Wasatch Mountain Film Festival Celebrates Women in Film and Adventure

During the first weekend of May, the Wasatch Mountain Film Festival came back to Salt Lake City for its 12th year, highlighting mountain culture and outdoor adventures through film and storytelling. It featured filmmaker workshops, mentorship programs, a speaker series, early morning coffee talks, local art markets, meet-and-greets with filmmakers and community screenings.

One of the festival’s major events this year was the “MISSe-en-scène” film block. The film block showcased eight short films about women, directed by women, covering themes like motherhood, mental and physical illnesses, sports and more. The women serve as the backbone for those around them. 

The lineup included Earthworks by Rachel Ross starring Kim Hall, Mimic by Hadley Michaels featuring Piper Kunst, Trails Still Blazing by Iz La Motte with Megan McJames, Imperfect Offerings by Ella Warnick starring Sarah May, Woman-Made by Sean Slobodan and Shandi Kano featuring Jen Loofbourrow, Hello, Beautiful by Darcy Hennessey with Alannah Yip, The Bride Of Mont Blanc by Grace T.S.P with Elise Wortley, and Wild Ride by Allie Rood. 

The festival acknowledged the importance of highlighting women’s work in the industry. Having a whole block dedicated to female filmmakers was something the festival had never done before.

Finding Balance

Much of the festival highlighted women managing daily roles as mothers, wives, women and friends while maintaining their personal identity and individuality. McJames’ story in Trails Still Blazing illustrated a woman working to balance everything and remain true to herself. 

“This film became a love letter to myself, trying to figure it out and any parent out there looking for their passion,” McJames says. 

McJames, a Utah native, three-time Olympian, competitive alpine skier and mother, has learned to balance her love for ski racing with family life. While she says motherhood is one of her greatest gifts, she has found a way to spend quality time with her family by teaching her daughters to ski. This has allowed her to turn her passion into a more personal experience.

“I found real joy in passing my love of skiing on to my girls,” McJames says. 

A Brand Built on Passion 

McJames was one of many motivated and important women spotlighted. Loofbourrow is the founder and owner of Alpine Fit, a company that produces technical outdoor apparel designed with real people and adventures in mind. 

Alpine Fit was founded in Alaska, and building the brand required time and dedication. Loofbourrow had to learn how to balance many responsibilities as a woman while also developing a brand she could be proud of. 

Her story inspired the short film Woman-Made, a project that showcases what true dedication can accomplish and how it can help someone reach their goals. Although Loofbourrow was nervous about being in the spotlight for a short film about herself, it ultimately showed her just how much she has achieved. 

“Somehow [the crew] looked through my nervous excitement and created a really clear picture of me, a person living and working through my dreams,” she says. “Every moment in time is a building block for the next. And previous moments in time are building blocks for the present.” 

Women Driving Change

This year’s Wasatch Film Festival marked a turning point for the event. The one-day showcase featured a full block of short films dedicated to honoring women filmmakers, businesswomen, athletes and more. Whether in Utah or elsewhere, women around the world are driving change and making an impact. 

Every woman has a unique story that highlights strength and empowerment. The film festival highlighted some of these powerful female voices in its “MISSe-en-scène” film block. To learn more about the Wasatch Film Festival, which visits Utah every year, visit their website at www.wasatchfilmfestival.org. —Ava Hart

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