The 7th annual Throckmorton Theatre Mountainfilm Festival returns tonight, November 30th thru December 2nd with a full slate of culturally rich, inspiring, and adventure-packed documentaries. Along with exceptional films, TTMF opening night includes a special ceremony with Tibetan Bowl Master Karma Moffett, intimate conversations with filmmakers and a party at Piazza D’Angelo Restaurant in Mill Valley. Opening night, a perennial festival favorite, is a true celebration of people, passion, and adventure. We hope you will join us in kicking off the festival weekend.
NOVEMBER 30
FILMS, GUEST SPEAKERS & EVENTS
7:00 PM
Opening Ceremony
SOUND HEALING WITH KARMA MOFFETT
Karma Moffett is a San Francisco based artist and musician. He has made his mark with his creative skills through music, oil painting, graphics, sculptures, hand-made musical instruments and exquisite jewelry. He has developed, over a period of 35 years, a unique collection of instruments featuring antique Tibetan Bowls, Bells Tingsha, Longhorn, and Conch Shells. Karma’s music is designed to activate and harmonize the Chakra system. His ceremonies dissolve the listener into a soothing and pleasing stillness.
Short Film
ESCAPE
2018 Canada / Duration: 8 mins
Directed by: Anjali Nayar
U.S. PREMIERE
There is something gloriously incongruous — and almost incomprehensible — about a risk-averse, non-athletic, native Rwandan DJ finding the real meaning in his life by pedaling across Canada to its frozen Arctic Ocean shore in an attempt to break the record for the longest, continuous, fixed- gear bike ride. Through the course of this unlikely adventure, the protagonist, Jean-Aime Bigirimana, also finds that the truth about escaping is not as black and white as, say, his spandex silhouette against the cold Canadian snowscape.
Feature Film
THE DAWN WALL
100 mins | Directed by: Josh Lowell, Peter Mortimer
The Dawn Wall is one of the blankest, steepest and most difficult swaths of rock known to climbers, a 3,000-foot tall monolith of nearly featureless granite that rises out of Yosemite Valley. Most wouldn’t even consider a free, unaided ascent. So when word came out that Tommy Caldwell was planning an attempt with partner Kevin Jorgeson, the world was incredulous. “I always thought it was futile; a pipe dream,” says climbing pioneer John Long. But if anyone was going to achieve this impossible dream, it was Caldwell. The Dawn Wall — a Red Bull Media House production in association with Sender Films — lays out why, chronicling the trials, challenges and dreams that helped form one of the most extraordinary climber’s the world has ever seen. From scrawny child to climbing prodigy to captor, broken-hearted divorcee, and finally, self-sacrificing partner, Caldwell proves again and again that his indomitable traits go far beyond what he can do on the wall.
Post-Film Q&A
Guest: Jean-Aimé Bigirimana (DJ JaBig)
Jean-Aimé Bigirimana, more commonly known as DJ JaBig, grew up in Rwanda, Kenya and South Africa before settling in Montreal, Canada. After taking up cycling and becoming an avid cyclist, he decided to explore the different landscapes across Canada on two wheels. In 2016, he set out to ride across Canada to its frozen Arctic Ocean shore in an attempt to break the record for the longest, continuous, fixed-gear bike ride. His journey is chronicled in the short film Escape (Mountainfilm 2018).
