aiff_program10_interior.xp 3/4/10 11:48 PM Page 33
Mount St. Elias Music by Prudence
documentar
100 minutes ■ 2009 ■ Austria/USA 33 minutes ■ 2009 ■ USA/Zimbabwe
Friday 9:00p Thursday 3:40p
■
Friday 10:10a
■
Saturday 12:40p
■
Sunday 6:40p
Director / Producer / Executive Producer / Screenwriter / Editor: Gerald Salmina ■
Plays in: Oscar Shorts (p16)
Cinematographers: Günther Göberl, Gerald Salmina ■ Music/Composers: Andreas Frei,
Ludwig Heili, Matt Reardon ■ Principal Cast: Paul Claus, Günther Göberl, Volker Holzner,
Director: Roger Ross Williams ■ Producers: Elinor Burkett, Roger Ross Williams ■
John Johnston, Axel Naglich, Peter Russmann ■ mountstelias.com
Cinematographers: Errol Webber, Derek Wiesehahn ■ Editor: Geeta Gandbhir ■ Principal
Cast: Farai Mabhande, Prudence Mabhena, Energy Maburutse, Marvelous Mbulo, Honest
ies
Stunning cinematography chronicles three of the world’s
Mupatse, Tapina Nyengera, Goodwell Nzou, Vusani Vuma ■ musicbyprudence.com
greatest ski mountaineers in their attempt to realize the longest
ski descent in the world. Set against the backdrop of Alaska’s
Zimbabwean Prudence Mabhena is born with a rare congenital
dangerous beauty, two Austrian ski mountaineers and an
disorder that deforms her body’s joints. But she does not let her
American freeski mountaineer are facing this breathtaking
physical limitations define her. Prudence is a singer-songwriter
challenge. The three are fiercely independent but also know
who radiates hope, projecting it until the audience, too,
they literally cannot survive without teamwork. When one of
becomes infected.
the team fails to cooperate, it becomes a stuggle, not against
nature, but against each other. It is a miracle that she is singing at all, born into a society where
disabilities carry the taint of witchcraft. She was more likely to
The descent of 25 kilometers from the 18,008 foot high summit
spend her life closeted in a tiny hut in a rural area than on a
33
to the beach—with a massive vertical relief up to 60 degrees—
stage in the center of a city. But Prudence and her seven band
offers an adventure with indefinable risk. However, before this
members, all disabled, have managed to overcome stereotypes
record decent can be started, the mountain has to be climbed.
and inspire the same people that once saw them as a curse.
To capture these gorgeous and terrifying images, a small but
Oscar-nominated for Best Documentary: Short Subject.
highly specialized ground team is paired with a state of the art
[subtitles]
cineflex helicopter camera system—in addition to the use of
permanent helmet cameras for the mountaineers themselves.
Roger Ross Williams
The combination produces unprecedented access to this level
of adventure. [language, subtitles]
Director’s Statement
Gerald Salmina
I’m thrilled that our little movie has a real
chance to change the fate of a band of
Director’s Statement stunning musicians. The lead singer’s story
is a real-life Precious involving an evil
At times, man is prone to “unlimited”
stepmother, biological parents that cast her
optimism–a mild form of megalomania. We
out, useless arms, amputated legs, extreme poverty, and a
all have a genetically innate pioneer spirit
society and government that didn’t care. She weighs no more
and want to go to explore. It´s probably a
than 50 pounds but her soaring voice can finally warm or chill
part of man’s roots to long for adventures
a world of appreciating listeners.
and acknowledgment in unknown spaces,
even if that means risking our own lives. No digital illusion, but
Filmography: Numerous TV credits
real life will be in the focus. The world simply needs people
who take risks. They inspire us, encourage us and reassure us.
Oddly enough, we seem to attach more value to climbing a
mountain on which others have died before us. If mountain
adventures were safe, they simply wouldn’t have the same kind
of allure. Man is not just bound to the hunt for food or to his
familiarly and social responsibilities, but there are states of
reason and mind that eventually are valued higher.
Filmography: Aoraki, The Cave, Memento, The Red Tower
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84