WATCH: A filmmaker, raised in Nanaimo, is getting international attention for his documentary on a remarkable journey through the B-C wilderness. The film follows a mother-daughter team as they ski through some of the province’s toughest terrain. Kendall Hanson reports.
“This Mountain Life” is a stunning film that documents a mother and daughter’s 2300-kilometre ski trek between Squamish and Alaska.
It’s only the second time the demanding journey has been completed.
Grant Baldwin filmed it.
His movie of the trek is now in theatres in more than a dozen Canadian cities. It’s also opening in Germany, the UK, New Zealand and Australia.
“You know as an independent filmmaker you never expect to get your movie in a movie theatre, a cineplex,” said Baldwin. “Maybe at a film festival and to be up beside the superhero movies it’s pretty amazing and people are coming out to see a documentary. It’s fantastic.”
Baldwin says one of the biggest challenges in making this film was the extreme conditions.
“Keeping communication with them was hard and also getting to the locations that they’re in to film,” said Baldwin. “We did three sections of the massive trip so we went with them four or five days at a time and keeping equipment running and keeping ourselves happy was hard.”
Baldwin says growing up in Nanaimo set him on a path that led to this film.
“Mount Benson which is right over here. That was the first place I ever overnight snow camped and I think that set something in motion for me being passionate about the outdoors and incorporating filmmaking into that.”
A fourth screening of his film has just been added in Nanaimo, there are also screenings in Victoria.
“I think it sends a message to the theatres that maybe people do want some variety in the programming in cinemas,” said Baldwin. “Hopefully this helps open the door for other independent filmmakers to get their work shown in the big cinemas.”
Baldwin says he hopes his documentary shows real people can be film stars, AND that “This Mountain Life” will inspire more people to spend more time outdoors.
For a list of screenings click here.
Kendall Hanson
