Film: Dreamwalkers: The Faroes Project
Park City • Salt Lake City
ADDITIONAL SCREENINGS FOR FESTIVAL PASS HOLDERS THE FOLLOWING BLOCK OF SCREENINGS ARE FREE FOR FESTIVAL PASS HOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
THURSDAY
IN MY FATHER’S FOOTSTEPS
SATURDAY
The Leonardo Museum Salt Lake City, Utah
Directed by Fergus Cruickshank 00:07:44
The Leonardo Museum Salt Lake City, Utah
OVER THE HORIZON
NORWAY BY TRAIN
THE ADVENTURES OF RACING
Directed by Ivan Sosnin
Directed by David Peacock
Directed by Garret Van Swearingen and
00:05:18
00:08:25
Traharn Chidley 00:21:43
ONTENTS
Film: Altai Frontier
Directed by Jon Randall 00:25:41
THE INDO PROJECT
2018 Award Nominees
Festival Sponsors
Sky Migrations: HawkWatch Intl.
2018 Film Catalog
2018 Mallory Award Nominees
Wasatch Mountain Film Festival Credits
2018 Festival Schedule
03 06 08 12 32 35 36
Directed Greg Balkin 00:05:47
FRIDAY The Leonardo Museum Salt Lake City, Utah SYMPHONY ON SKIS
NUMINOUS Directed by Nicolas Teichrob and Kye Petersen 00:50:0t0
Directed by Carla Braun-Elwert 00:60:00
APRIL 2ND THROUGH MAY 1ST ONLINE SCREENINGS While WMFF has a limited number of live screenings each year, we are thrilled to share an extended selection of virtual-only screening opportunities. If you would like to watch this year’s virtual only films visit us at : wasatchfilmfestival.org Virtual film screenings are included with Festival Passes (and not individual screening tickets). These films will be available to enjoy for 30 days from the first day of the festival.
ALPINIST AT LARGE: SIGUNIANG 1981
FINDING THE LINE
POKE
Directed by Bjarne Salén | 00:59:00
Directed by Alico Roviralta | 01:08:00
ICE CALLING
PSYCHO VERTICAL
Directed by Benjamín Soto Ferraris and
Directed by Jen Randall | 01:04:00
Directed by Graham Zimmerman and Jim Aikman | 00:11:36
THE ARIO DREAM - THE QUEST FOR EUROPE’S DEEPEST CAVE
Cristobal de Alba de la Peña | 00:29:11
Directed by Paul Diffley | 00:42:00
INSIDE THE INDUS - A PAKISTANI ODYSSEY
BREAKING 60
Directed by Ciarán Heurteau | 00:26:42
ROGUE ELEMENTS
Directed by Todd Jones, Steve Jones and Blake Campbell | 01:07:00
A SOUTHERN QUEST
Directed by Robin Lee | 00:45:29
IRREPARABLE HARM BRUHWILER COUNTRY
Directed by Colin Arisman and Connor
Directed by Keith Malloy | 00:07:01
Gallagher | 00:19:56
DROP EVERYTHING
LENGTH OF SWEDEN
Directed by Scott Gaffney | 00:58:00
Directed by Kristian Walter and Martin
Directed by David McMeeking | 00:26:00
STUMPED Directed by Taylor Keating and Cedar
Gilluck | 00:32:23
Wright | 00:25:05
WATER WARRIORS Directed by Michael Premo | 00:22:00
EUPHORIA—INDESCRIBABLE ADVENTURE
MAMA
Directed by Alessandro Beltrame |
00:45:00
Directed by Wojtek Kozakiewicz |
00:21:19
MOHON—ADVENTURE ON A BIKE FALL IMPRESSIONS Directed by Craig Grant and Joey Schusler | 00:03:48
Directed by Jimmy Hyland | 00:17:50
ESTIVAL
THE THOUSAND MILE DRESS
2018 NO MINEE
2018 NO MINEE
2018 NO MINEE
2018 NO MINEE
2018 NO MINEE
FEATURE FILM AWARD
CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD
Blood Road
The Canoe
Directed by Nicholas Schrunk
Directed by Goh Iromoto
DugOut
Captain of Utopia
Directed by Benjamin Sadd
Directed by Sarah Del Ben
Like A Wolf
Dreamwalkers - The Faroes Project
Directed by Emeka Ngwube
Directed by Chris Eyre-Walker Life of Glide
Adventure Not War Directed by Max Lowe La Cumbre Directed by Dana Romanoff Enock Directed by Craig Muderlak
SHANE MCCONKEY AWARD Dream Ride 2.0 Directed by Mike Hopkins The Frozen Road Directed by Ben Page
Shift Directed by Kelly Milner
The Time Travelers
WARD
SOCIAL AWARENESS AWARD
Directed by Tim Manning
Directed by Forest Woodward
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AWARD Hunting Giants Directed by Sean Horlor and Steve Adams Living with Wildlife Directed by Leanne Allison A River’s Reckoning Directed by Sinjin Eberle Sky Migrations Directed by Charles Post, Forrest Woodward and Max Lowe
Wadi Rum Directed by Henna Taylor
WMA was started in 2014 with the foundational ambition to change what being passionate about the Wasatch Front really means. In 2013, Stuart Derman and Shane Baldwin began working on a project aimed at connecting people with the outdoors. Over the past few years this project has snowballed into the local non profit organization, Wasatch Mountain Arts. Early on, the team identifed film as an incredibly powerful medium to create a lasting bond. It was in that moment that the Wasatch Mountain Film Festival was born.
As an organization, Wasatch Mountain Arts has a vision that extends far beyond the annual film festival. In time WMA aims to develop consistent year round program as well as the construction of a mountain culture and arts center to serve as the hub of all outdoor program in the area.
With your continued help and support we can make this dream into a reality. Please visit our website to learn more about getting involved.
4
Film: A Line in the Snow
2018 FESTIVAL SPONSORS
FILM FESTIVAL PARTNERS
6
Sky Migrations: How HawkWatch International is Working to Save Raptors One Bird at a Time By Jennifer Ringger
For HawkWatch International, this isn’t just a saying; it’s the way they think and run their organization. For over three decades, HawkWatch has worked to track long-term population trends of diurnal raptors throughout western North America. The information that is gathered while tracking the raptor population helps the organization better understand raptor life history, status, and ecology. It also helps in the conservation needs.
