Festival to show green films

The Banff Mountain Film Festival will feature films highlighting the impacts of human activity on the environment when it comes to Bloomington’s Burkirk-Chumley Theater on Sunday.

The festival starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $8 for students and $12 for the general public and can be purchased at IU Outdoor Adventures as well as at the theater.

The featured film, “Red Gold,” documents the struggle of Alaskan fishermen against the development of the proposed Pebble Mine that could disrupt fishing in Bristol Bay.

The other film dealing with the environment is “The Last Frontier,” produced by Trip Jennings’ outdoor media company Epicocity. The film documents Epicocity’s kayaking expedition down the Pandi River in Papua New Guinea. Jennings said he chose Papua New Guinea because the country showcases the problems caused by industrialization.

“As we continue to use resources at an increasing rate, we meet the demand for raw materials by expanding into untouched and pristine areas,” he said. “This takes its toll on unique cultures and ecosystems such as those in Papua New Guinea.”

Other films to be shown will feature action sports including BASE jumping, skiing, climbing and mountain biking.

Graduate student Devin Cramer, who helped organize the showing, said he tried to find balance and variety when choosing what films to show.

One of the films that displays the variety of the event is “The Red Helmet,” a five-minute short produced by BASE jumper Dave Barlia. The film includes footage of BASE jumping, mountain biking, rock climbing and kayaking. Barlia said he found the idea for it from the 1950s French film “The Red Balloon.”

Barlia has previously produced a documentary of his BASE jumping expedition to Baffin Island of eastern Nunavut, Canada, but he said that after appearing in dozens of adventure films, he wants to become more involved in film production.

“I’ve been around films all my life,” he said, noting that his father was a cameraman for movies including “Jaws” and “Superman.” “I had a little bit of interest, but I’ve never been that interested until recently.”

Cramer said the event, which is coming to Bloomington for the seventh straight year, is a gathering for the entire community.

“What’s cool about it is that there is a large community turnout and it brings people together,” he said. “It’s for the community, not just the University.”