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VIRTUAL

BACKCOUNTRY FILM FESTIVAL

Friday, December 15 through Monday, January 15, 2024

If you are looking for a way to stoke up your snow desire, or looking for the perfect holiday gift, look no further. The Backcountry Film Festival will be available virtually again this year! You can purchase your private viewing and watch in the comfort of your home, on your phone, or at your friend's place. You can also gift a showing to your remote friends or relatives so that they may enjoy it too.

Passes are now on sale for $20 and you can watch the film festival any time between Dec 15th and Jan 15th. Make it a quiet evening, or bring in the whole gang!

The films, all independently produced, range from outrageous to wild to scientific to personal. There is a film to touch every heart.

The Backcountry Film Festival is a year-round, community program presented by Winter Wildlands Alliance that brings messages relevant to WWA's mission and on-going stewardship, policy and advocacy initiatives throughout every season. A collage of human-powered stories and backcountry-inspired experiences, BCFF brings wild conversations and inspires action to communities that celebrate the present while looking towards the future. The 19th Annual Backcountry Film Festival is screening documentaries and ski movies about athletic pursuit in the mountains, artistic vision, friendship, and how the snowsports community is adapting to a changing environment. Read more about this season's lineup below.

When you buy a ticket, a confirmation email will be sent to the email address you enter on the transaction form. Starting on December 15th, an email containing the instructions on how to view the films will be sent to that same email address. You will then have until January 15 to watch the films.

To watch a short trailer click here

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Film List

The films to be shown in this year's festival:

WHAT IF? (6:00 minutes)

Director(s): Josh Goldsmith
Human(s): Mallory (Mal) Duncan
Location(s): Oregon and Washington

Description: A countdown into the mind of a backcountry skier as he contemplates the delicate balance between risk and reward, confidence and apprehension.

BELOVED WHITEBARK: STALWART WITNESS (6:33 minutes)

Studio/Production Company: Creative Ascents Films
Location(s): Montana and Wyoming

Description:Having worked to protect whitebark pine in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem for the last 23 years, Nancy Bockino invites you to get to know this charismatic tree in the alpine. Learn about why whitebark is important and its present perilous situation. Nurture your own connection to the alpine and its inhabitants.

Still image from 109 below
109 Below

109 BELOW (13:42 minutes)

Studio/Production Company: Stept Studios
Director(s): Nick Martini
Location(s): New Hampshire

Description:A tale of resilience, grit and elite rescue volunteers going out of their way to save the lives of strangers, 109 BELOW traces how an attempted rescue on Mount Washington in 1982 changed not only the course of two climbers lives - but also the lives of the rescuers who attempted to save them, and the future of prosthetics, forever.

BEYOND BEGBIE (13:36 minutes)

Director(s): Zoya Lynch
Location(s): Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada

Description:Climbing Mt Begbie is a "right of passage" for every hiker, climber, sledder, and skier who chooses to make Revelstoke their home. While this peak has created an entire contemporary culture in Revelstoke, its name and story only represent colonial history, with no reference to the Indigenous heritage of this land. Is it the outdoor community's responsibility to help change this?

CON ARTIST (12:00 minutes)

Studio/Production Company: MBG Motion Pictures
Director(s): Griffin Glendinning
Human(s): Addison Rafford, Ella Meade, Josie Petersen
Location(s): Colorado

Description:Three female freeskiers find themselves on a transcendental journey, crossing the lines of reality and the subconscious mind in a heist for self-identity.

Still image from Bloom
Bloom

BLOOM (14:20 minutes)

Director(s): Kyle Hilken
Human(s): Sierra Schlag
Location(s): New Jersey and Colorado

Description:Bloom follows the life of Sierra Schlag as she navigates the world after losing her father on 9/11. As Sierra matures, she explores her grief and identity as a Japanese-American and finds herself under the cloak of depression. While she navigates these complexities, Sierra finds a way to connect with her dad and heal through skiing.

BURN. // A SKI FILM (11:22 minutes)

Studio/Production Company: above productions
Director(s): Kellen MacDonald
Human(s): Parkin Costain, Jake Hopfinger, Tristan Robles, Cameron Daley, Parker Norvell
Location(s): Montana and Colorado

Description:The story of how forest fires are impacting large swaths of terrain in the western United States and Canada. In the wake of the fires, certain areas are transformed into beautiful playgrounds for skiers and snowboarders.

RACHA (10:00 minutes)

Director(s): Andy Hardy
Location(s): Georgia

Description:Through stunning cinematography and powerful storytelling, this film takes you on a journey of discovery, where the love of skiing leads to an unexpected education, and a story that demands to be told.

Still image from Redline Traverse
Redline Traverse

THE REDLINE TRAVERSE - SHORT (6:33 minutes)

Director(s): Steve Seime
Location(s): California

Description:Jenna Kane and Greg Cunningham take on the Redline Traverse, the tallest and longest ski tour in the Sierra Nevada. They pay tribute to the pioneers of the route, the spirit of the tour and, of course, ski.

HAVE AN ADVENTURE (20:00 minutes)

Director(s): Colby Elliot
Location(s): Utah

Description:A human powered think piece that follows a collection of skiers as they explore familiar terrain in search of new adventure around Utah's famous backcountry. Join John as he follows in his father's tracks to turn new corners and explore the canyon he grew up in. Along the way John explores his father's skiing philosophies while considering ways to nurture the rapidly changing culture of a growing ski community.