MEDIA RELEASE

12/2/2024

—For Immediate Release— 

Contact:

• Michelle Kelly, Education and Events Manager, Sierra Forever (formerly Eastern Sierra Interpretive Assoc.); [email protected]; Cell 714.595.8633
• Louis Medina, Outreach Director, Sierra Forever; [email protected]; Cell 323.788.7447

 

Backcountry Film Festival Returns, Aiming to Inspire the Public While Raising Funds to Support the Eastern Sierra SnowSchool Program

Sierra Forever invites winter sports and adventure enthusiasts to the Backcountry Film Festival, which the organization will be hosting at the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center Auditorium, 2510 Main Street, Thursday evening, Dec. 12.

Produced by Winter Wildlands Alliance, the festival is celebrating its 20^th anniversary this season, with a lineup featuring 11 breathtaking short films that extol the power and spirit of humans in winter. From incredible athletic pursuits to artistic perspectives and heartfelt community stories, these films capture the passion and resilience of outdoor enthusiasts amidst changing winter landscapes.

Tickets are $25 and all proceeds go to the Eastern Sierra SnowSchool Program, whose curriculum was developed by Winter Wildlands Alliance. SnowSchool provides more than 300 fifth graders from Bishop and Mammoth Elementary Schools yearly with experiential outdoor education, helping them explore their local environment through snow science, wildlife studies and watershed education, thereby fostering a lifelong connection to nature.

“As a passionate backcountry skier, the Backcountry Film Festival is always one of my favorite events of the winter, full of inspiring lines and incredible stories of the human spirit,” said Michelle Kelly, Sierra Forever’s Education and Events Manager. “Sierra Forever is proud to host it once again and invites the community and visitors to join us for a fantastic evening in support of the amazing SnowSchool Program, which provides unforgettable experiences for our local kids.”

Attendees can enjoy a vibrant atmosphere complete with locally brewed craft beer, pizza, and exciting door prizes featuring winter gear and other goods generously donated by local businesses and sponsors.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the film screening will begin at 7.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.sierraforever.org/events. For more information or questions, please write to [email protected].

This event is part of the annual Backcountry Film Festival Tour, hosted in collaboration with Winter Wildlands Alliance to celebrate winter exploration and conservation efforts. Besides the Mammoth screening that Sierra Forever is hosting, there will also be a screening in Bishop on Saturday evening, Dec. 14, hosted by SnowSchool partner Friends of the Inyo at Bishop Twin Theatre, 237 N. Main Street. Doors will likewise open at 6 and the show will begin at 7 that night of the festival tour as well.

About the Backcountry Film Festival

The Backcountry Film Festival celebrates human-powered winter adventure with inspiring films featuring breathtaking landscapes and unforgettable stories. It is organized by the Winter Wildlands Alliance, a national nonprofit dedicated to preserving wild winter backcountry experiences through advocacy, education, and programs like SnowSchool. The festival raises awareness and funds to protect public lands and promote winter recreation.

About Sierra Forever

Founded in 1970 as Eastern Sierra Interpretive Association, Sierra Forever is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that partners with local, tribal and federal governments, as well as fellow nonprofits, to provide interpretive education about the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin landscapes, in the hope of inspiring members of the public to develop a deeper appreciation for public lands, and thereby become better stewards. Sierra Forever operates bookstores in visitor centers in collaboration with agency partners that include the Inyo, Humboldt-Toiyabe, Tahoe, and Klamath National Forests, Death Valley National Park, Devils Postpile National Monument, Manzanar National Historic Site, and the Bureau of Land Management’s Bishop Field Office.  For more information, please visit Sierra Forever’s website, www.sierraforever.org.

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