AWARD WINNING FILMMAKER DIANNE WHELAN’S NEW MOUNT EVEREST DOC 40 DAYS AT BASE CAMP TO PREMIERE IN DAMARISCOTTA AT THE LINCOLN THEATER

Damariscotta, Maine - Award winning filmmaker Dianne Whelan’s new documentary 40 DAYS AT BASE CAMP will be having its Maine premiere in Damariscotta at The Lincoln Theater. It will screen on Thursday, October 18th at 7pm and Friday, October 19th at 1pm, with the director in attendance for a Q & A at both screenings.   The film has just completed a cross-Canada tour, screening in over 40 independent theatres while travelling from Vancouver to St. John’s, Newfoundland. Enhancing the success of the tour, the film was also just honoured with the Leo Award for Best Cinematography and Sound Editing in the documentary category.

The film had its world premiere at the Vancouver International Film Festival, with three sold out screenings and to much critical acclaim. It also opened the Banff Mountain Film Festival on October 29th, 2011.

At 18,000 feet above sea level and over the course of 40 days last spring, documentary filmmaker Dianne Whelan immersed herself in the challenging and captivating world of base camp at Mt. Everest. With spectacular footage of the mountains landscape as a backdrop, 40 DAYS AT BASE CAMP is an intriguing and intimate portrayal of three climbing teams and their journey to the peak.

Whelan puts a knife through the heart of the Everest myth with stories of climbers interwoven with daily life at base camp, the history of the mountain and the devastating effect climate change has had on the mountains ecology.

This compelling documentary captures a fascinating, intimate portrayal of life at the base of Mt. Everest, the ‘goddess’ to the local people and a place of staggering physical beauty. 40 DAYS AT BASE CAMP sheds a provocative light on a community of people that are brought together in their quest to reach the top of the world and the challenges that journey brings.

Dianne Whelan’s last documentary THIS LAND, produced by the National Film Board, was awarded best short documentary program at the 2010 Leo Awards. The on-line project was also nominated for a 2011 Gemini Award for Best Original Program or Series produced for Digital Media – Non-Fiction.

Additional information regarding October's Premiere can be found on the theater’s website at www.atthelincoln.org or by calling the box office at 563-3424.