GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO/KJCT) — This weekend, amid the Oscar buzz, the largest mountain film festival in the world stopped here in Grand Junction.
For two nights in a row, the Avalon Theater hosted the Banff Mountain Film Festival world tour. One of the films, was shot right here in the Grand Valley.
“Choices” is about an avid mountain biker, who must decide where he wants to take his young son cycling on the Western Slope. What follows is a touching two-minute video, featuring local athletes and the grandeur of the Valley.
“It’s kind of generational, and about passing on your passions to your kids.” Caleb Weaver, the owner of Lightbulb Media said, “And I think Banff really appreciated that theme.”
It’s actually a teaser for a larger project, a documentary titled ‘What It Takes,’ produced by Lightbulb Media.
“We ended up really liking it and feeling like it was worth sending out to some film festivals,” Weaver explained.
The film is inspired by the passion for mountain biking and conservation that lies in the hearts of filmmakers.
“When making a film it helps to understand what you’re filming and we’re really big into mountain biking,” Tim DaCosta, the project’s cinematographer said.
They hope, the film will help inspire others, in Grand Junction and beyond.
“If you see this film and it inspires you to appreciate what we have here,” Weaver said, “Take that inspiration and use it to take action and continue making this place better.”
He encourages those inspired to action to volunteer building trails, or focus on appreciating and conserving the local landscape.
“If this little story that we made inspires you to tell stories about what you do and what you’re passionate about definitely do it,” DaCosta said.
Celebrating the spirit of adventure, the Banff Mountain Film Festival tour, started in Alberta, Canada. It will take films, like “Choices” from around the world to the big screen in over 450 communities and 40 countries.
‘What it Takes’ should be completed by this summer.
