The twelfth annual Fernie Snowboard Film Festival was a showcase of talent that had people on the edge of their seats, screaming.
It was the scene in the second film, Rogue Elements, where two mountain bike riders were bombing down the slope at break-neck speed that had the audience out of their seats, hollering at the screen.
“It was insane footage,” said Dan Savage, an organizer of the event. “Good ski movies—people yell and scream.”
Rogue Elements, presented by Teton Gravity Research, took home both the People’s Choice Award and the award for Overall Best Film.
Savage says it was the kind of movie where people stand outside the washroom, unable to take their eyes off the screen.
“Just a higher calibre of action,” said Savage, stating that the film was more entertaining, well produced, and just chalked full of highly technical, mind-blowing tricks.
The audience packed the community centre in Fernie for the sold-out show, with families, young skiers and snowboarders alike in awe of the incredible action on the screen.
“People are excited about winter,” said Savage, Fernie Alpine Resort is reporting higher enrollment in their ski programs this year, and hotels are reporting higher rental numbers. “There’s a lot of excitement about winter in Fernie.”
He says that with the recent snowfall, this film festival was the perfect outlet for that excitement.
“They need to get stoked,” said Savage, explaining that the ski swap and film festival is the unofficial kick off to the ski season.
The show raised approximately $3,000 for the Canadian Ski Patrol which operates on the Fernie and Elkford ski hills.
Not only is the patrol completely operated by volunteer patrollers, but the volunteers must outfit themselves with rescue equipment.
The funds from the film festival help subsidize those costs.