BY KAREN BOSSICK
One film will take you plunging down Jackson Hole’s icy infamous Corbet’s Couloir—on mountain bike, no less.
Another will follow a young man who rose above poverty, homelessness , dyslexia and bullying , allowing his resilience to carry him across the finish line of a 100-mile mountain ultramarathon.
And still another film will take you with 9-year-old Janibek along the winter migration in Mongolia’s Altai Mountains in a coming-of-age story from the roof of the world.
These are among the 26 films that will be shown over three nights of the 2019 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour when it comes to Sun Valley in early February.
The films will be shown over three nights Feb. 2 through 5, with the exception of Super Bowl Sunday. The Saturday, Feb. 2, lineup will be shown at 7 p.m. at Ketchum’s Limelight Hotel. On Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 4 and 5, the action will shift to The Argyros Performing Arts Center.
Tickets are $24 in advance and $26 at the door. They’re available at Backwoods Mountain Sports, The Elephant’s Perch, Sturtevants, Ski Tek and Chapter One bookstore.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. to allow filmgoers to peruse the raffle items benefiting Friends of Sawtooth Avalanche Center.
"We'll have the usual fantastic collection of gear, clothing, gift certificates and art!" said Steph Eisenbarth, president of the Friends. "In years past our three primary fundraising events--this, the 509 Snowmobile Film premiere and Homegrown Film Festival--have raised 15 percent of the annual operating budget."
The films address mountain culture, travel, outdoor adventure sports and human interest subjects.
One of the more popular films this year is “The Mountain Life: Coast Range traverse,” said Michael Boge, who has brought the festival to Sun Valley for 19 years.
The film follows a mother and daughter as they attempt a six-month ski traverse of the Coast Mountains of British Columbia. As you might expect, they learn much about each other as they bushwhack and forage rivers to keep their journey on track.
“For the Love of Mary” follows 97-year-old George Etzweiler, who started running to save his life. Overweight, out of shape and going downhill fast, he vowed to turn things around and to be there for his beloved Mary whom he married in 1942.
Now, almost 50 years after he started running, he is still running and competing. But now it’s to honor Mary, who passed away in 2010.
“Fast Horse” is a Canadian film that hits close to home as it follows the return of the Blackfoot bareback horseracing tradition in new form: the Indian relay. The film follows Allison Red Crow as he struggles to build a team with a new jockey and second-hand horses to take on the best at the Calgary Stampede.
And Sun Valley skiers will enjoy “Brotherhood of Skiing,” which examines those fun-loving black skiers who show even the locals how to have a good time on Bald Mountain during their periodic week stays at Sun Valley Resort.
The Banff Mountain Film Festival began in 1976 and is held every year during the first weekend in November in Banff, Alberta. Festival organizers began taking many of the top-rated films to other communities in 1986.
The tour went to three Canadian cities that first year; today it tours to hundreds of cities worldwide.
THE LINEUP:
SATURDAY, FEB. 2—LIMELIGHT HOTEL
ROGUE ELEMENTS: CORBET’S COULOIR – USA - Classification: General
Film Synopsis: Anyone who has ever skied or snowboarded Jackson Hole knows just how nerve-racking it can be to send it into the infamous Corbet's Couloir, even in the best of conditions. Doing it in icy conditions on mountain bikes is nothing short of insane, and that's exactly what we did.
RJ RIPPER – USA - Classification: General
Film Synopsis: The chaotic streets of Kathmandu may not seem like a typical breeding ground for world-class mountain bikers, but then again nothing is typical about Rajesh (RJ) Magar and his beat-up clunker.
VIACRUXIS – SPAIN - Classification: General
Film Synopsis: Animation - Marcel and Andrezj are a legendary pair of mountaineers. They have been the first ones to conquer the highest and hardest peaks. Despite their different temperaments, they make a great team. Now they face the biggest challenge: reaching the virgin summit of the highest mountain. In order to achieve this, they will have to overcome formidable obstacles, suffer hardships and stand on each other for a long time. But Andrezj is no longer willing to continue in Marcel’s shadow.
THIS MOUNTAIN LIFE: COAST RANGE TRAVERSE – Canada - Classification: General
Film Synopsis: A mother-daughter team set out on a six-month ski traverse in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. This intense film shows just what a monumental adventure these women tackled.
BROTHERHOOD OF SKIING – USA - Classification: General
Film Synopsis: Since 1973, the National Brotherhood of Skiers has overcome barriers by bringing soul, smiles and a party to the mountain.
CRAIG’S REACTION – USA - Classification: Parental Guidance – Coarse language
Film Synopsis: Since a 100 foot fall in 2002 that took his right leg and left him with spinal injuries, Colorado climber Craig DeMartino has led one hell of a life, including lauded First Disabled and In-A-Day Ascents on El Capitan. But his day-to-day life story is the one that should be making headlines.
HOW TO RUN 100 MILES – USA - Classification: Parental Guidance – Coarse language
Film Synopsis: The odds were stacked against Jayson Sime early in life: poverty, homelessness, dyslexia, bullying. But he learned to fight. In 2017, he entered his first 100-mile mountain ultramarathon, betting on his lifelong resilience to carry him to the finish line.
