Canada)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KVWs4sGAhQ
“We must remember…that in the end…nature does not belong to us, we belong to it.” This film explores the visual beauty of the Boreal forest landscape, but also delves into Ray Mears’ reflections on nature and his mastered skillset in bushcraft. Follow Ray Mears - a renowned traveller and British TV Personality - as he journeys into the heart of Wabakimi Provincial Park in Northern Ontario, Canada.
Flying at Fifteen
(10 mins, Georgia/Tennessee)
Being too young to drive up Lookout Mountain hasn’t stopped Ethan Thomason from being one of the best young pilots in hang gliding.
Bringing Back the Brooks
(10 mins, Tennessee)
https://vimeo.com/122345682
A poetic look at a forgotten native of Appalachia, the Southern Appalachian Brook Trout, which is being brought back from the brink… by hand, bucket, and hoof.
Juma of Itanda
(5 mins, Uganda)
As Juma Via Kalikwani walks through the dirt streets of his hometown, he is bombarded with children and adults alike who flock to see him–his role as the Director of Operations for Nile River Explorers, a large Jinja, Uganda based rafting company, has earned him hometown stardom. But Kalikwani’s beginnings are humble. As a young boy, he became friends with the first rafters to discover the warm rapids of the Victoria Nile, and slowly worked his way up through the ranks of NRE to his current role.
Kalikwani and the rest of the Ugandans who benefit from the rafting and tourism industry nearly lost their livelihoods in 2011 when the Bujagali Hydroelectric Project was completed, burying half of the Nile’s famous rapids in its reservoir. Fortunately, the companies were able to relocate downstream and continue their businesses. Following the construction and a public uproar from the local people, in 2007 the Ugandan Government signed a non-development agreement with the IDA/World Bank called the Kalagala Offset Indemnity Agreement to protect the area for its cultural significance and tourism value.
Frank and the Tower
(13 mins, Wyoming)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg3dceCDjlM
The first time Frank Sanders saw Devils Tower was in the sudden brilliance of a lightning strike. It sent a wave of anxiety through him, but the next day he climbed The Tower. Forty three years later, he’s repeated that act more than 2,000 times and learned a thing or two about about going up and not growing old.
Frozen Falls
(12 mins, New York/Canada)
Professional climber and one of National Geographic’s Adventurers of the Year, Will Gadd, took ice climbing to new heights by being the first person ever to ascend the frozen sections of the world’s largest flowing waterfall, Niagara Falls.
RAAMED
(16 mins, USA)
Eight unlikely characters team up to participate in the world's toughest endurance cycling event, Race Across America. This non-stop 3000 mile race pushes participants to their physical and mental limits on their way to finishing in Annapolis, Maryland in only 7 days. This unique insiders view of the race includes all the sweat, laughs and emotions of this grueling event.
The Edge of Impossible
(14 mins, Alaska)
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/114058250
In the spring of 2014, the High Fives Foundation gave a Winter Empowerment grant to provide the team with the tools and travel necessary for Tony Schmiesing to accomplish “The Edge of Impossible” trip to Points North Heli-Adventures in Cordova, Alaska. This uplifting and truly inspirational video was produced to showcase the human spirit and allow Tony to accomplish the life-long goal of experiencing the weightlessness of pure Alaskan powder skiing.
Operation Moffat
(20 mins, UK)
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/147534629
Operation Moffat takes inspiration and wit from the colourful climbing life of Britian’s First Female Mountain Guide Gwen Moffat. Writer Claire Carter and Filmmaker Jen Randall scramble, swim and barefoot climb through Gwen’s most cherished British landscapes, grappling with her preference for mountains over people, adventure over security, wilderness over tick lists. With new take on landscape photography, archive footage and action sequences this is a film rooted in a real love of wild places.
Unbranded
(45 mins, USA)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQmmaiWHYHQ
3,000 Miles, 16 Wild Horses, 5 States, 4 Men. The journey of a lifetime riding from Mexico to Canada through the deepest backcountry in the American West to see our remaining open spaces and prove the worth of 50,000 wild horses and burros currently in holding pens.