Dave Oleyar, Ph.D., HawkWatch International’s Senior Scientist says, “Long-term monitoring efforts such as
created. Directed by Max Lowe and Forest Woodward, Sky
ours are the under-appreciated keys in documenting and,
Migrations is a film about the vast migration of raptors
eventually, understanding climate change impacts on
that crosses two hemispheres. The film features ecologist
wildlife.” The mission of HawkWatch International is to
Charles Post and other backcountry scientists and their
conserve the environment through education, long-term
conservation efforts with the raptor population.
monitoring, and scientific research on raptors and their
8
effect on ecosystem health.
Each fall, the skies fill with the wings of migrating raptors, a
To help others better understand the important work
migration that relies on two hemispheres worth of wild and
HawkWatch is involved in, the film Sky Migrations was
healthy ecosystems .The film follows Charles Post as he
It takes a hemisphere to raise a hawk. shines a light on the network of backcountry scientists and
of birds heading south for the winter. Oleyar states, “Data
sentinels at the front lines of raptor conservation.
from our network of monitoring sites (and others) focus
HawkWatch is one of the leading organizations on the front
limited conservation resources to where they are most
lines of raptor conservation. The organization started with a
needed (current examples include American Kestrels and
few treks up the trailess slopes of steep western mountains
Golden Eagles).� HawkWatch relies on a small group of core
in search of migrating raptors. In 1986, after nearly a year
volunteers and partners to continue operating at the levels
of pioneering efforts, Steve Hoffman started HawkWatch
they do today.
International. Since that time, the organization has counted, banded, gawked at, gauged, and gathered data on millions
9
Photo: Mike Shaw
2018 FIL Film: Alpine Wall Tour
2.5 MILLION
ABOVE THE SEA
Directed by Tyler Wilkinson-Ray
Directed by Josh Lowell
00:22:01
00:16:22
American skier Aaron Rice sets out to ski 2.5 million human-
Chris Sharma, the world’s greatest practitioner of deep water
powered vertical feet in the backcountry and set a new world
soloing, whose ascent of a majestic arch was generation-
record. To be successful, Aaron will have to ski over 330 days
defining, returns to the Mediterranean island of Mallorca
in the calendar year and chase snow around the world. The
where he discovers a beautiful, sweeping wall with small holds
challenge is both physical and mental, and injuries are not an
running up its face. If he can link the moves and endure the
option.
numerous heart-stopping plunges into the sea, he’ll establish what may be the world’s hardest deep water solo climb.
12
LMS Film: Captain of Utopia
ADVENTURE NOT WAR
Follow a brother and sister on their adventure through
Directed by Max Lowe
the biggest mountains in British Columbia, Canada as
00:24:50
they compete in the Trans BC Endurance race. Their focus
Three U.S. veterans travel back into the mountains of Iraq on
bypasses the usual race results, capturing the journey they
a mission to heal wounds and experience the country and its
encounter: the mountain tops, grueling climbs, butt-clenching
culture without the shadow of war.
descents, massive saddle hours, rad trails, epic locations,
THE ADVENTURES OF RACING Directed by Garret Van Swearingen and Traharn Chidley
and awesome friends. Discover the other side to racing—the adventure.
00:21:43 Ever wondered what it’s like to compete in a mountain bike stage race? 13
ALPINIST AT LARGE: SIGUNIANG 1981
BLOOD ROAD
Directed by Graham Zimmerman and Jim Aikman
Directed by Nicholas Schrunk
00:11:36
01:36:00
In 1981, Jack Tackle, Jim Donini, Kim Schmitz, Jim Kanzler,
Blood Road follows the journey of ultra endurance mountain
and Greg Thomsen traveled to the newly opened mountains
biker Rebecca Rusch and her Vietnamese riding partner,
of central China to attempt the South Face of then unclimbed
Huyen Nguyen, as they pedal 1,200 arduous miles along
Mt Siguniang. Retreating from the mountain in defeat, the
the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail through the dense jungles of
team engaged in outrageous hijinks that, until recently, were
Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Their goal: to reach the newly
too embarrassing to share publicly. This film gathers the four
discovered crash site and final resting place of Rebecca’s
surviving members to learn about their experiences in China
father, a U.S. Air Force pilot shot down over Laos some 40
and highlight their hilarious account with animated images
years earlier. Along the way, both women push their bodies
from the expedition.
to the limit while learning more about each other’s cultures, the historic ‘Blood Road’ they’re pedaling, how the Vietnam
ALTAI FRONTIER
War shaped each of their lives in different ways, and,
Directed by Vivienne Smith
ultimately, themselves.
00:24:00 Four western ski and snowboard athletes, invited into the restricted Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China to explore
BREAKING 60 Directed by Robin Lee
the untapped Altai Mountains, interact with a 2000 year old
00:45:29
skiing culture, learn how to make ancient traditional skis and
In January 2017, twenty-two determined runners embraced
make first ascents as they discover what has been hiding in
the challenge of a single self supported effort over Hong
the back country of China’s remote mountains.
Hong’s grueling four ultra trails. Breaking 60 follows the hopes of four of these challengers with one goal in mind: to
THE ARIO DREAM - THE QUEST FOR EUROPE’S DEEPEST CAVE
break sixty hours as they face a 298 kilometer battle with over 14,000 meters of elevation gain.
Directed by Paul Diffley 00:42:00 This is a gripping account of ‘expedition-style’ cave
BREAK ON THROUGH Directed by Matty Hong, Peter Mortimer and Nick Rosen
exploration involving underground camps and complex
00:25:53
logistics, and where the penalties for unforeseen
Few men and no women have achieved a 5.15 in high-end
emergencies or problems are severe. At the apex of the
modern rock climbing.
operation in the deep caves of Ario in the Picos de Europa
Margo Hayes, a little known 19-year-old from Boulder,
mountains, Northern Spain, are the cave divers, pushing into
Colorado, is determined to reach change that. Moving to
the unknown in deep sumps where rescue is not an option.