SKIER VS. DRONE – Canada - Classification: General
Film Synopsis: It's the classic battle of man vs. machine but Olympic Bronze Medalist ski racer, Victor Muffat-Jeandet isn't worried.
MONDAY, FEB. 4—ARGYROS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
FAR OUT: TERRACE BC - USA - Classification: Parental Guidance – Coarse language
Film Synopsis: Three pro skiers head to Terrace, British Columbia to fly off jumps, smash pillows and search for perfect ski lines. Little did they know that a passionate local would lead them to even more fun, laughs and stoke in the backcountry.
BOY NOMAD - Canada - Classification: General
Film Synopsis: 9-year old Janibek lives with his family in Mongolia’s Altai Mountains. His first love is racing horses, but this winter, his father will bring him on the toughest journey in a nomad’s life: the winter migration.
THE MIRNAVATOR - USA - Classification: General
Film Synopsis: Ultra-runners overcome obstacles with every stride. Force of Nature Mirna Valerio never thought she would have to overcome the negative voices that believe she doesn't belong in the sport.
ICE & PALMS – Germany - Classification: Parental Guidance – Coarse language; Nudity
Film Synopsis: Bikepacking, summiting mountains and skiing some iconic lines along the way, friends Max and Jochen have one dream – 5 weeks, 1,800 km and 35,000 vertical metres self-propelled across the Alps.
BEAUTIFUL IDIOT – Canada - Classification: General
Film Synopsis: Take a wild ride through the mindset, motivations and outstanding athleticism of world class freeride mountain biker, Brett Rheeder.
FOR THE LOVE OF MARY - USA - Classification: General
Film Synopsis: When 97-year-old runner George Etzweiler dons his lucky ancient green running shorts, he's not just running to the summit of Mt. Washington, Etzweiler carries something else special with him: The memory of his late wife of 68 years.
LIFE OF GLIDE – USA - Classification: Parental Guidance – Coarse language
Film Synopsis: Big mountain rider Jeremy Jones dissects his lifelong passion for the simple and sacred feeling he calls, "The Glide".
REEL ROCK 12: BREAK ON THROUGH – USA - Classification: Parental Guidance: Coarse language
Film Synopsis: Margo Hayes, a little-known 19 year old from Boulder, Colorado, she has moved to Europe to train and climb with the goal of succeeding on two of the most iconic 5.15s in France and Spain. But by pushing her body and mind to the absolute limit, she risks injury and failure in her quest to be the first.
CHOICES – USA - Classification: Parental Guidance: coarse language
Film Synopsis: A mountain biker has an amazing menu of rides to choose from but which will he pick?
TUESDAY, FEB. 5—ARGYROS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
FAR OUT: KAI JONES – USA - Classification: General
Film Synopsis: Eleven year old Kai Jones isn’t old enough to go to the movies alone or order a sandwich at the pub, but in the mountains age doesn’t matter. He is following in his family’s ski tracks… right into backflips and tricks off of cliffs.
SURFACE – USA - Classification: General
Film Synopsis: In a photographic niche defined by familiar angles, Ben Thouard is driven by his desire to create something original in surf photography.
FAST HORSE – Canada - Classification: Parental Guidance – Coarse language
Film Synopsis: FAST HORSE follows the return of the Blackfoot bareback horseracing tradition in a new form: the Indian Relay. Siksika horseman Allison Red Crow struggles to build a team with second-hand horses and a new jockey, Cody Big Tobacco, to take on the best riders in the Blackfoot Confederacy at the Calgary Stampede.
DIVIDED - Scotland - Classification: Parental Guidance – Coarse language
Film Synopsis: Follow Lee and Rickie in this raw and real portrayal of the places we go emotionally when under extreme duress while riding 190 kilometres a day from Banff to Mexico.
DREAMRIDE 3 – Canada - Classification: General
Film Synopsis: Inspired by a Dr. Seuss narrative, this mountain bike film is sure to take you places like no other.
MY MOM VALA – USA - Classification: General
Film Synopsis: Vala lives in Reykjavik, Iceland and travels to Greenland for work and to immerse herself in rivers thick with migrating char. But for Vala’s 10-year old daughter, Mathilda, Greenland lives only in the stories that her mother tells and her own imagination.
PASSAGE, THE – USA - Classification: General
Film Synopsis: In 1974 a small determined team built their own canoes, launched them into the Pacific, and became some the first people in modern history to canoe from Washington to Alaska up the Inside Passage. The Passage is a story about revisiting that journey, fathers and sons, and the wild places that define us.
BROTHERS OF CLIMBING – USA - Classification: General
Film Synopsis: How can you be what you can’t see? Mikhail Martin, co-founder of Brothers of Climbing said, “I literally typed, ‘Are there black climbers?’ in Google … someone said, ‘black people don’t climb.”
THE FRENCHY - USA - Classification: Parental Guidance – Coarse language
Film Synopsis: Jacques is an 82-year-old, badass athlete, but the real story is how he inspires us with his contagious love of life, epic tales of survival and his ability to counter aging through laughter.