The Saiko

( TheSaiko.com )

Attendees and documentary film makers are getting ready to storm Telluride, Colorado, USA for the annual MountainFilm Film Festival.  Each year hordes of like-minded film makers, photographers, outdoorsmen, conservationists, world travelers, lovers of mountains and adventurers come from all over the world to experience one-of-a-kind documentary films, art and photography on display in this amazing mountain town.

The organizers of MountainFilm don’t just stop there.  They also host a full day symposium on important modern issues that affect the world’s population:  energy, water and food.  The responses people give when asked about their experience are typically fall within a resounding, “[sic]I feel so fully energized and happy that we can come here to experience art that makes us think about tough questions or allows us celebrate life.”  Sounds like a powerful proposition to The Saiko.

The Mountainfilm festival began in 1979 as a new way for climbers and mountaineers to enjoy the rugged outdoors encapsulating Telluride during the daylight hours and watch films about mountains and mountain cultures at night (over a cold beer). Over the last 30 years, it has evolved to embrace a much wider and more diverse audience.  We think the beer is still a factor, however.  There was a shift in the mid 1990s with the change in leadership and a growing public need to better understand immediate, global challenges and determine a way to solve them.  Because of this natural shift, an orientation toward activism has developed.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t stress that this is not a film festival of “tree hugging liberals looking to whine about world issues.”   Rather, it is a place where people that are actively documenting, living or attempting to solve issues (that are greater than political parties in the USA) meet and share ideas and stories.

Now for the bad news.  We were slated to attend this 2009 edition, but had a change in schedule.  We had already mapped out the movies we wanted to see the most.  In hopes to share some new and interesting films with you, we are going to highlight documentaries here.  If you see a film that looks good, forward this post.  It’s always good to spread the word about good art.

Here are our Top 5:

1. Big River Man
2. Journey of a Red Fridge
3. Mustang:  Journey of Transformation
4. Boy Scouts of Rahway
5. At Edge of the World