Europe, she trains and climbs on the world’s hardest routes,
The tension, as each diver disappears into the blackness,
with the goal of succeeding on two of the most iconic 5.15s
is genuine…
in France and Spain. But pushing her body and mind to the absolute limit, she risks injury and failure in her quest.
14
BROTHERS Directed by Randy Kerr 00:05:49 Set in the Pacific Northwest, three brothers find refuge and redemption from their troubled home through their love of flyfishing for steelhead and the enduring relationships they forge on the river.
BRUHWILER COUNTRY Directed by Keith Malloy 00:07:01 Few know the wilds and the waves of British Columbia like
Film: Blood Road
Canada’s first pro surfer, Raph Bruhwiler. Raised in the deep woods of Vancouver Island, Raph is using his deep understanding of the region to push the boundaries of surfing and inspire a new generation to find adventures of their own.
THE CANOE
many people as possible to discover the beauties and the lights of the Arctic, he invested his life savings in a polar sailboat and began an ambitious project, Atka. For 17 months, the boat travelled on the west coast of Greenland, carrying
Directed by Goh Iromoto
on board, in turn, personalities from all horizons: base
00:26:58
jumpers, circus artists, teenagers, sick women, and children
“If it is love that binds people to places in this nation of rivers and
to discover the icecap.
in this river of nations, then one enduring expression of that simple truth is surely the canoe.”
LA CUMBRE Directed by Dana Romanoff
This film captures the human bonds created by Canada’s wellknown craft and symbol, the canoe. Through the stories of five paddlers across the majestic background of Ontario, Canada, the film underscores the strength of the human spirit and how the canoe can be a vessel for creating deep and meaningful connections.
CAPTAIN OF UTOPIA Directed by Sarah Del Ben
00:11:47 La Cumbre unveils the reality of what it means to live as an amputee in the developing world. In partnership with the Range of Motion Project, we join world class mountaineer and wounded warrior Chad Jukes on a heartfelt journey to shed light on a public health issue affecting amputees worldwide. 80% of the world’s amputees live in developing countries. Only 2% have access to prosthetics. La Cumbre aims to shift that percentage.
00:52:00 François “Ben” Bernard had explored the most remote places of the world for more than 30 years. Then, dreaming of bringing as
15
THE CURVE OF TIME Directed by Jordan Manley 00:23:20
DREAMWALKERS - THE FAROES PROJECT Directed by Chris Eyre-Walker
Due to climate change, ski seasons will be markedly shorter
00:28:37
by 2050. Lower elevations will receive significantly less
The journey of four friends who set out on an adventure to
snowfall. Two veteran professional skiers contemplate the
be the first to highline one of the most unlikely of places: the
impact their love for adventure has on the very environment
Faroe Islands.
that sustains and fulfills them. As they peer into the future, they realize there is a more sustainable path ahead, but it
DROP EVERYTHING
won’t be easy.
Directed by Scott Gaffney 00:58:00
DENALI’S RAVEN
Drop Everything is an unexpected, fun-filled adventure
Directed by Renan Ozturk
through the world of freeskiing.
00:09:02 For Leighan Falley, Alaska is more than home—it’s a calling.
DUGOUT
Leighan spent years as a ski guide and climber on the
Directed by Benjamin Sadd
Alaskan range, focusing much of her energy on Denali. But
00:53:00
after becoming a mother, finding herself unwilling to pursue
Ben and James took a two-month trip to the Ecuadorian
guiding (and the dangers that come with it), she took to the
Amazon, where they lived with the Huarorani, an indigenous
skies instead as a mountain pilot. Follow Leighan on the
community, learned from them how to build a dugout canoe,
Alaskan adventures that enrich her life and legacy in Denali’s
and then took that canoe on a journey through Ecuador’s
Raven.
Yasuni region. This film captures the beauty of the landscape, the people and the wildlife, one of the most biodiverse areas
DREAM RIDE 2.0
of the world.
Directed by Mike Hopkins 00:05:20
ENGAGING THE CURVE
DreamRide 2, the follow up sequel to last year’s award-
Directed by Graham Zimmerman
winning short film, DreamRide, takes you to a dream world
00:11:55
were the trails never end. Combining a Dr. Suess-inspired
As a couple, Ultimate frisbee world champion Shannon
narrative, mind-blowing natural landscapes, and one dreamer
McDowell and professional climber Graham Zimmerman
on a mountain bike, this film will take you on an adventure
decided they needed a new sport that they could learn
like no other.
together, on an even playing field. What they found was the adventure of a lifetime and a deeper appreciation for their adventurous relationship, along with a lot of wipeouts! Follow along as they engage the learning curve and leave the training wheels at home.
16
ENOCK Directed by Craig Muderlak 00:10:50 For paraplegic Enock Glidden, having the strength to do 3,000 pull-ups was not enough to for him to fulfill his dream of climbing El Capitan; he needed the added power of a community of climbers dedicated to making his dream a reality.
EUPHORIA—INDESCRIBABLE ADVENTURE Directed by Alessandro Beltrame 00:21:19 Manu National Park, deep in the Amazon Rainforest, is an unspoiled expanse of boiling jungle and breath-taking cloud forests running from the Andes Mountains to the Madre de Dios River. Sondre Amdahl and Tommy Chen begin their running journey above the clouds, looking down a massive valley along which a single-track road winds through a sea of green before descending to UNESCO world heritage site below and making their way through 230 kilometers of sweltering jungle, choked with mud and humidity, broken by river crossing after crossing.
FALL IMPRESSIONS Directed by Craig Grant and Joey Schusler 00:03:48 Sarah, a freelance fine art and commercial artist, her work—and her play—all stems from flow. It’s why her mountain biking and her painting go hand in hand. Her goal is to share with other people whatever magic she sees in the world around her.
