Take on water in its various forms with this collection of outdoor films.
The audience is encouraged to bring warm layers, blankets and stoke! It’s BYO chair, but keep in mind no tall chairs are allowed. If you can fit a soccer ball underneath it, it’s too tall. (Dogs, glass and shelled nuts are also not allowed.)
Confined to his apartment by the virus, a kayaker can only cast his mind back to previous whitewater adventures as he looks forward to the end of his tedious isolation. The stark contrast between the two intensifies the jolt of adrenaline footage.
Can a person be bewitched by a boat? The answer might be yes if that boat is a wooden, whitewater dory with an overabundance of personality and history. Martin Litton, a legend in the conservation world, dreamed up this elegant, sexy boat that was also responsive, nimble, graceful and could handle the rapids of the Grand Canyon while carrying supplies for a multi-week trip. What other boat could be destroyed, resurrected and grace the river another day? Brad Dimock, who once worked for Litton, carries on the tradition of crafting dories by hand in Flagstaff, Arizona alongside a crew who has also fallen prey to the siren lure of the dory.
In the ‘90s, there existed this very nerdy, goofy and cool subset of kayaking called "squirt boating." At the time, thousands called it their hobby, but now, there are less than 200. In squirt boating, boats are custom-sized, like getting fit for a tuxedo and “the mystery move” was the claim to fame. These days, the hobby itself has pulled a mystery move — disappearing from the kayaking sect, leaving everyone wondering, what happened to those sparkly squirt boats of yore?
The chairlift is at the heart of ski culture and has been used by many, but often goes entirely overlooked. Shuttling skiers up mountains, the chairlift is both transportation and a place of congregation — a central pillar of the ski experience, a thing that brings lovers of snow together. This homage to the chairlift is a celebration of ski culture and the conversations and experiences that happen along the way.
While it’s most often thought of as a mountain sport, modern-day snowboarding began on the shores of Lake Michigan. Housebound in a snowstorm, and in need of an activity to get his kids outside, Sherman Poppn fastened two of his daughter’s skis together and stood sideways on the hill in his backyard. And with that, the snurfer was born, creating a magical way to surf the snow. The snowboard industry has come a long way since then, but Made in the Mitten is an homage to the sport’s original roots: the pure joy of riding a skinny piece of wood in the snowy backyards of the Midwest.
In the remote mountains of Afghanistan, boys grow up farming, raising animals and learning the religious dictates of their families. When the snow falls, they “play ski,” gliding through the powder on setups that are often handmade. This is the story of one village’s top competitors in the annual ski challenge — two teenage boys caught between ethnic tensions and on the brink of adulthood, for whom skiing taps into something transcendent.
Embarking on a pilgrimage to ski some epic lines might conjure up thoughts of a long and arduous journey. But, sometimes you can find an unexplored playground right outside your back door. In Europe, the self-catering huts that are used by hikers in the summer are all but forgotten in the winter. A mountain hut, a warm stove and three friends for a long weekend might be all you need. Who cares if the city is just right over there?
Eeland Stribling is a wildlife biologist, stand-up comedian and fly fisherman who uses @blacksteveirwin as an Instagram handle. All his interests and talents merge in the great outdoors where he comes up with some apropos stand-up comedy. Part stand-up routine and part documentary, this film is punctuated by the synchronicity of protecting Bristol Bay and recognizing Black Lives Matter. Joining Stribling on the riverbanks and in the water feels like a special chance to hang out with an entertaining fishing buddy.