Winter Scene 2010: Winter screens

’Tis the season for films

1

Anyone who has called in “sick” on a morning that fresh snow has fallen will relate to the opening sequence of Warren John Morrison skis Antarctica in Warren Miller’s Wintervention. In Miller´s Wintervention. the opening scene of this year’s installation of the 60-plus years of ski movies, a cubicle-worker busy on the phone ing by Antarctica, showcasing, as Bervy says, retelling his skiing conquests gets busted by interesting people in interesting places. his boss for using company funds to go “They’re not overly deep, but it’s not just heliskiing. ski porn either,” Bervy says.

Perhaps that’s a bit extreme for the aver- They take it to the extremes, crossing one age powder addict. But the film hovers of the roughest stretches of ocean on the around the idea of that all-consuming addic- planet, the Drake Passage between Southtion to skiing and snowboarding, showcasing America and Antarctica, to cut fresh tracks on stunning ski destinations as the athletes talk Antarctic snow never skied before. This year’s about their “problem.” Olympic gold medalist crew also made a trip into Gudari, Georgia, a Jonny Mosely, who narrates much of the film, former Soviet country on the Greater also does a recurring bit as a radio show host, Caucasus Range, to ski an area that formerly coaching people through their “addictions.” only served Russian dignitaries.

“Remember, everyone, it’s a simple prob- Half the art in a Warren Miller film comes lem with a simple fix,” he says. “Just keep ski- from pairing untouched powder with bluebird ing.” skies, so, Bevry says, they spend a lot of time “You find that perfect moment of skiing, watching the weather. He wasn’t watching and so you start to chase that,” says Max southern Utah, though, a spot that rarely gets Bervy, the film’s executive producer. “For set up with the ideal conditions. But Zach and some people, their whole goal in life is trying Reggie Crist were. The Crist brothers had to retrace that perfect moment, whatever it worked with Warren Miller Films before. was.” “They called and said, ‘It’s going off. … Can It becomes a problem — missing meetings you get a camera crew in there?’” Bevry says.

and skipping anniversaries to fuel an obsessive Crews from east and west met in the middle, chase. Or, he says, that’s when you figure out and caught Crist and newbie Lexi Dupont ski- that it’s all right, and that a powder day is ing deep powder among red sandstone cliffs. worth more to you than a conference call. Shots of cutting deep into powder are all The film tracks world-class athletes from set to a soundtrack that triggers a certain the tip of the Arctic Circle to icebergs brush- mood, with Grinderman and Radiohead laying over the progression session of big air and big wrecks, and Gogol Bordello matched to the scenes from Georgia.

“That’s a big part of the whole experience, just letting the music play and not trying to be too wordy,” Bevry says.

“It kind of is the classic Warren Miller film, skiers and riders traversing the globe in search of other and new destinations, unique descents,” says Emily McCormack, press representative for the film in Colorado. “Warren Miller was a pioneer in the action sports cinematography area. His films kind of quintessentially include beautiful scenery, breathtaking backdrops and humor.” Going to see a Warren Miller film is more than just a night at the movies.

“It’s insanity,” McCormack says. “It has this cult following, so people dress up in random ’80s ski gear, ’70s ski gear. It’s very interactive. People don’t just sit there and watch the movie.”

The film screens at the Boulder Theater Nov. 9-14.

Boulder International Film Festival

Last year, they got Alec Baldwin of 30 Rock to come to Boulder. This year, who knows?

The Boulder International Film Festival has been breaking attendance records and drawing celebrity attendants and big-name producers (anyone heard of The Lion King? Yeah, that producer) in the seven short years it’s been running.

From Feb. 17–20, the BIFF will screen 50 over the progression session of big air and big wrecks, and Gogol Bordello matched to the scenes from Georgia.

“That’s a big part of the whole experience, just letting the music play and not trying to be too wordy,” Bevry says.

“It
kind of is the classic Warren Miller film, skiers and riders traversing
the globe in search of other and new destinations, unique descents,”
says Emily McCormack, press representative for the film in Colorado.
“Warren Miller was a pioneer in the action sports cinematography area.
His films kind of quintessentially include beautiful scenery,
breathtaking backdrops and humor.” Going to see a Warren Miller film is
more than just a night at the movies.

“It’s
insanity,” McCormack says. “It has this cult following, so people dress
up in random ’80s ski gear, ’70s ski gear. It’s very interactive.
People don’t just sit there and watch the movie.”

The film screens at the Boulder Theater Nov. 9-14.

Boulder International Film Festival

Last year, they got Alec Baldwin of 30 Rock to come to Boulder. This year, who knows?

The Boulder
International Film Festival has been breaking attendance records and
drawing celebrity attendants and big-name producers (anyone heard of The Lion King? Yeah, that producer) in the seven short years it’s been running.

From Feb. 17–20, the BIFF will screen 50 to 60 films. More than 16,400 people attended the festival in 2010, up from the 5,000 the festival began with in 2005.

“Our
goal is to bring independent films to Boulder that you’re not going to
see at the cineplex,” says Kathy Beeck, the festival’s director.

While they have seen riffs develop within the festival — a series of films on music or politics — they don’t designate themes.

“Our
theme is great story-telling every year,” Beeck says. The 2011 festival
will be punctuated by more parties, a chance to network with filmmakers
and discuss the films, and more workshops and panels. It will also
continue an event launched in 2010, the Digital Media Symposium, or
DiMe.

Last year’s DiMe featured a panel of digital media specialists who do graphic designing, editing, filmmaking and videography.

“We bring them together to discover commonalities, to discover what the potential is to work together,” Beeck says.

The
festival also coordinates a “Call 2 Action” that pairs eight to 10 of
the films with a method for people to translate the film’s message into
action.

“We don’t
just want to show the film and say, OK, thanks for coming, and everybody
walks out upset, but what can we do? How can we mobilize that passion
into action?” Beeck says.

Last year, Dive, a documentary about food waste, was matched with information on Community Food Share, and Down for Life, a documentary about a gang leader, was presented with the Gang Response and Intervention Program.

Festival
staffers are in the midst of selecting films and inviting films scouted
at other festivals around the country. The schedule will not be
finalized until January, but they do know that Don Hahn, producer for
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, will return this year with another documentary he’s directed. This year’s submission is called Hand Held, and tells the story of a photojournalist who goes to Romania to work with AIDS orphans there.

“While telling a very personal story about a photojournalist and his incredible 20-year journey, Hand Held also
speaks to the fundamental ethics of social responsibility and giving
back for the greater good,” Hahn said in a written statement. “Mike
Carroll is not Romanian, nor did he have any ties there. He was doing
this purely from the heart. I was amazed and moved by his ability to
mobilize hundreds of people to bring aid, education and comfort to
thousands of kids, in a country half a world away and despite
insurmountable odds. His was a story worth telling.”

Beeck says both Hahn and Carroll will be in Boulder for the festival.

Other options

Matchstick Productions —
The tour is over, but if you’re really devoted, you can always get the
DVD. It’s more, well … let’s just say the filmmaker described a camera
as “really sick” in one of the “making of” shorts online, and then one
of the athletes described a ski lodge as “really sick.” That’s two
“really sicks” in two and a half minutes.

Backcountry Film Festival —
Warren Miller-esque in style, but without the aerial cameras. A
nitty-gritty look at backcountry skiing. 2010-11 tour dates have not yet
been announced.

Denver International Film Festival —
If you’re already eager for independent films, it’s worth the drive to
the big city to check out this 10-day festival in November. This year’s
lineup includes a film directed by University of Colorado graduate Derek
Cianfrance.