SALIDA –The Salida Council for the Arts has announced details of the kick-off party for their “Breck Film Fest – Film On The Road” Festival. Their “Celebrate Cinema with Filmmakers” event will be held Friday evening December 1st from 6-10 p.m. in the SteamPlant Ballroom. The evening will include films, trailers, and a panel of celebrated local filmmakers in a party atmosphere.

Julie Speer of Salida will be showing a portion of her Emmy Award winning PBS documentary “Sand Creek Massacre” as well as a trailer for her latest film “Breaking the Mold” which was shot by Salida native Nathan Ward.

Ben Knight of Howard has won an amazing 46 film festival awards in just 10 years.  In 2015 he was a National Geographic Adventurer of the year.  He’ll be showing his latest film “The Last Honey Hunter” filmed in Nepal for National Geographic and recently nominated for an OSCAR.

Nathan Ward has made award-winning films in some of the most remote locations on earth and he’ll be showing several samples of his work.

A trailer for “HIKO- The Women Jugglers of Tonga,” the latest film of local talent Paprika Leaverton, will be shown.

Beth and George Gage will be showing “Kick Ass Katie Lee” about river running legend Katie Lee who passed away just this month at age 98.  The film features rarely seen footage of Glen Canyon before it was buried by Lake Powell.

Following the film showings will be a panel discussion with moderator Leslie Matthews Chairperson of the Board KHEN of Community Radio (106.9 FM).  Audience members will have a chance to interact with the filmmakers first hand and ask questions about the films.

Cocktails begin the evening with doors opening at 6. Films will be shown beginning at about 7 p.m. The SCFTA expects the Panel Discussion to begin at 8:15, followed by a party with the film pros with a cash bar and free sponsored bites from favorite local restaurants. The evening’s sponsors for the event are Drunken Muffin, Cosmos, Shallots, Soulcraft Brewery and Wood’s Distillery.

Friday evening’s “Celebrate Cinema with Filmmakers” event begins the film weekend. The Salida Council for the Arts has chosen the best of the best of the Breck Film Fest to show during Film On The Road in Salida! at the Salida SteamPlant Event Center. The Saturday film schedule, including titles, descriptions and trailers of the more than 40 films to be shown in ten film blocks is available on www.SalidaCouncilForTheArts.org, www.SalidaSteamplant.com. Much of the information is also visible on the Salida Council for the Arts’ Facebook page.

Advance tickets can be purchased at the Salida Chamber of Commerce and in person or online from the Salida SteamPlant Event Center. Movie-goers may select from these ticket offerings: the $50 All-Festival pass includes the Friday night the “Celebrate Cinema with Filmmakers” event plus an All-day Pass for Saturday’s film blocks.  Priced separately, entrance to the Dec 1st “Celebrate Cinema with Filmmakers” is $25; an All-Day Film Festival pass for Saturday is $30. It is $10 for a single block of Saturday films. Students 18 and under are FREE on Saturday.