BANFF – Into the wild backcountry and through grizzly bear territory, a small expedition team led by an adventurous woman travelled by foot and paddle to the iconic Maligne Lake.
For mountain history buffs, an image of the esteemed Mary Schäffer Warren, wearing a well-worn buckskin coat and brimmed hat, would probably come to mind – and they aren’t wrong.
However, for the upcoming film documentary Wildflowers, inspired by the bold turn-of-the-century Banff woman, a light is shone on her legacy, inspiration to others more than 100 years later, and it follows her footsteps on a week-long adventure into the wild.
“A lot of people don't know that Mary was 43 when her husband died, and she reinvented herself into this mountain explorer that she's known for today,” said Banff’s Meghan J. Ward, co-producer and on-screen talent in Wildflowers.
“I'm turning 40 this year and I think there is something about hitting that midlife phase that our culture has a lot to say about it, especially for women. I found myself turning to Mary's story for inspiration on what it really means to reinvent yourself at any stage in life.”
Wildflowers Teaser from Trixie Pacis on Vimeo.
Best known for being an explorer, naturalist, floral artist, photographer and writer, Schäffer Warren often embarked on marathon trips on horseback, with few companions in the wild backcountry, which could last for months.
While exploring, she would often documented local plant life and wildflowers through art, photography and a physical collection, which contributed to the early days of science and botanical research.
Born in Pennsylvania in 1861, Schäffer Warren relocated to Banff in the early 1900s. Her body was buried in the Old Banff Cemetery after her death in 1939.
A main feature in the film is a small, all-women expedition crew, led by Ward, another adventurous soul who wears many similar hats to the Wildflowers’ main subject, closely follows Schäffer Warren’s pathway to Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park.
Schäffer Warren and one of her companions are credited as the first non-Indigenous women to lay eyes on the iconic lake in 1908.
The team – Ward, Jane Marshall, Nat Gillis, and Anandi Brownstein (cinematographer), and co-producer/director Trixie Pacis, who joined for the canoe portion – take on a “much more than just like your average backcountry trip.”
“We want this film to be for people of all ages, but I think that people will notice, maybe without even being able to put a finger on it, and it's probably that the protagonists are all middle-aged women,” said Ward.
Over the years, the iconic Schäffer Warren has been documented in photos, writing, live performances, and on the screen.
Though Ward thinks ol' Mary would get a kick out of all the fuss made about her.
“She didn't like to draw a lot of attention to herself and we see this in her writing that she's quite self-deprecating of her own abilities and kind of makes fun of herself a lot,” said Ward. “I think she would have a good chuckle about the idea that this group of women, a century later, are creating this film about her and walking in her footsteps.”
Ward added that she hopes the kindred spirit would feel honoured inside about the big deal being made out of her.
Schäffer Warren often wrote how she struggled to fit in, coming from high society in Pennsylvania to the wild Canadian Rockies.
“We like to think that she would have fit in with our group and that she would have fit in right on the trail with us,” said Ward.
However, the documentary film’s journey isn’t out of the woods, just yet.
Currently in post-production, the team behind Wildflowers is reaching out to the public through crowdfunding for the final push.
The home stretch has been achieved through self-funding, small grants, sponsors, in-kind support, but Ward said they are hoping to enhance the film further, such as through original animation or custom artwork, among others.
“Considering the state of the world and the many important causes out there, it's hard to ask for support for artistic ventures,” said Ward. “But we think this is an important story for our times, and so far we've been blown away by how our community has shown up. Crowdfunding goes beyond the financial resources, too: it brings our community into the filmmaking process, which has already proven to have enriched the experience for everyone involved.”
A crowdfunding site is available until Thursday (Jan. 18), which includes perks for donors.
For more information, visit www.wildflowersfilm.ca.
