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Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival returns to Invermere
Submitted by Wildsight Invermere
Some things are predictable at this time of year, like the anticipation of snow and Santa Claus. In Invermere, it’s time for the annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival.
This year (2022) marks the ninth year that Wildsight Invermere pulls together its magic formula of films, friends, food, and inspiration, wrapped up in a package labelled “fund raiser.” The three-hour, evening festival takes place on Saturday, November 19 at the Columbia Valley Centre.
“What makes this festival special is that it brings us together for a common purpose,” said Cam Gillies, Wildsight Invermere Director, and the Festival MC. “It’s not just about being entertained but to be touched and inspired by the stories and the passionate people reflected in the films. It’s about celebrating the beauty of our world and to highlight the ongoing need to protect biodiversity, nature and wildlife.”
This year, festival organizers were thrilled to see that an East Kootenay film made it through the selection process at the flagship Wild & Scenic Film Festival in California.
New Roots is a documentary by Kimberley filmmaker, Mark Locki, that follows Michael Albert, Marie-Eve Fradette and their two daughters through a growing season on their farm in Wycliffe. A special appearance by the family on November 19 will make the screening even more special.
The other 12 films being shown span the globe: Iceland, Montana, Mozambique, England, Alaska, and Ghana, among other places. They feature backcountry skiing and a family river float trip, wildlife conservation workers, and creatures, big and small, including Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, butterflies and elephants.
Hundreds of volunteer hours go into organizing the event, and 100% of festival proceeds go towards supporting the programs and initiatives of Wildsight Invermere.
As its part-time branch manager, Karen Barkley stated, “Now, more than ever we need to work together to create resilient communities. The film fest gives us an avenue to create more awareness around issues that matter to us all and, most importantly, to celebrate our successes.”
Wildsight Invermere has been the environmental voice of the upper Columbia Valley since 1989, with a mission to inspire community action and lead the way in ensuring the integrity and ecological values of surrounding wetlands, forests, grasslands, and mountains through its grassroots initiatives.
The fundraising goal for the 2022 Festival is once again $15,000. The online auction goes up for viewing on November 7. Live bidding happens between 8 a.m. on Nov. 12, ending on the night of the Festival at 8:15 p.m.
Wildsight Invermere would like to the thank the financial sponsorship from 18 big-hearted businesses, especially Festival Visionary sponsors thinkBright Homes, Columbia Basin Trust, Eagle-Eye Tours and Columbia Valley Law Corporation, plus the support from so many others for donated items for the auction and door prizes. All the generosity and good feeling will make it feel like Christmas in November.
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