Presented by Winter Wildlands Alliance each year, the Backcountry Film Festival screens stories of outdoor stewardship, grassroots policy and advocacy work, backcountry adventure, and snow cinema by human-powered advocates, athletes, activists, and outdoor enthusiasts.

The 2021 festival will run from DEC 3 – 13 and features 14 films over two hours.

The festival is shown around the world. In Victoria, Friends of the Earth is the local host.

There are three options to watch it this year.

1/ Online

Due to the difficulty of finding a suitable cheap venue, this year we are screening the festival as an online event.

This means you buy a ticket, then watch it anytime (and as many times as you like) between December 3 and December 13.

Tickets: $8 conc & students/ $15 waged

Tickets available here.

2/ At Bright Brewery

There will be a screening on Wednesday December 1 at the Bright Brewery.

Choose from a 6pm or 6.30pm dinner sitting (own cost) before enjoying the film screening at 7.30pm ($20).

Tickets includes a pot of POW Pale Ale (served to 18+ only), and all tickets proceeds go to Friends of the Earth (Vic).

Tickets are very limited so book now before you miss out.

https://www.trybooking.com/BVNVD

3/ Online with mates – and support the Avalanche Training Centre

Mountain Safety Collective suggests you buy a ticket via the FoE site, get some mates together, and have a few drinks. If you want to turn it into a public event you could raise some funds for the MSC avalanche training centre planned for NSW.

This is what you need to do!

First purchase a screening pass for $15 here ( this supports Friends of the Earth) https://www.melbournefoe.org.au

Screening is possible between the 3 -13 Dec 2021.

Set a date , invite friends , have a bbq/pizza night , sell some drinks , pass the hat around, be creative and put the pledges here https://mountainsafetycollective.org/atc-crowd-fund

Information on the festival

Check here for the trailer.

Check here for background on the festival.

The program

14 films over 2 hours.

The films

Off-Piste Opus by Luke Nelson Films

ASCEND by Faith E. Briggs + TopTop Studios

Tribute to a Glacier by Thaïs Despont

Snow Rangers by Wool Hat Creative

Lot’zza Mia by Mad Trees Productions

Eastside Story by Mountain Grown Media

Finding Balance by Santino Martirano

REVERIE by Eclectic Brew Productions

Alone Beneath the Northern Lights by Valentin Boitel-Denyset

Denizens of the Steep by Orijin Media

PERSPECTIVES – Fred Campbell by Sherpas Cinema

Wild Ice by Bear Witness Media

The Approach (short) by Mad Trees Productions

Finding Gulo by Wild Confluence

You can find full details on each film here.

What will the funds be used for?

All funds raised through these screenings will be allocated to the Friends of the Earth forests campaign efforts to see protection of high elevation forests in the Victorian High Country. You can also allocate funds to the MSC avalanche centre.

Check our recent report Icon at Risk, about threats to the Victorian mountains available here.

And please consider sending a quick message to the Victorian environment minister urging her to adopt our recommendations here.