By Owen Woods | owen@alamosacitizen.com
MONTE Vista’s Vali 3 Theatre will host the Mountainfilm On Tour documentary film festival on Friday, April 8, at 7 p.m. This is the third year that the film fest has been hosted in Monte Vista. The fest will show films “that explore themes connected to Mountainfilm’s mission of using the power of film, art and ideas to inspire audiences to create a better world.”
The Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce joined by SLVGO are putting on the show. Proceeds from the fest and the silent auction will go SLVGO and their mission “to provide visitors and residents with accessible and inclusive outdoor recreation opportunities that balance conservation, connect communities, improve wellness, encourage stewardship, and contribute to the economic vitality of the region.”
Before the festival starts, there will be a silent auction held at Rain Brews in downtown Monte Vista at 4:30 p.m. There will be drinks, snacks, and a look into SLVGO’s future and current projects.
The documentaries highlight a wide array of cultural and social issues, people, places, and events. The fest hosts a diverse range of filmmakers and artists in an effort to use film as another avenue for expression and enactment of change. This year there are a total of 42 films in the showcase. During Friday night’s premiere in Monte Vista, 11 of those films will be shown. The list of those films can be found here.
Tickets are $15 and can be pre-purchased online here, or purchased at the door. There is an option to chip in an additional donation directly to SLVGO. Vali 3 will open its doors at 6:30 p.m. and the show begins right at 7:00 p.m.
If you’re unable to attend the event in-person, a virtual program will be available for viewing the following weekend on April 15-17. Tickets for this are also $15.
Mountainfilm started in Telluride in 1979 during its transition from a mining town to an outdoor destination. Every Memorial Day weekend the films premiere in Telluride, then they hit the road. Since 1999, Mountainfilm On Tour travels the globe, premiering from New Mexico to New Zealand and everywhere in between. Landing in Monte Vista, the fest finds a good middle ground of the Valley for everyone to flock to. The outdoor industry is bustling in the Valley, and an outdoor documentary film festival fits right into the lifestyle.