FINDING THE LINE Directed by Bjarne Salén 00:59:00 In this 60 minute documentary, Olympian and X Games Slopestyle champion Anna Segal and her Freeride World Tour, big mountain skiing sister, Nat Segal, use their skiing to understand fear and how it manifests in the two siblings’ lives. 18
The Australian sisters soon realize that the most important lessons lie within each others’ approach. Equipped with greater insight, they negotiate the fine balance between staying in their comfort zone and taking too much risk, learning that sometimes to move forward, you need to understand what is holding you back.
FOLLOW THE WIND Directed by Bob van de Gronde 00:37:42 Jerrie van de Kop follows the wind cycle to kiteboard between the warm waters of the Indian Ocean and the snowy peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, in order to raise awareness of ecological threats to the region.
Film: DugOut
FOLLOW THROUGH Directed by Adam Clark and Isaiah Branch-Boyle 00:22:00 After stumbling upon a copy of the cult classic guidebook, The Chuting Gallery, which lays out a set of 88 ski mountaineering lines across Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, sixteen-year-old Caroline Gleich decided she wanted to ski them. Although she was met with laughter—“Maybe it was because I was five feet tall, or I was a little blonde girl, but I remember that clearly — and it didn’t feel good” says Gleich—she spent a decade building her skills and becoming the skier she dreamed of being—and deciding, in this age of hyper-connectivity, which voices to choose to hear and which to ignore.
19 Film: Life of Glide
FOODLESS ODYSSEY
This cinematic adventure into the old-growth rainforests
Directed by Anthill Films
of British Columbia explores a question faced by resource
00:11:02
communities around the world: extract profit until there’s
Pro mountain biker Matt Hunter has long dreamed to
nothing left or bavlance resource development with eco-
completing “The Foodless Odyssey”--bike-packing through
tourism in pursuit of a more sustainable future?
hundreds of kilometers of wilderness on the remote Island of Haida Gwaii, living entirely off the land. His group could carry
ICE CALLING
all the survival tools needed to bike, fish, hunt, and camp—
Directed by Benjamín Soto Ferraris,
but absolutely no food.
and Cristobal de Alba de la Peña
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
Despite living in a country where big ice formations are
00:29:11
Directed by Mike Douglas
nonexistent, Héctor Ponce de Léon and Daniel Araiza, prepare
00:26:00
themselves to become the first Mexican ice climbers to
Aging pro skier Mike Douglas heads to Japan to try to find the
conquer Slipstream, a frozen waterfall a thousand meters
secrets to perpetual youth and longevity.
high, located on the Canadian Rockies. This documentary short film narrates their path and the obstacles they must
THE FROZEN ROAD
overcome to reach their dream.
Directed by Ben Page 00:24:11 Compelled by Jack London’s assertion, that ‘any man who
THE INDO PROJECT Director: Greg Balkin
is a man can travel alone’, Ben Page sought an adventure
00:05:47
of perfect solitude. Cycling through the Canadian Artic,
In 2017 a group of kayakers and climbers led an expedition
Page came to realize the harsh truths of travelling in
to Timor, with the support of the Mollo people, to explore
such a formidable environment were a long way from the
ecotourism opportunities in the region. The team discovered
romanticisms of Jack London’s descriptions. The Frozen Road
a wealth of world-class rock climbing and watersports that
is an honest reflection on his solo trip; of the wonder, terror
have the potential to put Timor on the map as a premier
and frustration of riding through the unforgiving emptiness of
ecotourism destination. This is the story of a people who
one of the world’s ‘last great wildernesses’.
stopped an environmental tragedy with peaceful protest, who stood firm through adversity, and who seek to create a
HUNTING GIANTS
sustainable future for their families and island environment.
Directed by Sean Horlor and Steve Adams 00:24:07 The lives of the residents of Port Renfrew, British Columbia, a
IN MY FATHER’S FOOTSTEPS Directed by Fergus Cruickshank
formerly prosperous town now on the brink of collapse; the
00:07:44
local indigenous community; and a group of big tree climbers
Among the misty hills of Scotland, a son climbs his first
who want to climb the biggest tree in Canada intersect in this
Munro with his father, who is climbing his final Munro.
documentary.
Reflections on their experiences along with those of novelist 21
Film: The Frozen Road
Nan Shepherd underscore the importance of reaching the
IRREPARABLE HARM
summit. Notions of gender, history, and spirituality meet on
Directed by Colin Arisman and Connor Gallagher
the mountainside to accompany the adventure of a father
00:19:56
and son.
The Tlingit people have called the vibrant coastline of Southeast Alaska home for over 10,000 years, and continue
INSIDE THE INDUS - A PAKISTANI ODYSSEY
to practice a way of life intimately tied to the ocean and the
Directed by Ciarán Heurteau
Creek Mine, one of the largest silver producers in the
00:26:42
world, is located thirty miles north of the village of Angoon
Due to Pakistan’s perceived reputation off the water had
and is required to comply with the law that no irreparable
stopped any planned trips into the North Pakistan state of
harm can befall the monument and its values. However,
Gilgit Baltistan in their tracks; it had been eight years since
alarming research results reveal that since the mine went
the last expedition down the fabled Rondu Gorge on the
into production, toxin levels have increased dramatically in
Indus River. However, in November 2016, fresh from winning
important food sources and are above safe levels for human
the extreme kayaking world title, Spaniard Aniol Serrasolses,
consumption. Irreparable Harm gives powerful voices to
New Zealander Mike Dawson, and Franco-Irish filmmaker
the Alaska Native communities and conservation groups
Ciarán Heurteau headed to Pakistan to attempt a descent
demanding that Green’s Creek Mine and State and Federal
down the river.
agencies develop new monitoring and treatment of waste and
largest remaining temperate rainforest on earth. Green’s
mitigate past damages before it’s too late. 22
LENGTH OF SWEDEN
LIVING WITH WILDLIFE
Directed by Kristian Walter and Martin Gilluck
Directed by Leanne Allison
00:32:23
00:23:00
From an outside perspective long distance cycling may not
The Bow Valley is the busiest place in the world where
be as spectacular as cyclocross or as glamorous as road
people and grizzly bears still coexist. Living with Wildlife is
racing, especially not along the endless, monotonously
the story of how communities in the Bow Valley of Alberta,
green spine of sparsely-populated Sweden. But, taking on
Canada have come together over the past 20 years to live
the world’s longest randonée and its staggering distance of
with grizzly bears and other wildlife.
more than 2100 kilometers on a bike in less than seven days is an intense physical endeavor, but even more so an often
LOVE OF PLACE
underestimated but revealing emotional and mental journey,
Directed by Brian Olliver
sometimes into an unknown inner self.
