Ski fans turn out for latest Miller film

By RICHARD JENKINS

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Ironwood - With the snow on the ground not deep enough to hit the slopes, ski fans went to the Historic Ironwood Theatre Saturday night to see the premiere of Warren Miller's latest film, "Here, There and Everywhere."

The film travels around the world - including Alaska, Montana, Greenland and Switzerland - in search of thrills and adventure. Using talking-head interviews, as well as a mixture of GoPro and traditional footage set to a soundtrack of voice-overs and music; the film captured the excitement of heli-skiing, night skiing, fat tire biking and a US Ski and Snowboard Association competition held inside Boston's Fenway Park.

This is the second year the Historic Ironwood Theatre has shown the latest Miller film as a fundraiser for the Snow Country Ski Club.

Dan Tregembo - one of the club's organizers - said he was pleased with the event, saying it was nice to see the various ski-related groups in the area come together to enjoy the film and support the team.

"All those people come to one spot (for the film)," Tregembo said. "You see all your Indianhead people, your Blackjack and Powderhorn people, your Mission Shop, Hobby Wheel and Big Snow Outfitters that have shops."

While he said he thinks the movies get better each year, Tregembo specifically mentioned how this year's film touched on non-skiing winter sports - such as the fat bikes and back-country snowmobiling that were featured in parts of the film.

"A lot of people here are snow people, but they're not all skiers - you see a lot of snowboarding, snowmobilers - so it's nice to have something for everybody," Tregembo said.

He estimated around 300 people attended the screening.

As the ski team is no longer funded by the Ironwood Area School District, Tregembo said fundraisers like the film were crucial to providing the kids an opportunity to compete.

"It pays for lift tickets, transportation, coaching, equipment, hill time - all the expenses," Tregembo said.

Tregembo also thanked the volunteers that helped both make the event a success and worked with the team.

While the team had originally committed to show the annual Warren Miller release for three years, Tregembo said the turnout the last two years means it will likely become an annual event.

"This is the second year for it, and we're going to keep doing it every year. Thanksgiving Saturday is our target date every season," Tregembo said. "I think that three-year (commitment) is off the table, it's going to be an area tradition."

Ironwood Theatre Managing Director Bruce Greenhill was also pleased with the event - not only with the turnout, but also the crowd's diversity.

"It's a different crowd for us at the theatre," Greenhill said, explaining the usual crowd tended to be older. "It's great to see a younger crowd."