5Point Film Festival Recap: 5 Points to Ponder, Watch the Winning Films

Respect – Commitment – Humility – Purpose – Balance

Sitting down to breakfast last week at the quaint Ambiance Inn in Carbondale, Colorado, I joined an animated conversation. With six “special guests” at the table, our discussion got interesting. The ethics of the recent bolt-cut on Cerro Torre in Patagonia were in question and I found myself, as an athlete, on the same side of the debate as Tony Alva, legendary skateboarder and a lively personality. Film festivals breathe awareness, discussion, and inspiration. These unusual moments are what make the 5Point Film Festival so special.

After watching 53 films in three days, our five-person jury was inspired and perhaps a bit tired. We attended nightly film gatherings that surpassed 750 people in the local theatre. The tremendous speakers and sensational films, handpicked by the three-person 5Point Film Festival team of Julie Kennedy (founder), Justin Clifton (exec director), and Jake Marty (program director), held audiences captive night after night.

Running from Thursday through Sunday during the last weekend of April for the past five years, the festival has grown steadily into a notable film event showing some of the best in the adventure, sport, and environmental realms. In addition to the films, there were art shows, breakfast gatherings, athlete chats, late-night dance parties (thanks Forge Motion Pictures), organized dinners, and bonfires by the river.

Executive Director Clifton, reflected, “This year we tried to take the 5Point audience on a ride they won’t forget, and we’ve been blown away by the response we’ve received. We’ve taken a couple of hours off, but are already working hard to make next year’s film festival even better.”

The festival gathers both a local community and a larger tribe that exists within the world of adventure. In this collective experience in Carbondale, new friendships are forged, old ties are strengthened, and new dream projects are created. The 5 Points—respect, commitment, humility, purpose, and balance—dictate the tone of the material presented. Audiences walk away with a heightened awareness and greater perspective and insight into the minds and hearts of the filmmakers, their subjects, and the journeys through which they take us.

For our jury, as we watched the films, it was clear that some “balance” was missing. At the Festival closing, during the awards ceremony on Sunday afternoon, we delivered this message:

“We, the jury, were pleased to see so many strong, talented women represented both on screen and behind the lens this year. Yet adventure and adventure film remains largely the province of a male, Caucasian, upper-class culture. We ask adventure filmmakers, artists, photographers, writers, activists, and you, the audience, to help us encourage a greater diversity of participation in the outdoors and to further express these values and dreams through the protagonists in your work.”

To tap into some of the inspiration, see some film out-takes and trailers as listed below. Also visit: www.5Pointfilm.org.

The Award Recipients:

Jury Award: Jane’s Journey 

Best of Festival: Obe & Ashima

Spirit of Adventure: Kadoma

Most Inspirational: Freedom Chair

Creative Excellence: The Summit

Cinematography: Unicorn Sashimi

And, a few other notable nominees and participants that have loaded their films online:

Of Souls & Water: The Nomad http://vimeo.com/41057348

The Beach: The Langs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7vU2cDIyjU

Weed War http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pp5f4JCrAs

Acquadettes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfAzP0gJQ1M

Pass the Bucket: Tony Alva http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-At1AVJfJ4

Pass the Bucket: Amy Purdy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yOX2JkcpRQ