STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Sun Valley Film Festival could have called it a wrap on opening night.

To no one’s surprise, “Science Fair,” the opening film of the seventh annual festival won the Audience Choice Award.

Everyone who saw it listed it among their top favorites, with one film-going trio—Sharon Wellsandt, Doris Weiler and Christel Nicholson-- suggesting a condensed version should be shown in schools to inspire teachers and students.

And filmmakers Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster were on hand to tell how they lucked into choosing the winner of the fair they filmed from among 1,700 student scientists who took part in the previous fair.

 They looked for precocious, articulate, passionate young scientists to profile. And they found several, including the eventual winner-- a young aeronautical buff from Germany--and a young Muslim student from North Dakota who went on to win in her division.

The Sun Valley Film Festival did call it a wrap Sunday evening, after awarding more than $22,500 in cash prizes and countless mentorship opportunities to independent filmmakers.

Among the locals taking part in making or being part of films was Julie Youngblood, a Sun Valley firefighter who rode to the opening of “All the Wild Horses,” crossing the streets of Ketchum on horseback clad in a bright blue Mongolian dress in a snowstorm.

Youngblood competed in 1,000-km. Mongol Derby in 2012 after a friend rode it.

The race cost $10,000 to enter and part of that money is given to the Mongolians who provide the wild horses for riders. Thirty-five people are selected and half the field finishes, said Youngblood who came in seventh.

Youngblood rode a variety of horses every day at a ranch south of town to get ready. But mental preparation was the most difficult.

“I had a sixth whiskey to help me out and I told myself ‘I’m going to make it,’ ” she recalled. “Making friends along the way helped, too. I’m on the selection board now. Ten of us go through hundreds of applicant interviews.”

Two of those on Youngblood’s ride just wed outside London. Another is partially paralyzed after  breaking four vertebrae in his neck during the ride. A horse Youngblood was riding had to be put down during the ride—the first horse of 8,000 to be put down during the race’s history. It was determined the injury resulted from a fracture sustained before the race.

“The Mongolians are wonderful human beings who think we’re a little bizarre. But they take us into their homes and feed us things like soft boiled goat and marmot and fermented mare’s milk,” Youngblood said.

Kristina Frandson was among the viewers at this year’s festival. She was at the first festival when her brother Daniel Frandson submitted the film, “Magic Valley.”

Now at the University of Ohio, she’s headed to Edinburgh but not before taking in four days worth of films first.

“I like how close you are to everybody,” she said. “I like how passionate everyone is and the relationships you can build.”

Many of those attending the festival found “Finding Your Feet,” fun and instructive as a woman charted a new course after learning her husband had been cheating on her during his retirement party. They found “Leave No Trace” about a father and daughter living off the grid tender. And they found  “American Animals”—about college students who tried very stupidly to pull off an art heist—engaging, especially given the way the filmmaker injected the real-life characters into the movie.

“I liked ‘All the Wild Horses,’ because the horses were treated with utmost respect—like royalty, with veterinarians checking them all the way,” said Kathy Caley. “And I liked ‘Outside In,’ which showed how important relationships are and was shot in the Northwest. It’s beautiful in a different kind of way. They even brought in the outdoors, including the Seattle rain, rather than trying to ignore it. And the music complemented the whole thing.”

Festival Director Candice Pate referred to the festival as a bonsai tree in an interview with a “Variety” reporter who has been covering the festival for years.

“We don’t want it to grow that much, we just want it to be better and keep people really involved with the craft of filmmaking,” she said.

“The fact that we’re able to bring in films like ‘Beirut’ speaks to the quality of the festival,” added Festival Creator Teddy Grennan.

The biggest complaint seemed to be that of so many people having to be turned away from the Ford Cinetransformer, which holds 90. Some movies received a second screening, as a result. Some were transferred to Magic Lantern Cinema. But, still, some filmgoers said they gave up going to films they  would have liked to have seen because they feared they’d have no chance of getting in.

Filmmaker son Casey Wilder Mott gave a shameless plug to the Argyros Performing Arts Center that his father is helping to build on the site of the old nexStage Theatre.

“Look for it next year,” he said. “It should provide another beautiful venue, like the Sun Valley Opera House.”

THIS YEAR’S AWARDS:

AUDIENCE AWARDS—“Science Fair” directed by Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster

PRODUCER’S VISION AWARD, recognizing producer’s ability to keep a dramatic, feature-length film in focus—“Outside In,” produced by Mel Eslyn and Lacey Leavitt , executive produced by Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass and directed by Lynn Shelton.

ONE IN A MILLION AWARDS, honoring feature-length stories made for under $1 million:

“Nona,” directed by Michael Polish and produced by Kate Bosworth, was honored as the narrative film.

“Minding the Gap,” directed by Bing Liu, was the documentary winner.

THE SHORTY AWARD, given to the best short film: “Haymaker,” directed by Robert Moncrief

NAT GEO WILD TO INSPIRE Film and Screenwriting Competition Winner, getting to go on an expedition to Africa to document wildlife: “The Embodiment of Hope,” directed by Marvi  Lacar and Benjamin Lowy.

HIGH SCRIBE, giving finalists one-on-one meetings with film industry mentors: “Dark Horizons” by Carlo and Erin Carere

1 POTATO WINNER short screenplay competition: “The Hole Truth, directed by Irish Johnston, who will get a $5,000 stipend to shoot a film in Idaho.

THE FILM LAB, presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka: “A Name Without a Place,” written and directed by Kenny Riches who gets $5,000 in finishing funds

FUTURE FILMMAKER FORUM, presented by Bex Wilkinson and Peter Burke with help from the Marshall Frankel Foundation and COX: “Aftershock” directed by Ryan Beard.

VISION AWARD: Gwyneth Paltrow

PIONEER AWARD: Kate Bosworth

HIGH SCRIBE AWARD: Jay Duplass and Lynn Shelton

RISING STAR: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

SNOW ANGEL AWARD, given to advocacy work focusing on environmental sustainability: Gregg Renfrew and Beautycounter.