The 18th annual 5 Point Film Flagship Festival is underway, featuring ticketed and free events that offer something for everyone to enjoy. This festival is dedicated to showcasing stories of adventure and discovery. Audiences can expect to feel inspired by the diverse and exhilarating stories shared from all throughout the world. 

While 5 Point officially kicks off April 24 with a welcome reception that is free and open to the public, on Wednesday, April 23, four former and current female Olympic athletes and professional Nordic ski racers will speak on a panel called “Making the Jump: A Conversation on Gender Equity in Nordic Sports.” This conversation will be held in collaboration with the Mount Sopris Nordic Council at 689 Main Street. Annika Malacinski, who is featured in the short documentary “Annika: Where She Lands” by Mike Schwartz which will screen on Friday night, will be one of the panelists. 

“I think events like this are important to the Roaring Fork Valley because we all live here for a reason,” 5 Point Interim Executive Director Aisha Weinhold told The Sopris Sun. “This valley is not easy to exist in, and there’s something that pulls us in and keeps us here.” 

She continued, “For many of us, it is the access to recreation being a part of this really incredible community. I think it’s so special to have an event celebrating the vibrancy of our community that invites people in from the entire Valley to have a collective experience around sports or adventures or stories that are very core to the reason why we are in the Valley in the first place.”

Attendees can anticipate high-spirited and free community gatherings through the Sopris Sessions with live music from local acts such as DJ Pinto on Friday, Sweet Jessup and The Dirty Buckets on Saturday and The Charities, who will perform the Saturday night afterparty. Folks can also partake in the 5 Point Obstacle Course for the chance to win a plethora of prizes from the festivals sponsors, the Wild Side Sauna and cold plunge, Hamilton’s Mushroom Elixir Bar, Bom Dia Brazilian Wine Tastings, The Gear Giveaway and the Sunday Ice Cream Social made possible by Sundae in Willits. As Weinhold stated, 5 Point will always provide free programming, but also encourages those who have not bought their tickets yet to reserve their seats to film screenings throughout the weekend. 

“I understand it’s a big investment to come to any kind of event, whether it’s a film festival or a music show, and what I can guarantee is that the experience will be worth it.” She stated, “5 Point is so good about feeling into who we are and why we do what we do and then extending that to the audience for a unifying experience. I think anyone who hasn’t gotten a ticket and wants to experience that should buy a ticket.”

In addition to the evening film programs, there will be one daytime Changemakers program, two feature matinees, a program specifically for high school students and a free, bilingual, family film program on Sunday. All the selections are curated with a throughline of joy and how joy can be a powerful force for change in all walks of life. This includes the world premiere of “The Book of George,” two Colorado premieres with “The Solace of Sisterhood” and “Row of Life” and showings of “Champions of the Golden Valley” and “NISEI,” all featuring stories of people of color in extreme sports.

“The world is obviously a really complicated and unpredictable place right now, but these stories serve as a reminder that resilience and strength don’t always come from struggle — they can also be built through laughter, fun and adventure,” stated Charlie Turnbull, director of programming, in a press release. 

His sentiments were shared by Weinhold, who maintains 5 Point is committed to showcasing diverse and inclusive programming. She said there is a profound impact from people being able to tell their own stories of their own adventures in the way they’d like for them to be shared, and that goes for everyone. 

“I think that’s a skill everyone should have,” Weinhold expressed. “Being able to tell the story of their own adventure — it’s our own lives, and we deserve to share that with people how we would like. Having control over our own narratives is paramount.”

She continued, “[We’re dedicated] to not only telling the best stories, but telling those that are true and core to our state, our community, our nation, our globe — and that includes people from all walks of life, and we will always be dedicated to uplifting those stories.” 

For more information on dates, tickets and programming visit www.5pointfilm.org