“The Yin & Yang of Gerry Lopez” will screen at BIFF’s Adventure Film Pavilion this weekend. (Courtesy photo)
Outdoor action…are you getting any?
The BIFF Adventure Film Pavilion (AFP) is back and kicks off Friday, runs through Sunday, and will feature shorts and feature-length films covering everything from skiing to rock climbing to highlining to river running to BMX biking. The AFP will screen 26 short films and feature films with 17 filmmakers and subjects in attendance. There will be four Call2Action discussions — all at the 500-seat Grace Commons Church, 1820 15th St., Boulder.
You don’t have to be a hardcore adventurer to love these great stories, but your adrenaline will be pumping, so get ready for some action this weekend.
Tickets and the full lineup can be found at biff1.com/adventure.
BIFF Adventure Film Party
9:30 p.m. Friday, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder
Meet and mingle with the explorers, artists and creators who will be sharing their stories at the AFP at this Friday night party. There will be prize giveaways from sponsor Audi Flatirons, Yeti, Fjallraven, NOLS and others. Free with BIFF or AFP pass, or an AFP ticket stub. DJ Trevor Wright will spin tunes and attendees get one free drink and appetizers.
“Path of the Panther” will screen at BIFF’s Adventure Film Pavilion this weekend. (Courtesy photo)
“Path of the Panther” will screen at BIFF’s Adventure Film Pavilion this weekend. (Courtesy photo)Film highlights
Path of the Panther
10 a.m. Friday; Boulder premiere; U.S. feature documentary, 2022, 89 minutes
A once-in-a-lifetime sighting triggers a deep dive into the uncharted world of the Florida panther, a big cat perched on the edge of extinction. It’s a race against time for this icon surviving in an ancient ecosystem before a surge of new roads and development transforms Florida’s landscape. On the front lines of a struggle resonating across the globe, battle lines are being drawn. Territory marked. But whose dominion is it? The future of the panther, and our planet, may rest on the answer.
Following the film: Call2Action discussion with Boulder Open Space Conservancy and City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks
Wild Waters
5:15 p.m. Friday; U.S. premiere; France feature documentary, 2022, 85 minutes, subtitled
Adventurer, competitor, daughter, friend, pioneer, hero and badass human are all words used to describe French kayaker Nouria Newman. Watch as she prepares to become the first female to run a 100-foot waterfall. She grows from a young, keen Olympic hopeful to one of the greatest kayakers of all time — male or female.
The Yin & Yang of Gerry Lopez
10 a.m. Saturday; U.S. feature documentary, 2021,100 minutes
Award-winning documentary filmmaker Stacy Peralta lifts the veil on one of surfing’s most graceful and enigmatic heroes. While “Mr. Pipeline” is famously known for his calm demeanor in the tube, Gerry built his career with aggressive, wave-stealing surfing that left behind a trail of awe — and sometimes anger. Gerry, now 74, is one of the most influential surfers and surfboard shapers of all time, an entrepreneur, a family man, a movie star and a lifelong yogi who brought surfing to new frontiers.
Ride: A Brutal Fairytale
6 p.m. Saturday; U.S. premiere; Australia feature documentary, 2022, 95 minutes
BMX is extreme. Every race is a dance with danger. Crashes are common and injuries are brutal. This film tracks the lives and careers of Sam and Alise Willoughby, two world champions who fall in love and conquer the world of BMX. Then, the unthinkable happens. “Ride” paints a bold picture of reinvention in the world of disability and true love.
Following the film: Call2Action discussion with Ignite Adaptive Sports and film subjects Alise and Sam Willoughby.
Lapporten Skyline
3 p.m. Sunday; Colorado premiere; Sweden feature documentary, 48 minutes, 2022, subtitled
During the summer of 2021, a group of friends, some of the best highliners in the world, head for the iconic Lapporten in northern Sweden. There, they put up a 1.25 mile-long highline, nearly 2,000 feet above ground, and walk over it. If they succeed, a new world record will be set. Film Subject Ryan Jenke will appear in person.
Screening right before Lapporten Skyline:
Annapurna ’78
Boulder premiere; U.S. short documentary, 8 minutes, 2022
Arlene Blum led the groundbreaking first American and first all-female ascent of Annapurna in 1978. Despite dangerous avalanches and horrific conditions, the team was determined to prove that a woman’s place is on top. Part of Golden-based American Alpine Club’s Legacy Series. Colorado Director Jim Aikman will appear in person.
Reel Rock: Cuddle
U.S. short documentary, 34 minutes, 2022
A massive, remote link-up of 17 alpine summits pushes the world’s best climbers to the brink – and into each others’ shivering arms. Shot in Boulder’s backyard by the crew at Reel Rock. and features Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell. Colorado Director Peter Mortimer will appear in person.
-Kathy Beeck, co-founder of Boulder International Film Festival