A celebration of our environment

Join Wildsight Kimberley/Cranbrook as it hosts the Wild and Scenic Film Festival at the McKim Middle School Theatre on Saturday February 11.

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is a collection of films from the annual festival, now in its 16th year! The films focus on environmental concerns and celebrations of our planet.

“I love seeing bright faces packed into McKim Theatre. It affirms my beliefs of the power of community connections, while supporting youth initiatives rooted in the outdoors,” said Wild and Scenic Volunteer Coordinator Alison Ko.  As a fundraising event for Wildsight Kimberley/Cranbrook, the main goal of the evening is to raise money for the Grade 9 Go Wild trip, which takes students on a five-night backpacking trip.

Featured at the tour event in Kimberley are many short films that aim to inspire. These films include The Great Siberian Traverse and Running Wild among others. Running Wild tells the story of two ultra marathon runners who are committed to citizen science by trying to capture photographic evidence of endangered wolverines. The film demonstrates a unique and sustainable way of collecting data to help contribute to ecology in a meaningful way.

The Great Siberian Traverse, created in collaboration with POWDER and Sherpas Cinema, follows a team of professional skiers on a 6,000-mile journey along the Trans-Siberian Railway. The film captures skiing’s ancient origins mixed in with deep backcountry powder skiing throughout Russia.

The festival is a natural extension of Wildsight’s work to inspire people to act on behalf of the environment. It is the organization’s goal to work within the community encouraging sustainable livelihoods and lifestyles based on a conservation ethic.

“The Wild and Scenic Film Festival is a great way for us to showcase success stories from around the world, and host an evening of inspiration right here in the Kootenays,” stated Wildsight Kimberley/ Cranbrook Branch Manager Andrea Chapman.

Along with key film sponsors Kootenay Mountain Works and Purcell Outdoors, many community organizations have come to the table to enhance the fundraising potential of this event. Those in attendance on Saturday, February 11 will be treated to food, drinks, music, raffle draws and great door prizes made possible by the incredible generosity of local businesses.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $15 in advance at Lotus Books in Cranbrook and Snowdrift Café in Kimberley. On the day of the event tickets can be purchased at the door for $20.

Wildsight Kimberley/ Cranbrook

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