Friday, April 30, 2010

Wanted: Films with a heart for the valley

Local Wild Film Festival set for July


By SABINA DANA PLASSE
Express Staff Writer

Bob Jonas seeks films for the second annual Local Wild Film Festival, which supports the nonprofit organization Wild Gift. Photo by David N. Seelig

Bob Jonas is gearing up for the second annual Local Wild Film Festival and wants all Wood River Valley folks, young and old, to submit their heartfelt and creative films about the valley.

"I want to see filmmakers interpreting this country of ours, the valley, creatively," said Jonas, founder of Wild Gift and the film festival. "This is not an extreme film festival with base jumping. Films should be inspirational, such as what poets do."

Jonas is asking all aspiring filmmakers to submit pieces three to 15 minutes in length, which celebrate the wildness and uniqueness of the Wood River Valley.

"It's about quality," he said. "Films need to get beneath the skin and express love for Sun Valley. Filmmakers should put their emotion into their work."

The film festival will benefit Jonas's Wild Gift organization and will take place at the nexStage Theatre in Ketchum on July 15. Submission deadline is July 5.

Because the digital age has made it possible for everyone to be a filmmaker, Local Wild wants kids, adults, elders, amateurs and pros to participate.

"When all ages participate, we have a round story about a place and its people," Jonas said. "Local Wild also takes the focus off the extreme or mechanized, slowing the pace and staccato beat."

Jonas wants submissions to be portraits of the integration between the wildness within a person and the country, and pay homage to the area's wildlife and landscapes.

All proceeds from the evening will benefit Wild Gift, a valley nonprofit founded by Jonas in 2002. Wild Gift has launched projects for "better world entrepreneurs" for ages 21-30.

"A key part of Wild Gift's mission is to inculcate the stewardship of wild nature in new leaders," he said. "Local Wild is a perfect blend of mission and fundraiser for us."

For details, call 726-7475, bob@wildgift.org or visit Wild Gift's website at wildgift.org/localwild.

Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com




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