MountainFilm on Tour, the travelling documentary film festival, will be in Monte Vista Thursday, April 16. This year the films will be shown at The Church Project Community Art Center.
This is the fifth year that MountainFilm on Tour has stopped in the San Luis Valley and its first year at the Church Project.
The film festival highlights “the indomitable human spirit.” Whether through outdoor adventure or activism relating to outdoor, equity or environmental issues, the films show the strength required to go forth.
“As opposed to an image, videography really allows you to connect to a place on a deeper level and to the people that are in the film and the people that are behind the camera,” said SLVGO!’s Operations Director Dani Robben on the latest episode of the Creative Citizen podcast. “It draws you to the people and the place in a really powerful way.”
Each year a new selection of films is curated by San Luis Valley Great Outdoors and shown in the Valley. MountainFilm started in Telluride in 1979 and is held annually in Telluride during Memorial Day weekend. The festival started its tour series in 1999.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for a social hour that includes a raffle drawing and food from Suavecito Grill.
The social hour is a good time to mingle on the Church Project grounds. It will also be an opportunity to talk with the SLVGO! staff. “That’s a great time to talk with us,” Robben said.
The 90-minute selection of films will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a brief intermission.
The Monte Vista Church Project is located at 256 S Broadway St. in Monte Vista. General admission is $20. Buy your tickets at the door or online here.
“Im always just very excited for all the films, but I think what I look forward to most is people’s reaction to the films,” Robben said. “Looking at the crowd and seeing people gasp or just look absolutely inspired or in awe of the resilience and courage these people show throughout the films is really incredible…. Being able to show these films to our wider audience and seeing them react is just really gratifying.”