The following films coming to venues in Bellingham and Mount Vernon in November will help bring the outdoors indoors, and hopefully give viewers inspiration to set out on their own adventures.
No Man’s Land Film Festival
Bombastic guitar licks from the song “Tell ‘Em” by Sleigh Bells kick off the trailer for this all-female adventure film festival, which is coming to Western Washington University at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8 at Arntzen Hall 100. The music is attention-grabbing, but it’s the athletes in action who keep your interest in “No Man’s Land: Diversify the Outdoors.”
The three-minute clip shows women snowboarding, skiing, surfing, swimming in open waters, mountain biking, dirt biking, kayaking, running, horseback riding, rock climbing, stretching and dancing. They’re joyful in their endeavors, even when they’re sweaty and dirty. Women of all ages and various ethnicities, trans men and other action-oriented athletes are represented.
With a tagline of “un-defining feminine in adventure and sports,” the traveling film festival based out of Denver, Colorado aims to showcase a variety of inclusive, diverse voices via the screening of the short films.
At the tour stop in Bellingham, hosted by Western’s Outdoor Center and Shifting Gears, filmgoers can check out booths from local sponsors. Tickets are $7–$12. Proceeds will benefit Shifting Gears, the Bellingham-based nonprofit focused on giving women and nonbinary humans welcoming recreation experiences. Info: wwu.tickets.edu.
Teton Gravity Research
“Flying High Again,” Teton Gravity Research’s (TGR) latest film showing at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Mount Baker Theatre, will have those eager for the opening of the Mt. Baker Ski Area salivating at first glance.
In the trailer, snowboarders (mostly male) soar in the air, defying gravity as they execute somewhat balletic moves in a variety of locales. They also careen down dangerously steep mountains, jump off ramps and create waves out of snow.
“This is a momentous event, as it’s TGR’s ninth feature-length snowboard film and newest collaboration with legendary director Mike Hatchett,” said Eli Bernstein of TGR, the extreme sports media company based out of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which regularly includes Bellingham on its tour stops.
Bernstein said the film is the culmination of a decades-long relationship between Hatchett and TGR co-founders Todd and Steve Jones. Snowboarding legends including Jeremy Jones, Danny Davis and Nick Russell were also instrumental in the making of “Flying High Again,” and an array of other athletes round out the onscreen roster.
As it typical for TGR events, winter-related prize giveaways and a chance to win the tour’s grand prizes will be part of the flurry of fun. Tickets are $10–$15. Info: mountbakertheatre.com.
‘Nothing’s for Free’
Next up on the list is a closer look at a sport that somewhat resembles snowboarding, but instead uses bicycles instead of boards to make it from the top of mountains to the bottom.
“Nothing’s for Free: The History of Freeride Mountain Biking” shows at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 13 at the Lincoln Theatre in Mount Vernon. Judging by the clip introducing the movie, it’s a fascinating look at a decidedly dangerous sport involving riders who employ tricks and unique techniques during races.
With ominous narration including phrases such as “risking everything for nothing” and “accidents happen,” the trailer shows a man standing next to a white cross on the top of a mountain, an athlete who’s now in a wheelchair, and riding scenes that are exhilarating to watch. At some points, they also make you want to cover your eyes.
The documentary covers more than three decades and chronicles the sport’s blue-collar beginnings to its current cult status. Tickets are $8.50–$11. Info: lincolntheatre.org.
Climbing Film Tour
This fourth annual event returns to Mount Vernon for a 7:30 p.m. showing Monday, Nov. 20 at the Lincoln Theatre. The five short film screenings celebrate the global climbing community and feature an eclectic mix of athletes.
“A New Line” focuses on Olympic rock climber Lucy Stirling, who’s looking to reclaim the spark she formerly had for the sport by finding deeper emotional connections in nature. “Transcendence” follows Adrien Costa and a mountain accident he had that led him to the cutting edge of adaptive climbing. “If It’s Easy, It’s Not Fun,” “Stirling Range Highline” and “Electric Avenue” are also on the lineup. Tickets are $8.50–$11. Info: lincolntheatre.org.
‘Advice for Girls’
The inspiration for “Advice for Girls: An All-Women Ski Film” came from a journal entry skier and film producer Addy Jacobsend wrote to her younger self, offering words of encouragement she wished she’d heard growing up as a young female athlete.
When the film screens in Bellingham at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30 at the Mount Baker Theatre, audiences will see how Jacobsend’s vision came to life. Using an intersectional cast and crew comprised of women, the film offers advice from three generations of athletes who have been involved in the ski industry. Tickets are $20. Info: mountbakertheatre.com.
