Female-only ski film showing in Rossland
By Sara Golling
Ski fiends can see the first female-only ski film on November 26 at the Rossland Legion, starting at 7:00 pm. Prepare to see male-dominance stereotyping in the ski world shredded. For guys who are into pretty faces, there are a lot of those, too.
In fact, the film is called “Pretty Faces,” and a review of the film published three years ago in National Geographic’s Adventure Blog says,
“Created with the goal of inspiring girls to push their boundaries, believe in themselves, and pursue their dreams, the film showcases hard-charging professionals, yet still manages to exude a nurturing spirit that emphasizes community support.”
You’ll see a lot of vertical (or near-vertical) elevation being skied by experts. Expert women.
Want to check out the trailer? It’s on YouTube, here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7TuVz2fnO8
The EcoSociety is hosting this showing of “Pretty Faces” in Rossland, and another one at the Civic Theatre in Nelson on November 30. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased here for Rossland.
Watching the trailer, this climate-change conscious viewer could not help but note the fossil-fuel intensity of the super-charged snowmobiles in the film, the helicopter flights to the top of death-defying runs down fluted cliffs, the photography from helicopters, and all the other travel to get all those people to and from those mountains.
So while applauding this film for challenging sexism in sport and providing a visual feast of pretty mountain faces and descents of them by courageous and highly skilled women (more pretty faces) on skis, one can yearn for less destructive ways of having fun and proving oneself. It brings to mind a more recent film by (sorry everybody, but it’s a guy) Revelstoke resident and ski star Greg Hill.
Hill’s 23-minute film is called “The Curve of Time,” not to be confused with the book of the same title, published about 50 years ago, by the legendary Muriel Wylie Blanchet, widowed in 1926 with five young children, about their years of cruising BC’s coast in a 25-foot craft.
Hill became concerned about the climate impacts of adventure skiing and decided to minimize his own contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. His film documents his change in attitude and the changes in his life and in how he pursues his love of snow and mountains. He hopes to inspire others to make more sustainable choices in recreation, transportation, and diet.
“The Curve of Time” was shown in Vancouver as part of the Vancouver international Mountain Film Festival.
Here in Rossland, do go see “Pretty Faces” — enjoy the visual feast and think about both the sexist stereotyping that it challenges, and also the environmental impacts that it generated.
