Mountainfilm tours through Big Sky

EBS STAFF

For the third consecutive year, the Arts Council is bringing a slice of Telluride, Colorado, and its acclaimed film festival to Big Sky. From Sept. 14-16, various venues will host screenings of 26 films total, including two feature length films, a day of family-friendly shorts, and an evening of documentary shorts for adults.

A selection of films curated specifically for the Big Sky community, Mountainfilm kicks off Friday night with a 7 p.m. screening of the feature film “Dark Money” at the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center. A reception will precede the screening, and a Q&A with journalist John S. Adams will follow. Adams is featured in the film, which delves into the dark underbelly of campaign financing, while shining a spotlight on Montana in particular.

The Mountainfilm lineup was curated to appeal to Big Sky audiences, like the film “RJ Ripper,” which tells the inspirational story of Nepalese professional mounting-biking champion, Rajesh Magar.

The Saturday schedule begins at 10 a.m. with a meet-and-greet with special festival guests in The Big Sky Real Estate Discovery Center at 25 Town Center Ave. The festival then moves up to the resort for a series of kid-friendly shorts that begin at 1 p.m. at the Big Sky Resort Amphitheater in the Shoshone Hotel.

Saturday night, Mountainfilm returns to Town Center for the main event at Lone Peak Cinema: a 6 p.m. reception followed by documentary short screenings at 7 p.m., an audience vote on best film, and live music beginning at 9:30 p.m.

This year the Arts Council is extending Mountainfilm with a free, outdoor screening of “Bikes of Wrath” at 8 p.m. Sunday in in Town Center Park. The film follows cyclists from Oklahoma to California as they take an in-depth look at today’s America through the lens of John Steinbeck’s seminal novel, “The Grapes of Wrath.”

“Mountainfilm is a great event for our Big Sky audience,” said Katie Alvin, the Arts Council’s program and education director. “These inspiring films fit in well with our adventure-loving, outdoor oriented lifestyle.”

The films will explore the themes that express Mountainfilm’s mission to use the power of film, art and ideas to inspire audiences to create a better world. Mountainfilm began in 1979 and is one of America’s longest-running film festivals.

“The community has really embraced the Mountainfilm event,” said Arts Council Executive Director Brian Hurlbut. “We’re excited to add even more screenings this year to further inspire people of all ages.”