Films

 
 

  • At the end of the 19th century an essential connection of mountain culture began as certified Swiss mountain guides were hired by the Canadian Pacific Railway to successfully lead the “Golden Age” of mountaineering tourism. As we come out of a global pandemic the future of many historical buildings and landmarks lies on shaky grounds. With a transition to a more online world, talks of digital preservation comes up frequently, but will these recreations ever imbue the same experience as being there in person?

    CREDITS

    Cast //

    llona Shulman Spaar
    Eddie Leigan
    Brittany Newman

    Crew //
    Director - Camille Candia
    Cinematographer - Matej Balaz
    Camera Assistant - Dasa Netikova
    Production Assistant - Joel Vanderpol
    Editor - Camille Candia
    Advisor - Trevor Embury

    Special thanks //
    The Family of Edelweiss Village
    Johann Roduit

    The filming, photography, and archival photos were conducted on the grounds of the traditional ancestral unceded territory of the Ktunaxa ?amak?is (Ktunaxa) Nation and Secwepemcúl'ecw (Secwépemc) Nations who inhabited the land for thousands of years.

  • How the Swiss gave Canada their mountains.

  • Around 1900, the Canadian Rocky Mountains were merely viewed as an obstacle. This perception drastically changed when the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) hired Swiss Mountain Guides in order to make the Rocky Mountains accessible for mountaineering tourism.

    The mountain guides that came from the Swiss Alps to work for CPR hotels between 1899 and 1954 led hundreds of first ascents and taught safe climbing techniques to thousands of climbers. The legacy of these early Swiss pioneers continued to live on in the 1950s and 1960s when a younger generation of Swiss mountaineers became crucial for the development of modern mountain rescue, avalanche control, skiing and helicopter skiing.

    Most importantly, however, the Swiss Guides helped cultivate a common appreciation of Canada’s majestic Western mountains and of an environment to be both preserved and revered.

    The documentary "Swiss Guides in the Canadian Rockies - Beyond Adventure" (2013) tells the story of these early Swiss Guides and their legacy that still keeps shaping Canadian mountain culture.

    A film by: Counting Ants Productions

    Director: Josias Tschanz

    Executive Producer: Consulate General of Switzerland in Vancouver

  • Discover the unique Swiss-Canadian cultural heritage through the premiere of Forgoing — a 10 min. mini-documentary outlining the future of Edelweiss Village in Canada. Afterwards, you’ll be able to participate in a panel discussion with Camille Candia, a University of Fraser Valley-trained filmmaker currently working with Colla Films; Dr. Ilona Shulman Spaar, a Swiss historian; Brittany Newman, director of the Golden Museum; and Dr. Johann Roduit, delegate of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad in Canada.

    Synopsis: At the end of the 19th century, an essential connection of mountain culture began as certified Swiss mountain guides were hired by the Canadian Pacific Railway to successfully lead the “Golden Age” of mountaineering tourism. As we come out of a global pandemic, the future of many historical buildings and landmarks lies on shaky grounds. With a transition to a more online world, talks of digital preservation come up frequently, but will do these recreations ever imbue the same experience as being there in person?

  • Deux Suisses veulent sauver un trésor caché dans les Rocheuses canadiennes. Un village de chalets bâtis pour les guides suisses qui les premiers ont gravi les sommets des alentours. Un joyau de l’histoire de l’alpinisme qui risque la destruction. Reportage.