Adventure! Caught on film

This Saturday is the premiere night for the “Talkeetna Adventure Film Festival” – presented by the Denali Arts Council. This festival will bring the small town of Talkeetna together, united under the big screen watching their friends and neighbors’ adventures filmed over the summer. The stories are mostly camping, fishing, boating trips recorded for the viewing pleasure of the town. Some are whimsical like a group of ladies sledding at Hatcher Pass, essentially spoofing “Sled-Necks.” According to Heather Leba, the operations manager for the Denali Arts Council, this is the first time using the theme for Alaskan Adventures.

Leba says that the Denali Arts Council decided to put a call out to their community to submit their films chronicling their adventures over the summer. She says the response was very good and they received 8 locally created films that are under 15 minutes and most are under 5 minutes. So, there will be 8 short films and after the intermission, 1 feature length film that is over an hour long titled, “Everything it Takes,” the story of rookie musher Mary Helwig’s journey to the Iditarod starting line after losing her home in the infamous Sockeye Fire. The Sockeye Fire of 2015 burnt a massive 7,220 acres and close to 45 buildings, rattling Willow and the rest of Alaska. The fire impacted many Sled dog teams. About 4,500 dogs had to relocate along with other panicked residents.

“Everything it Takes” was created and filmed by Jennifer Hawks, a local director, producer, cinematographer, visionary from Willow. Hawks’ cinematic undertaking is sure to be the headliner for the evening; taking everyone on an emotional journey to see the fall, then rise of an Iditarod musher- pushing forward in the real Alaskan spirit of overcoming hardships as cold as ice.

Leba says this film festival was created in the hopes to promote film and filmmakers, bringing them together under the same idea. The notion of chronicling the short-lived Alaskan summer appealed to all kinds of Talkeetna residents, prompting them to share their travels. A local high school teacher jumped on the idea and had 2 of his students share their camping trip films for the festival. He even submitted his own fishing trip with his buddies.

“We really wanted to get people thinking about their summer adventures.”

Talkeetna citizens will watch their adventures inside the Sheldon Community Arts Hangar, which can fit about 120 people. There will be beer and wine available to any 21 years and over. Basic concession snacks and popcorn, the staple of any movie experience, will be provided as well. All bartending and concession staff will be volunteers. The Denali Arts Council runs mostly off of volunteer efforts, with just a handful of staff members. Heather Leba is looking forward to the premier night and creating another memory for locals to look back on fondly. This should inspire more connectivity and creativity within the community.

“It’s great to support the community.”

Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $5.00 for Denali Arts Council members and $7.00 for non-members.