Snow will finally come to the Palouse during this year’s Winter Wildlands Alliance Backcountry Film Festival.

The University of Idaho’s Outdoor Program and Hyperspud Sports will host the festival at 7 p.m. today at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the McCall Outdoor Science School Youth Snow Science Program.

Trevor Fulton, Director of University of Idaho’s Outdoor Program, said the successful annual event brings in lovers of all outdoor winter sports.

 “We pack the Kenworthy every year,” he said.

The event used to happen at the University of Idaho, but it outgrew the available space, he said.

“It’s a great event,” he said. “It’s a great way for the Moscow-Pullman community to get together.”

This year’s festival tour will show nine films, including the winners of Best of Festival and Best of the Backcountry Award.

“IRS Traverse,” by filmmaker Luc Mehl, is one of many films in the festival. Mehl said the film was named for the three volcanoes nearest to his home in Anchorage, Alaska: Ilimana, Redoubt, and Spurr. To keep with the IRS theme Mehl ran with the idea of “earning your turns.” He added animated coins to the film that were collected at each ski turn. He used online forums to figure out how to add animated classic video game-inspired effects throughout the film.

“I admit that it is weird, but I’m OK with that,” Mehl said. “I’m happy to counter the general trend of dramatic adventure media.”

He said he’s been carrying around a heavy camera on his treks for years, filming short videos.

“Alaska’s wilderness is incredible, and I hope that documenting it helps spread awareness of the value of wild lands,” he said.

Jeremy Lurgio, associate professor at the University of Montana School of Journalism, created one of the films in the festival, “Backcountry Baker.” In his 5-minute digital short, the camera follows the perspective of his dog, Baker, on a three-day mountain skiing adventure. Lurgio’s film was the winner of the Best Grassroots film category.

“I always wanted to create short films,” he said.

Lurgio, a photographer by trade, used a GoPro camera for much of the film, trying to balance visually-interesting shots and Baker’s point of view.

“I wanted to really shoot it as much form his perspective as I could,” he said.

Lurgio, an avid backcountry skier, said he enjoys hiking up and skiing down mountains, and that animals tend to enjoy doing the same activities as their owners.

“He really does like the adventure of it all,” Lurgio said.

Lurgio said he hopes to make more short films in the future.

“This is probably the sixth or seventh year we’ve had the festival in Moscow,” Fulton said. “It’s the 10th annual Winter Wildlands Backcounty Film Festival.”

It’s a great way to spend $5 and see some of the winter we’ve failed to get this season, Fulton said, “and it all goes toward a good cause.” Tickets are sold at the door.