NZ Mountain Film And Book Festival Invites Entries And Doubles Prize Money

The NZ Mountain Film and Book Festival will run in Wanaka from June 25 to 29 and in Queenstown from July 1 to 3, 2021. The event will also be broadcast online nationally from June 25 until July 25, 2021. The 19th festival will present a wide range of films, guest speakers, workshops, and presentations from inspirational Kiwi adventurers and via film from around the world. The films and books showcased tell stories of adventure sports, foreign cultures, remote travel and the environment. The 9-day event is a celebration of adventurous sports and lifestyles presented for adventurers, film and book enthusiasts, armchair adventurers and people interested in the environment or foreign cultures.

The unusual nature of 2020 stimulated the submission of a flurry of New Zealand-made films to the Mountain Film Competition. The films produced within our borders highlighted the underground talent in the Kiwi filmmaking community. The Charitable Trust recognises the opportunity to support the development of Kiwi adventure filmmaking, and to encourage new entries it has more than doubled the prize money for the Best NZ Made Film to $2,500 for 2021. A Grass Roots Award, with $500 prize money, will also be on offer to encourage beginner filmmakers to have a go at making and submitting a film. The festival provides an opportunity for budding directors to build their filmmaking skills to a professional standard and showcase their work at a high-profile national event.

Festival Director Mark Sedon says, “The Trust is committed to investing back into the Kiwi adventure filmmaking community. Doubling the prize money aims to encourage more budding filmmakers out of the woodwork. The Pure NZ segment of our programme is one of our most popular and fastest-selling shows. The audience loves the New Zealand-made films and we expect there will be some creative submissions this year given the circumstances.” The International film competition opens 1 January and closes April 20, while the Book competition also opens 1 January and closes March 30. The Book Competition first place prize money has also increased to $1,000 with a bequest from Dave Bamford and John Nankervis.

The NZ Mountain Film and Book Festival tours nationally in smaller cinemas throughout the country. Hosts in regions around the country choose a programme that reflects the interests of their local audiences from a selection of films on adventure, culture, environment and action sports.

Some of the income from the National Tour goes towards the festival Grant Scheme

to fund youth in adventure skills training, support local environmental projects and help individuals with disabilities into the outdoors. The initiative promotes the Charitable Trust’s mandate to encourage healthy and active lifestyles, inspire youth to undertake small safe adventures in the outdoors and to help people to reach their full potential. The Trust awarded funds to four different groups last year. The Alexandra Air Training Corps was awarded a grant of $800 to fund cadets to attend Operation Sparrowhawk at the Burnham Military Camp. Kahu Youth received $1,505 to support the Youth Vs Wild outdoor survival programme. MINT, an organisation supporting youth with intellectual disabilities in the Upper Clutha Region, received $1,500 to help under-18-year-olds to attend an Adventure Ski Day. Peel Forest Outdoor Centre received $500 to support its Year 8 student Holiday Programme. Applications for the 2021 Grant Scheme open on 1 July.

The NZ Mountain Film and Book Festival will run in Wanaka June 25 to 29 and in Queenstown July 1 to 3, 2021.The event will also be broadcast online nationally from June 25 until July 25, 2021.

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