Tickets scanned, a full house, and lights dimmed down low, enter Aspen's Chris Davenport. Sporting a fine Italian suit, he and Travis McLain revved up the crowd for the flicks about to be screened.
“The Meeting” is back in town and this time Lou sent in young blood, with a fresh liver, to report on the latest ski flicks debuting this year.
After receiving my tickets for ten film events, I was tempted by the drink that “gives you wings.” I declined as others surrounding me chugged away. I knew right then and there that this extended weekend was going to involve a bit more debauchery than expected.
I met up with DPS’s Erme Castino fresh from a lightspeed journey from SLC. He was ready for Aspen to take his Colorado virginity. Armed with tasty beverages, we entered the Wheeler Opera House to sample local cinematic creations.
NEPSA (Aspen spelled backwards) kicks off The Meeting each year with a bang and this year’s submissions are stronger than ever. Filmmakers were required to theme their videos into one of the following categories:
Before Aspen
First Chair
Duct Tape to Diamonds
Below are the results:
1st – “Erste Stuhl: 2012” by Howie Kuhn and Kendall Reiley taking home $2,000
2nd – “Before Aspen” by Geoff Stump winning $1,000
3rd – “Circle of Corduroy” by Derrin Carelli taking home $500. Carelli, who documented what it’s like to be a snowcat driver on Aspen Mountain in “Circle of Corduroy,” also took home a $500 Target gift card for winning crowd favorite, based on a text-in vote.
Howie Kuhn and Kendall Reiley ecstatic about taking home two grand.
Even Klaus Obermeyer made an appearance in Geoff Stump's movie and in person, yodeling of course.
The night carried on as the crowd shuffled over to the gondola plaza. Waiting at 11,000 feet was Josh Berman's Level 1 movie, Sunny. It filled up my rail sliding ski movie intake for the season.
As the crowd downloaded some sought refuge in their hotel rooms while others continued to use their wings, supplied by bartenders, to dance, er pole dance, the night away.
Check out the films:
For those that aren’t near the latest ski porn premieres you can always pick up the ski films here.
More reports on The Meeting forthcoming…
Joseph Risi was raised on pasta and meatballs in the “backwoods” of Long Island before seeking higher education in the mountains of Vermont. Always looking for adventure, building treehouses, working too many odd jobs around the world he now lives in the Aspen area of Colorado.
