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FLATHEADBEACON.COM NEWS JANUARY 15, 2014 | 9

PROTECT

the

present

Joan Carson is featured in “Ride The Sky,” one of the documentaries being shown at the Flathead Lake International Cinemafest.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Film Festival Becomes Polson Tradition

Documentaries,
in, including “Ride The Sky,” a feature Anijam.” Fifteen award-winning ani-
animated shorts all on length documentary about Joan Car- mators from Halifax to Vancouver col-
son, a skydiver who lived in Kalispell in laborated on the project and each seg-
deck for Flathead Lake the late 1970s and was one of the found- ment depicts a memorable day in their
ers of Skydive Lost Prairie. Tragically, own lives.
International Cinemafest
on Memorial Day Weekend 1981, Car- “It’s like a diary entry,” Chiba Stea-
son died during a jump near Marion. rns said. “One person did the birth of
Years later Paul Gorman, a high school their child and another person did a
By JUSTIN FRANZ of the Beacon
acquaintance, set out to produce a doc- riot.”
Polson’s Flathead Lake Interna-
umentary about Carson and the acci- Each illustrator used the same tools
tional Cinemafest’s slogan, “The most dent.
– a book of Post-It
beautiful ilm festival in the world,” “Her death is kind notes, a black marker
may be a bold statement, but the sec- of a mystery. It’s not and a light box – to “WE DIDN’T WANT
ond annual event is sure to please with clear what happened create their contribu-
nearly 80 ilms running over three days. that day because there TO HAVE A NICHE tion.

Co-chair Daniel Smith says organizers are conlicting re- Follow-
have gathered a wide variety of ilms, ports,” he said.
FESTIVAL, WE ing the movie, Chiba
from feature-length documentaries to According to Gor- Stearns will host a
animated shorts.
man’s movie, some WANTED SOME workshop about ani-
The festival kicks of on Friday, Jan. witnesses say her mation. He said it
24 with an opening party before a pair parachute did not ful- would give attend-
of screenings that night. The festival ly inlate, causing her VARIETY. THERE ees a chance to learn
continues throughout the weekend at to plummet to earth. about how much work
IS SOMETHING
Showboat Cinemas in Polson.
She died on impact. In goes into the craft.
“We didn’t want to have a niche fes- the documentary, Gor- For example, to cre-
tival, we wanted some variety,” Smith man traces his friend’s FOR EVERYONE.”
ate just one second
said. “There is something for everyone.”
steps to Oregon and of ilm, an illustrator
The ilm festival grew out of the En- California, where she often has to make 24
vision Polson! Year-Round Committee, became one of the irst drawings.
Daniel Smith, Polson
part of the Greater Polson Community female skydivers in “It’s one of the
Filmfest Co-chair
Foundation, and irst launched in 2013. the Bay Area.
most misunderstood
Smith said the festival is held as a way “The ilm provided art forms because
to attract people to the area during the answers to me and I
people don’t under-
shoulder season, when fewer tourists hope it does the same
stand what goes into
are heading to Polson.
for the audience,” Gorman said.
it,” he said.
Last year’s festival was so success- A full schedule of events is available
For attendees looking for something
ful that Smith said some people had to online at www.licpolson.com. Tickets lighter, Jef Chiba Stearns is presenting
be turned away at the door. He said he is can be purchased online or at Showboat an animated program on Saturday, Jan.

www.ThreeRiversBankMontana.com
hoping for the same response this year. Cinemas in Polson.
25, which includes his collaborative
And there will be plenty of ilms to take
[email protected]
ilm, “Yellow Sticky Notes: Canadian