LIFE OF GLIDE Directed by Tim Manning
00:09:30 When an invasive species plant threatens to take over a beautiful desert river, an obsessive park ranger sets out to kill it.
00:16:00 Inspired by a poem he wrote long ago, big mountain rider
MAMA
Jeremy Jones summons his greatest influences and dissects
Directed by Wojtek Kozakiewicz
his lifelong passion for the simple and sacred feeling he calls “The Glide.”
LIKE A WOLF
00:45:00 Sport climber and a mother of two kids, Kinga OciepkaGrzegulska, one of the most important figures of the last two decades in Polish sport climbing, has done much in twenty
Directed by Emeka Ngwube
years of living her passion, but now she seeks to achieve a
01:15:00
new goal: to climb the route that no women has ever done
On October 18, 2006, with her ski descent of Everest,
before.
professional ski mountaineer Kit DesLauriers completed a 2.5-year journey to climb and ski from the highest peak
MOHON—ADVENTURE ON A BIKE
on each of the seven continents, the first person to have
Directed by Jimmy Hyland
accomplished this feat. Never-before-seen footage from the expeditions and interviews with elite teammates and Kit’s parents tell an inspirational story of how a unique accomplishment was achieved through serendipity, perseverance, and teamwork. The film recounts the challenges of each mountain and explores the personal journeys and relationships that taught Kit many life lesson, in particular the importance of remaining true to yourself and
00:17:50 In the spring of 2016, nineteen-year-old Jimmy Hyland boarded a plane to Mongolia. Having spent his life reading books, watching films, and hearing stories of adventure, he decided it was time to find his own. Drastically unprepared and armed with little more than a bike he had bought the week before for £50 and a few basic tools, Jimmy set off into the Steppe, but all did not go as planned.
doing what you are born to do. 23
NORWAY BY TRAIN
a spinal cord injury shares deep reflections on life and the
Directed by David Peacock
human soul, showing us that boundaries are an illusion, on an
00:08:25
epic trip through The Andes.
Stian Hagen joins Austin Ross and Nadine Wallner on a journey across the Norwegian landscape in search of good
PSYCHO VERTICAL
ski touring and beautiful landscapes.
Directed by Jen Randall 01:04:00
NUMINOUS
Based on his best-selling autobiography Psycho Vertical,
Directed by Nicolas Teichrob and Kye Petersen
this film of the same name is a raw and emotive portrait of
00:50:00
the complex life and motivations of writer, funny-man and
Awed and attracted, fearful yet fascinated, overwhelmed,
Britain’s unlikeliest hero-mountaineer, Andy Kirkpatrick, on
but ultimately inspired, Kye Peterson is one of the most
his 18-day solo ascent of El Capitan, Yosemite.
aggressive and talented freeskiers of our age. Born and raised in the British Columbia backcountry, with a bloodline
RETURN FROM DESOLATION
alive with adventure and a style carved from the landscape
Directed by Justin Clifton
itself, Kye is about to blow the doors off of big mountain
00:11:20
skiing and delve into the mystery of the supernatural, where
Garrett Eaton, an Afghan war vet, oilman, and river guide,
connectivity with the wilds brings the purest state of being.
fights his way back from addiction and certain death through the wild serpentine rivers of the American Southwest. While
OVER THE HORIZON
this is a story of renewal, forgiveness and healing, Return
Directed by Ivan Sosnin
from Desolation is also a bridge between what we think we
00:05:18
know and the nuance of what it means to be human in a
Alexander Zhuravlev, a blind photographer from Russia,
complex society. Through Garrett’s experience, we see the
was able to take a step beyond the horizon of his own
importance of wild, public landscapes to help us all find our
possibilities, as he realized that he had not become an invalid.
way home.
He started to travel around Russia and the rest of the world, taking pictures. With the help of a smartphone, a blind
RIDE OF THE DEAD
photographer showed the world to sighted people.
Directed by Michael Parenteau and Christopher Naum
The film aims to inspire ordinary people to push beyond their
00:12:00
own comfort zone and understand that daily life has much
Enter the world of the Mexican mountain bike culture during
more to offer than they expect.
the famous annual celebration known as Dia De Los Muertos and follow along as Oaxacan-born-and-raised rider and
24
POKE
trail-builder Yefra Ram as he experiences through some of
Directed by Alico Roviralta
Mexico’s best mountain bike trails as he honors the passing
01:08:00
of loved ones and competes in the first annual Transierra
Leonardo Martinez (37), a mountain sportsman who suffers
Norte, a three-day endure race.
Film: Inside The Indus
A RIVER’S RECKONING
trying to be anything else than what it is. It is its own thing.
Directed by Sinjin Eberle
And most likely, Salt Lake City is a lot more than what you
00:10:20
know it to be.
This is a beautiful story of family, grit, and legacy. After suburbanization forced Art Bruchez to move his family from
SHIFT
their historic ranch in Westminer, Colorado, and begin new
Directed by Kelly Milner
operations in the high country, the 2002 – 2004 drought
00:28:26
hit, heavily impacting the Colorado River and their fledgling
This half-hour documentary shows the indigenous
ranch. Simultaneously, the patriarch of the family came down
youth from Carcross, Yukon have spent the past 10 years
with cancer, forcing Art’s sons to step up in order to sustain
transforming traditional trails around their community into
their ranch at 10,000 feet.
a world-class mountain biking destination --and changed themselves along the way.
ROGUE ELEMENTS Directed by Todd Jones, Steve Jones and Blake Campbell
SKI THE WILD WEST Directd by Thomas Woodson and Drew Petersen
01:07:00
00:13:11
Since the dawn of time, everything that has lived and
In 2017 Drew Petersen sought to ski the 11 highest peaks in
breathed on this planet has been subject to the whims of
the American West on one epic road trip. This is his story.
