A local filmmaker won the inaugural People’s Choice Award in an international competition for outdoor films that features extreme skiing, climbing, mountaineering, biking and hockey.
Randy Frykas previously won an Outside Award in the “Purpose” category plus a US$5,000 prize through Outside Magazine for his five-minute film entitled Outdoor Hockey Club.
Alongside other winning films, Outdoor Hockey Club was then screened in more than 200 shows during the Warren Miller Tour in major cities across Canada, the United States and the U.K.
At each screening, viewers could vote for a grand prize winner of US$10,000.
Frykas handily won the grand-prize honour, with a 4,000-vote lead over the second-ranked film.
His short film takes viewers on a spectacular journey through Yukon, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario for a deep dive into the world of outdoor hockey. If you look closely, you’ll even see a few Interlake-based shots filmed on Lake Winnipeg.
“I didn’t start Outdoor Hockey Club to try and win awards, so it still hasn’t sunk in. It feels like yesterday that I was at most of these places for filming. I wasn’t sure what to expect since it was a ski film tour and I was up against two skiing films, but the hockey film ended up coming out on top,” said Frykas, adding that the $10,000 prize will come in handy.
“Winning this award has really made a difference in the current OHC audience. The exposure has attracted more U.S. outdoor hockey fans to the OHC audience.”
Looking ahead, Frykas aims to keep promoting Outdoor Hockey Club in an effort to expand it into a documentary series.
“I am continuing to film more stories for Outdoor Hockey Club with the goal to make it an ongoing film release or series,” he said.
“OHC will keep going with short scenes and clips posted on Instagram and YouTube, and a new film is in the works. My goal is to make this a sustainable project, so winning the award is a step towards making that happen.”
In addition, Frykas has launched a website at http://outdoor.hockey where his award-winning film is available for viewing for $5. He will donate $2 from each purchase to the Save Pond Hockey organization and its ongoing climate action efforts.
To learn more about Outdoor Hockey Club, visit https://outdoorhockey.club/ or check it out on social media.
