The NEPSA Awards (that's Aspen, spelled backwards) is a shorts competition pitting local filmmakers against each other with three- to five-minute films in themed categories (this year's themes include Environmentalism, Secrets of Aspen, and the Muppets), with $3,500 on the line. Afterwards, follow the crowd over to the Belly Up for the D&E Snow Fashion Show at 10 p.m., a screening of the Burton Snowboards team film Standing Sideways, and a musical performance by Robotic Pirate Monkey.
On Friday the Wheeler Opera House hosts two screening sessions:
The first, at 5 p.m., features ski films The Grand Bizarre (Poor Boyz Productions), and After Dark (from Denver-based Level 1 Productions).
The second, at 8:30 p.m., features Brain Farm Digital Cinema's snowboard epic The Art of Flight (don't miss the Westword Show + Tell interview with snowboarder Travis Rice for more on The Art of Flight)
Afterwards, take the gondola up to the Sundeck on Aspen Mountain for 10:30 p.m. screenings of That's Fine (Voleurz) and One For The Road (Teton Gravity Research), and an Aspen-style after-party.
The Meeting's film screenings pick up again on Saturday with two more sessions at the Wheeler Opera House:
The first, at 5 p.m. features the snowboard films One (Givin Snowboarding) and TB:20, the 20th anniversary edition of Standard Films' Totally Board series, which got its world premiere earlier this month at Snowboard on the Rocks.
Afterwards, close out the night at the Belly Up with the 11 p.m. screenings of Retrospect (Videograss) and Bottom Line (Pirate Movie Productions), followed by a musical performance by Lance Herbstrong.
Tickets for The Meeting are $10-15 per session. To order in advance visit www.WheelerOperaHouse.com and www.BellyUpAspen.com.