Mother Nature. The nature of an adventurer is inherently rogue—typically wild in character, subject to the fancy of their imagination. We are unequivocally drawn to nature’s rawest fury and deepest mysteries. These are the irreverent souls who pursue the edge.
SAFETY THIRD Directed by Cedar Wright and Taylor Keating 00:29:24
Film: Mama
Brad Gobright is beyond bold. From his runout and poorly protected trad climbs to his unimaginable free solos, watch as Gobright recovers from a back-breaking fall and attempts some of the hardest ascents of his career.
THE SALT OF SOUND Directed by Sean Slobodan 00:05:28 Salt Lake City isn’t often talked about as a music destination. It’s not Nashville. It’s not Austin. It’s not Seattle. But it’s not
26
Film: Drop Everything
SKY MIGRATIONS
and meet the biologists and passionate volunteers who
Directed by Charles Post, Forrest Woodward and Max Lowe
briefly intercept a handful of them along the way, gathering
00:15:00
information that will help generations of raptors to come,
It takes a village to raise a child; it takes an entire hemisphere
and most importantly, experience what stewardship and
to raise a raptor.
conservation can accomplish.
Fifty years ago, golden eagles and their raptor allies hung
THE SNOWBLADER
on the edge of extinction. A collective decision was made to
Directed by Tim Roberts
ensure that raptors must continue to flood autumn skies.
00:05:21
And while the efforts of a few dozen biologists may seem
If you’ve spent time skiing around the Wasatch Front, you’ve
insignificant, it’s the cumulative effort over decades that
probably seen or shared a chair with Burke Weir. A local at
counts, and it shapes the future of our planet’s wild places
Alta, Brighton, Snowbird, and Solitude, Burke and his blades
and creatures.
are a well-known fixture on the hill. His love for skiing is unparalleled.
Join the directors on the journey as they follow golden eagles for thousands of miles—a fraction of their entire route and just long enough to peek into their remarkable journey
CELEBRATE THE
MOUNTAINS WITH OUR AWARD-WINNING SPIRITS
00:
Sip responsibly. © 2018 High West Distillery. Park City, UT. Location pictured: High West Distillery, Wanship, Utah.
Film: Norway by Train
A SOUTHERN QUEST Directed by David McMeeking 00:26:00 A winter expedition to the Antarctic island of South Georgia,
STORM GIANT - THE WORLD’S HARDEST DRY TOOLING ROUTE Directed by Jon Glassberg
led by Stephen Venables and Skip Novak, owner of the
00:13:05
famous polar yacht, Pelagic Australis. Ferocious winds forced
Gordon McArthur and his partner Noah spend two years
the team to abort initial plans at the far south end of the
developing, working, training, and establishing what could be
island. However, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat,
the most difficult dry tooling climb ever completed. Eighty
they sailed further north and succeeded in making first
meters of horizontal roof climbing make this monster of a
ascents of the beautiful Trident peaks, which overlook the
cave outside of Fernie, British Columbia, one of the most
route taken Shackleton’s legendary journey of 1916.
impressive first ascents out there.
THE SPACE WITHIN
STUMPED
Directed by Frank Pickell
Directed by Taylor Keating and Cedar Wright
00:05:30
00:25:05
While exploring the tidepools of a deserted tropical beach,
“I don’t want to be known as just a one-armed climber,” says
a young boy finds a mysterious treasure washed upon the
Maureen Beck, “I just want to be a good climber.” Beck may
rocks. The space within whispers of another world, holding
have been born missing her lower left arm, but that hasn’t
magic unlike anything he has seen before.
stopped her from going hard. She takes whippers on 5.12 and crushes overhanging boulders while shot-gunning beers. But she’s not here to be your inspiration. “People say, ‘Look, a
28
Film: Foolow the Wind
Film: Break on Through
one-armed climber, now I have no excuses.’ I’m like, dude, you
Kingdom, exploring how weather, wear, time, and people
never had any excuses in the first place.” Beck is here to crush
impact the journey with her unusual clothing.
the gnar—with one bloody stump helping her get to the top.
THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR SYMPHONY ON SKIS
Directed by Max Owens
Directed by Carla Braun-Elwert
00:07:11
00:60:00
The door to adventure is wide open, waiting for you. Through
Thirty years ago, Gottlieb Braun-Elwert set out on an
the Open Door is a call to try something outrageously new. It
incredible expedition. He traversed the major glaciers of the
is a call to trust yourself and to open yourself to a wide world
Southern Alps, covering 40 kilometers and 4000 vertical
of possibility. It is a call to find your happiness. Filmed during
meters from the heart of the South Island to the West Coast in
a three-month solo bicycle trip through Thailand, Cambodia,
just 18 hours. The route he called Symphony on Skis is a path
and Vietnam, this personal journey has universal appeal.
of astonishing beauty, immense freedom, breathtaking vistas, and challenging, untamed wilderness.
THE TIME TRAVELERS
Now his daughters, Carla and Elke, and a small team of
Directed by Forest Woodward 00:23:11 The USA Rafting Team has never won a world championship. With full-time jobs, families, and responsibilities, these scrappy 30-40-year olds use their free time and vacation days to train, travel the world, and race against competitors sometimes half their age. In 2017, they set their sights on making history, attempting to break a legendary speed record down 277 miles of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Their goal was 34 hours. In a custom-built 48 foot raft and with ultra-marathon effort, ordinary people
Film: Safety Third
attempted something extraordinary on one of the world’s most breathtaking stages. Thirty-four hours–just a blip in the
adventurers embark on the same journey. This film is an homage to their late father who found a love and home in New Zealand’s Southern Alps.
THE THOUSAND MILE DRESS Directed by Jon Randall 00:25:41 Costume maker Katie Duxbury walks 1000 miles in a Victorian-style dress across the landscapes of the United
30
scope of time–could be both their defining moment and the ride of their lives.
