The upcoming snowsports show at the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival may as well be called the Revelstoke show, as four of the five films have ties to this winter town.
One of the films premiering at the festival is Motherload, directed by Revelstoke’s Zoya Lynch.
The 13-minute movie at first appears to be a comic story about mothers trying to take their kids skiing. However, it soon delves deeper, exploring themes of single parenting and loss.
“When we started filming, we realized there’s a much larger story,” said Zoya. “The title of the film refers to not only carrying kid’s ski equipment, but the greater emotional load.”
The film features Zoya’s sister Izzy, and Tessa Treadway, from Golden. Both are single parents, either through divorce or death.
Tessa’s husband, David, died a skiing accident near Pemberton in 2019. Tessa was pregnant with her third child at the time.
Motherload was filmed in Revelstoke and Golden, before the pandemic.
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The second film premiering is Without a Paddle, an adventure film that blends the history of the upper Columbia River with a 140-km paddle from Mica Dam to Revelstoke Dam during a winter cold snap.
Last January, four intrepid snowboarders retraced footsteps from early explorer David Thompson along the Columbia River. Part of the storyline also examines history of Indigenous people in the area, such as the Sinixt.
During the trip, temperatures plunged to below minus 30 degrees.
An adventurer from the film, Johan Rosen, said Lake Revelstoke got covered in almost 10 cm of slush, making paddling slow and difficult. At times, the adventurers suffered severe frost bite, almost requiring rescue.
The third film premiering at the festival is Frozen in Time, with Revelstoke’s pro-skier Chris Rubens. Along with Whistler’s Mark Abma and Canmore’s Eric Hjorliefson, Rubens heads to Mount Cain on Vancouver Island for a ski trip.
Instead of five star hotels and high speed lifts, they sleep in the parking lot and shred a T-bar. There are no fur coats, $5 lattes or anything fancy – just powder.
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The last Revelstoke film at the festival is Coach, directed by local comedian Katie Burrell. The movie asks several questions: Why women hide behind contrived narratives in action sports; can female athletes show up honestly and still be adored by fans; and is there space for flaws in the gilded world of professional skiing?
The film features professional skiers Lorraine Huber and Hedvig Wessel.
Tickets for Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival are available online for $15. The Snowsports Show is a Fundraiser for the environmental group, Protect Our Winters Canada, presented by Arc’teryx.
Since the festival is virtual from Nov. 20 - 29, tickets are open to anyone in Canada.
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