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Mountain Film Festival

Memories of deep powder from the 2005-06 ski season won't die anytime soon for most area residents. Nonetheless, this weekend's Steamboat Mountain Film Festival will give skiers and riders a chance to relive those memories from a variety of perspectives.

Of the festival's 15 submissions, six five-minute "shorts" were chosen to air Friday night.

The audience will vote on their three favorite films, which will advance to the final round Sunday night, when they will be shown in full. The movies are about 35 minutes each.

The feature length movie, "Schralp-town," will air after the shorts, and there will be an opportunity every night to win some free swag.

The filmmakers in the festival represent the East Coast, Steamboat Springs and South Routt. All of the films feature winter sports including skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling.

Festival creator and organize Michael Martin said he looks forward each year to seeing the different story lines and settings that are chosen for the films.

"I like watching what everyone comes up with," he said. "It's exciting to see locals and other people promoting films in Steamboat because there are not many outlets."

Martin has been making films for 12 years.

His feature length project, "A Place Without a Postcard," will air before the new Matchstick production "Push" on Saturday night.

It represents a distinctive look at skiing and backcountry skiing.

"It's about being with friends, facing the elements and those unique moments that only come around once in a while," Martin said. "It's about those unspoken dark days and times when you can step away from what you think about with Steamboat and see everywhere. It's a very behind-the-scenes look at that aspect of it."

Viewers can look at the films and remember that particular day from last year's ski season, Martin said. "But it's cool to see it from different vantage points. It's a great way to kick off the season."