MRU’s ecotourism and outdoor leadership program — ETOL as students fondly refer to it as —had its annual film night on Thursday, Nov. 9. Gathering both students and alumni of the undergraduate program, the night was spent revelling in the outdoors through the creative works done by the filmmakers and photographers in the program.
The artists were also joined by their family and friends, who spent the evening cheering and applauding for the projects.
Adding to the excitement of the night, the Bella Concert Hall was transformed. Gnomes, mushrooms and glittering lights set the perfect backdrop for this year’s theme, “rediscovering nature’s wonderment.”
Sierra Vongrad, the head logistics coordinator for the ETOL film night, explained the meaning behind the theme was aimed to evoke and reminisce about childhood memories of the outdoors.
“Just reminiscing how it was when you’re a child, where you would go outside and everything was amazing,” said Vongrad.
“You’re interested in everything from the bugs to the trees to the clouds. Everything was beautiful and wonderful.”
The love for the program
Throughout the night, and through a wide range of film themes, photos and even emcees, one sentiment rang true. ETOL students love their degree.
Cassidy Kosolofski, marketing coordinator and filmmaker of one of the ESKER short film submissions, Three Feral Mountain Girlies, spoke about why she chose this degree.
“I love the outdoors. Absolutely adore it,” said Kosolofski.
It seems everyone in the degree shares Kosolofski’s love for nature, which makes for a very tight-knit group of young adventurers.
Kosolofski also explained that through events like the film night and ETOL ignition and alumni activities, the degree tries to make their community immediately welcoming for incoming freshmen. ETOL ignition, which gathers first-year students with upperclassmen for a camping trip, helps release the nerves that come in the first year of post-secondary.
“There’s just so many different events [where] we try to foster that community,” said Kosolofski.
The program has a unique curriculum, requiring extreme out-of-class assignments —namely, expedition one and two. Kosolofski says these expeditions are as challenging as they are rewarding, and include anything from overnight backcountry skiing to hiking well-known trails, like the Pacific Crest Trail. According to Kosolofski, the first expedition is done in a group under professor supervision. But, the second expedition, not so much.
“Your second expedition is entirely self-led,” says Kosolofski.
Expedition two is what Kosolofski based her film on. Originally, it was not the project she was anticipating, as her self-led overnight backpacking trip in the Kootenay National Park went too well.
“$10,000 is a lot of money, and it will help a lot of students.”
Sierra vongrad
“For the film originally, I was going to do ‘why the eff am I doing this’,” said Kosolofski.
“But it ended up, ‘I can’t do my film on this anymore,’ because everything went so well and I had such a good time.”
Her short film features the fierceness of ‘mother nature’ while trekking 80 kilometres through elements , such as giant mud puddles and squashed bagel sandwiches. All to encompass her love for nature and being outdoors.
Like Kosolofski, most students who submit films to ETOL film night are usually coming out of one of these expeditions.
The event has two film categories. The one of a kind ESKER award, named after a ridge of sand and gravel formed after a glacier recedes, and the feature film award.
Students vying for the ESKER award submit short, five-minute films that pack a punch by highlighting adventures, like navigating hundreds of kilometers of Caribbean-blue water in kayaks to summiting Mount Assiniboine.
The film, fittingly titled ‘I took a Drive,’ by ETOL student Fisher Stephenson, claimed this year’s ESKER award. Stephenson’s video took viewers with him as he drove through the backroads of Alberta in search of the Burrowing Owl while also documenting other wildlife he encountered along the way.
A night of success
Leaving the audience dreaming of backpacking, hiking trips, and even bird watching, was not the only goal of the night, however. The outdoor-themed event was also about fundraising.
It was revealed this was the first year ETOL film night had sold out since its first event in the early 2000s.
Vongrad also expressed her satisfaction for the evening, saying the fundraising was more than successful.
“Right now, it’s looking like we’ve raised just over $10,000,” said Vongrad. “$10,000 is a lot of money, and it will help a lot of students.”
Proceeds for tickets, merchandise, raffle and auction all went towards the Allan Derbyshire Award, which provides financial support to senior students, ensuring that expeditions —and subsequently their films —will continue for years to come.
Kosolofski also says the award really helps students with their pursuits — whatever and wherever they may be.
“Some of [the expeditions] can get quite costly so it’s a nice little award to help fund senior students.”
For anyone who feels like they missed out on the annual film night, Vongrad assures all the films will be soon featured on the ETOL’s YouTube channel.