A fest for the senses One of North Americas premiere environmental and adventure film festivals is coming to Invermere. On November 28th and 29th, the 2014 Wild & Scenic Film Festival World Tour will be taking over the Invermere Community Hall, and a special Saturday night presentation by world renowned alpinist and guide Barry Blanchard will top the weekend off. Photo contributed
By Dan Walton
Pioneer Staff
The Invermere Community Hall will become a cinema for the Wild and Scenic Film Festival next weekend.
The event has been organized by Wildsight, and will project 15 films onto a big screen on Friday, November 28th and Saturday, November 29th. On the latter date, alpinist Barry Blanchard from Canmore whos spent nearly 3,000 days of his life mountain guiding will be presenting as the guest of honour. Based on his new book, The Calling: A Life Rocked by Mountains, Mr. Blanchard will offer a multi-media show.
Similarly, the featured films will focus largely around outdoor recreation, ecology, and activism. Bound by no corporate cookie-cutters, these independently-made productions by trailblazing filmmakers will intrigue anybody who enjoys life in the mountains. From people living off the grid to spending every day climbing, to challenging the value of hydroelectric dams, each film offers a fascinating take on the relationships between humans and nature. Shot throughout Canada and the U.S. (with one film dipping into Ecuador), the assortment of films ranges between two and 46 minutes in length.
The Wild and Scenic Film Festival will not only take you to some of the most remote and beautiful places on the planet, but also instil a deep appreciation and sense of wonder for the natural world that surrounds and supports us, said Wildsight Invermere president Baiba Morrow.
Creature comforts will be ample at the screenings, with a cash bar both nights and pizza from Peppis on Saturday. And big gifts, from Patagonia gear to a glider flight with the Invermere Soaring Centre, will be given away to the winners of the door and raffle prizes.
Attendance costs $25 to attend both nights or for single-day passes $15 for Friday and $20 for Saturday. Wildsight members are entitled to $5 discounts on any purchase. Children under 12 can take part in one night for $8 or both for $10. A special offer has been made for anyone interested in becoming a Wildsight member, with a $30 package which includes a pass to the festival, a gift from Kicking Horse Coffee, and a lifetime Wildsight membership.
On Friday, doors open at 7 p.m. and the films run from 7:30 to 10 p.m. On Saturday, doors open at 6 p.m. with Mr. Blanchards presentation starting at 7 p.m., followed by films and a book signing.
To get your tickets or to find out more about the feature films, visit www.wildsight.ca/wildandscenic.
Film fest tickets and raffle tickets will also be sold at AG Foods on Saturday, November 22nd from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