WADI RUM Directed by Henna Taylor 00:33:00 Set in the expansive landscape of Jordan’s distinctive national park, “Wadi Rum” documents the unlikely story of two Israeli climbers, an affable Bedouin Muslim, and a professional
Film: Ride of the Dead
American climber as they work together to complete a
over mountains. We see climbers, slackliners, mountain
climbing route up Wadi Rums’ largest rock formation.
bikers and paddlers doing things that appear insane to most people. We see cold, rugged, and forbidding landscapes, such
WATER WARRIORS
as in Iceland, where powerful rivers plunge through bedrock
Directed by Michael Premo
gorges, over massive waterfalls, toward the sea. Director
00:22:00 Water Warriors is the story of a community’s resistance against the oil and natural gas industry. When an energy company begins searching for natural gas in New Brunswick, Canada, indigenous and white families unite to drive out the company in a campaign to protect their water and way of life
Hugo Clouzeau and a crew of French kayakers travel here to ask the question, “Why?”
WILD ICE - BACKCOUNTRY SKATING ALASKA Produced by Cale Green and Paxson Woelber 00:03:00
WHY
Filmed in south-central and southeast Alaska over the course
Directed by Hugo Clouzeau
of two winters, “Wild Ice” features members of Alaska’s
00:07:08 In the GoPro age, images of extreme feats flood our social media streams. We watch skiers drop into impossibly steep and narrow shoots. We follow jumpers in wing suits flying
backcountry skating community including nordic bladers, hockey players, and figure skaters as they hunt for wild ice on rivers, lakes, or glacial lagoons, or in caves.
Film: Fall Impressions
2018 NO MINEE
Created in honor of the great explorer George Mallory, this award is given to an individual who has consistently worked to push the boundaries of exploration and adventure.
MARGO HAYES Margo Hayes made history last year with her ascent of La Rambla in Siurana, Spain— she became the first woman to climb a confirmed 9a+/5.15a.
JARED CAMPBELL Jared Campbell is one of the most accomplished ultra runners on the planet and a Salt Lake City local. He is one of only 14 people since 1986 to complete the Barkley, a 100-mile unmarked race in Tennessee with more than 60,000 feet of elevation gain.
34
Caroline Gleich is a professional ski mountaineer and adventurer based in Salt Lake City, UT. She is the first woman and fourth person to ski all 90 lines in “The Chuting Gallery.� and uses her voice as an athlete to advocate for social and environmental justice.
JEREMY JONES Jeremy Jones is more than just a big mountain snowboarding pioneer and explorer. He is an accomplished filmmaker, entrepreneur, environmentalist and founder of Protect Our Winters, a global cause uniting the winter sports community against climate change.
2018 MALLORY
CAROLINE GLEICH
36
FESTIVAL CREDITS Stuart Derman
Co-Founder & CEO
Shane Baldwin
Co-Founder & Treasurer
Kelly Kloser
Festival Director & Board Member
Ozzie Tomas
Director of Marketing & Board Member
Eric Lundquist
Experience Director
Shandi Kano
Director of Sponsorships
Forrest Craig Sawyer
Film Asset Manager
Michael Armacost
Video Content Specialist
Daisy Gonzalez
Video Content Specialist
Daniel Stergios
Video Content Specialist
Sarah Scott
Experience Designer
Nate Wharton
Public Relations Manager
Julia Larkin
Event Coordinator
Jack Casey
Bookkeeper
Myah Tatton
Digital Marketing Specialist
Donald Harrison
Web Development Specialist
Bjorn Nicolaisen
Digital Content Specialist
Incline Design Group
Graphic Design & Branding
37 Film: Captain of Utopia
2018 FESTIVAL SCREENING SCHEDULE MONDAY APRIL 2ND
SKY MIGRATIONS
SATURDAY APRIL 7TH
2.5 MILLION
6:00 PM Screening Jim Santy Auditorium/ Park City Library, Park City, Utah
Directed by Charles Post, Forrest
9:30 AM Screening Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (UMOCA) Salt Lake City, Utah
Directed by Tyler Wilkinson-Ray |
THE SPACE WITHIN
Directed by Randy Kerr | 00:05:49
LOVE OF PLACE Directed by Brian Olliver | 00:09:30
ENGAGING THE CURVE
Woodward and Max Lowe | 00:15:00
INTERMISSION BROTHERS
Directed by Frank Pickell | 00:05:30
THE CANOE BLOOD ROAD
Directed by Goh Iromoto | 00:26:58
Directed by Nicholas Schrunk | 01:36:00
DREAMWALKERS - THE FAROES PROJECT
INTERMISSION
Directed by Chris Eyre-Walker |
Directed by Mike Hopkins | 00:05:20
Directed by Dana Romanoff | 00:11:47
THURSDAY APRIL 5TH 6:00 PM Screening The Leonardo Museum Salt Lake City, Utah THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR Directed by Max Owens | 00:07:11
A RIVER’S RECKONING Directed by Sinjin Eberle | 00:10:20
THE TIME TRAVELERS Directed by Forest Woodward | 00:23:11
ENOCK Directed by Craig Muderlak | 00:10:50
INTERMISSION
FOODLESS ODYSSEY
LIKE A WOLF
Directed by Anthill Films | 00:11:02
Directed by Emeka Ngwube | 01:15:00
Directd by Thomas Woodson and Drew
INTERMISSION CAPTAIN OF UTOPIA Directed by Sarah Del Ben | 00:52:00
WADI RUM Directed by Henna Taylor | 00:33:00
