Mountainfilm & Telski: “Racing Extinction,” 12/8

02 Dec Mountainfilm & Telski: “Racing Extinction,” 12/8

Telluride Mountainfilm, with support from the Telluride Ski & Golf Company, brings encore of “Racing Extinction,” Community screening is Tuesday, December 8, Telluride Conference Center, Mountain Village. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the show begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10. 

2015 Film Images, Racing Extinction

Telluride Mountainfilm continues its new program of community documentaries, “Mountainfilm Presents” on Tuesday, December 8 with a screening of the stunning environmental feature “Racing Extinction.” The night opens with a brand-new short, “Walt,” by former Telluride resident Justin Clifton.

“Racing Extinction” is a 2014 feature by Louie Psihoyos, the photographer, activist and Academy Award-winning director of “The Cove.” In the film, Psihoyos shines a spotlight on a global crisis we can no longer ignore: the sixth great extinction. Psihoyos and his team of undercover activists and scientists travel the globe to investigate wildlife trafficking, poaching, and the alarming extirpation of countless species. Along the way, the audience encounters individuals working to reverse or end these practices.

“The film is an eye-opening call to action about our current crisis,” said Katie Klingsporn, Mountainfilm Program Director. “It conveys a grave message about our potential future, but it avoids sinking into despair because Louie offers tangible solutions and introduces us to people who have devoted their lives to the issue. It’s incredibly inspiring.”

The film played to a sold-out audience during Mountainfilm 2015’s opening night at the Palm Theatre. Psihoyos attended the festival, along with film subjects Joel Sartore, Shawn Heinrichs, and a state-of-the-art Tesla equipped to project large images onto buildings.

For the upcoming event, Mountainfilm fans will be among the first live audiences to watch the newly crafted ending of the film, which features dramatic projections of endangered species on the Empire State Building (a scene that was shot in July).

Additionally, “Walt” is a lovely short profile of Walt Shubin, an 85-year-old organic raisin farmer who has dedicated decades of his life to restoring California’s once-mighty San Joaquin River.

The event is one of two “Mountainfilm Presents” screenings planned for this winter at the Telluride Conference Center.

The events are the result of a partnership between Mountainfilm and the Telluride Ski & Golf Company and a new effort by Mountainfilm to share programming with the community more than just once a year during its Memorial Day Weekend festival.

Watch the trailer for “Racing Extinction” here:

About Mountainfilm:

Established in 1979, Mountainfilm is dedicated to educating, inspiring and motivating audiences about environments, cultures, issues and adventures. Working at the nexus of filmmaking and action, its flagship program is the legendary Telluride Mountainfilm festival, a one-of-a-kind combination of films, conversations and inspiration. Mountainfilm also reaches audiences year-round through its worldwide tour and Mountainfilm for Students, an educational outreach initiative for youth. Mountainfilm has the power to change lives.

To learn more, visit www.mountainfilm.org.

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