1:00 PM Screening The Leonardo Museum Salt Lake City, Utah SAFETY THIRD Directed by Cedar Wright and Taylor Keating | 00:29:24
LIVING WITH WILDLIFE Directed by Leanne Allison | 00:23:00
RETURN FROM DESOLATION Directed by Justin Clifton | 00:11:20
SKI THE WILD WEST Petersen | 00:13:11
00:28:37
LA CUMBRE
TUESDAY APRIL 3RD
DREAM RIDE 2.0
FRIDAY APRIL 6TH 6:00 PM Screening The Leonardo Museum Salt Lake City, Utah
INTERMISSION LIFE OF GLIDE
ALTAI FRONTIER RIDE OF THE DEAD
Directed by Vivienne Smith | 00:24:00
Christopher Naum | 00:12:00
WEDNESDAY APRIL 4TH
FOLLOW THROUGH
6:00 PM Screening Jim Santy Auditorium/ Park City Library, Park City, Utah
Directed by Adam Clark and Isaiah
WILD ICE - BACKCOUNTRY SKATING ALASKA
Directed by Josh Lowell | 00:16:22
THE SNOWBLADER Directed by Tim Roberts | 00:05:21
WHY INTERMISSION
Directed by Hugo Clouzeau | 00:07:08
THE FROZEN ROAD
HUNTING GIANTS
Directed by Ben Page | 00:24:11
Directed by Sean Horlor and Steve
Woelber | 00:03:00
SHIFT
6:00 PM Screening The Leonardo Museum Salt Lake City, Utah
Branch-Boyle | 00:22:00
ABOVE THE SEA
Adams | 00: 24:07
Directed by Kelly Milner | 00:28:26
ADVENTURE NOT WAR Directed by Max Lowe | 00:24:50
9:30 PM After Party The Leonardo Museum Salt Lake City, Utah
SUNDAY APRIL 8TH 11:00 AM Screening The Leonardo Museum Salt Lake City, Utah DENALI’S RAVEN Directed by Renan Ozturk | 00:09:02
STORM GIANT - THE WORLD’S HARDEST DRY TOOLING ROUTE Directed by Jon Glassberg | 00:13:05
FOLLOW THE WIND Directed by Bob van de Gronde | 00:37:42
Directed by Tim Manning | 00:16:00
Directed by Michael Parenteau and
Produced by Cale Green and Paxson
Directed by Graham Zimmerman |
Directed by Benjamin Sadd | 00:53:00
and Nick Rosen | 00:25:53
6:00 PM Screening Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (UMOCA) Salt Lake City, Utah
INTERMISSION
00:11:55
DUGOUT
BREAK ON THROUGH Directed by Matty Hong, Peter Mortimer
00:22:01
2:00 PM Screening The Leonardo Museum Salt Lake City, Utah THE SALT OF SOUND Directed by Sean Slobodan | 00:05:28
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH Directed by Mike Douglas | 00:26:00
INTERMISSION THE CURVE OF TIME Directed by Jordan Manley | 00:23:20
ADDITIONAL SCREENINGS FOR FESTIVAL PASS HOLDERS THE FOLLOWING BLOCK OF SCREENINGS ARE FREE FOR FESTIVAL PASS HOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
THURSDAY
IN MY FATHER’S FOOTSTEPS
SATURDAY
The Leonardo Museum Salt Lake City, Utah
Directed by Fergus Cruickshank 00:07:44
The Leonardo Museum Salt Lake City, Utah
OVER THE HORIZON
NORWAY BY TRAIN
THE ADVENTURES OF RACING
Directed by Ivan Sosnin
Directed by David Peacock
Directed by Garret Van Swearingen and
00:05:18
00:08:25
Traharn Chidley 00:21:43
ONTENTS
Film: Altai Frontier
Directed by Jon Randall 00:25:41
THE INDO PROJECT
2018 Award Nominees
Festival Sponsors
Sky Migrations: HawkWatch Intl.
2018 Film Catalog
2018 Mallory Award Nominees
Wasatch Mountain Film Festival Credits
2018 Festival Schedule
03 06 08 12 32 35 36
Directed Greg Balkin 00:05:47
FRIDAY The Leonardo Museum Salt Lake City, Utah SYMPHONY ON SKIS
NUMINOUS Directed by Nicolas Teichrob and Kye Petersen 00:50:0t0
Directed by Carla Braun-Elwert 00:60:00
APRIL 2ND THROUGH MAY 1ST ONLINE SCREENINGS While WMFF has a limited number of live screenings each year, we are thrilled to share an extended selection of virtual-only screening opportunities. If you would like to watch this year’s virtual only films visit us at : wasatchfilmfestival.org Virtual film screenings are included with Festival Passes (and not individual screening tickets). These films will be available to enjoy for 30 days from the first day of the festival.
ALPINIST AT LARGE: SIGUNIANG 1981
FINDING THE LINE
POKE
Directed by Bjarne Salén | 00:59:00
Directed by Alico Roviralta | 01:08:00
ICE CALLING
PSYCHO VERTICAL
Directed by Benjamín Soto Ferraris and
Directed by Jen Randall | 01:04:00
Directed by Graham Zimmerman and Jim Aikman | 00:11:36
THE ARIO DREAM - THE QUEST FOR EUROPE’S DEEPEST CAVE
Cristobal de Alba de la Peña | 00:29:11
Directed by Paul Diffley | 00:42:00
INSIDE THE INDUS - A PAKISTANI ODYSSEY
BREAKING 60
Directed by Ciarán Heurteau | 00:26:42
ROGUE ELEMENTS
Directed by Todd Jones, Steve Jones and Blake Campbell | 01:07:00
A SOUTHERN QUEST
Directed by Robin Lee | 00:45:29
IRREPARABLE HARM BRUHWILER COUNTRY
Directed by Colin Arisman and Connor
Directed by Keith Malloy | 00:07:01
Gallagher | 00:19:56
DROP EVERYTHING
LENGTH OF SWEDEN
Directed by Scott Gaffney | 00:58:00
Directed by Kristian Walter and Martin
Directed by David McMeeking | 00:26:00
STUMPED Directed by Taylor Keating and Cedar
Gilluck | 00:32:23
Wright | 00:25:05
WATER WARRIORS Directed by Michael Premo | 00:22:00
EUPHORIA—INDESCRIBABLE ADVENTURE
MAMA
Directed by Alessandro Beltrame |
00:45:00
Directed by Wojtek Kozakiewicz |
00:21:19
MOHON—ADVENTURE ON A BIKE FALL IMPRESSIONS Directed by Craig Grant and Joey Schusler | 00:03:48
Directed by Jimmy Hyland | 00:17:50
ESTIVAL
THE THOUSAND MILE DRESS
Film: Dreamwalkers: The Faroes Project
Park City • Salt Lake City