CHILOÉ – My Osprey Film: The Story Behind the Story

Updated September 2021

I never would have guessed that my first professional award would be for a film, as a “filmmaker” no less, but here we are. In September 2021, our film ‘Chiloé’ won Best Documentary Short at the Bozeman International Film Festival.

I can’t express enough gratitude to my people at Osprey Packs for approaching me with the incredible opportunity to create a film in a remote corner of Patagonia, and to everyone at the Bozeman Film Festival (crew and attendees alike) for officially selecting and voting for it. And to Rafa at BirdsChile, for continuing to flawlessly facilitate my wildest dreams.

Watching the film in person with a live audience was harder and more emotional than I expected. The “me” in it is so in her element, at the top of her game, absolutely thriving, so at home across the world, a “me” I haven’t experienced since Covid hit. But, a rising tide lifts all ships. And I know this is just the beginning…

Prologue

Last week Osprey asked me to put together an accompanying blog post for the film that we traveled to Patagonia for back in April. I went to osprey.com to see what sort of similar posts had been done in the past, and I gasped aloud when this was the first thing I saw:

That’s ME. On Osprey’s homepage. And that is the town of Ancud, which you’ve never heard of, in a place that is dear to my heart.

It’s surreal to see something you’ve worked so hard towards actually come to life. I don’t know why I’m so surprised, I knew this was coming.

I’ve been working on building and strengthening my relationship with Osprey since 2015. I have worn Osprey packs since then, reviewed and mentioned them for my audience over and over, to the point where many of YOU now sport my favorite Farpoint 55 just like I do. 

The one pictured above is the NEW version of this pack that I’ve been championing for four years. And I’m the one in the marketing photos for it. 

On one hand, it makes sense. I’m a true ambassador of this product, as it has traveled the world and back with me several times. It should be me.

On the other hand, I still pinch myself that I’m now working so closely with the brand I had on the top of my “dream brands to work with” list for so long. 

Milestone. Perseverance. Reward.

Onward.

The Objective

Osprey called me in February to discuss a film collaboration idea. They wanted to tell a story about a solo female backpacker. They outlined the objective and then asked ME where I thought we should go to accomplish it. The job was mine if I wanted it. Gee, let me take 0.5 seconds to think that through. 

Considering their film criteria…

• off the beaten path
• a unique culinary experience
• mix of city and trail
• a human story

…a place and culture (and, conveniently, a story of my own) immediately came to mind: Chiloé.

The Setting: Chiloé, Chile

Chiloé is an archipelago just off the end of the Pan-American highway in northern Chilean Patagonia. It is only accessible by boat or ferry (for now – more on that in the film), and as a result, crossing over from the mainland to Chiloé is like stepping into a time capsule. 

It’s not hard to leave the bustle of the mainland behind when the first things you see on Isla Grande (the big island) upon arrival are:

• dirt roads
• black-necked swans
• boardwalk signs with images explaining the fabulous mythology of the Chilote (local) culture
• a church made entirely of wood, without using nails (the churches of Chiloé are a UNESCO World Heritage Site)

This place is different. And slow-paced. “Hurry” must not be a word here. Community, connection, culture, nature… these are the words that stand out to me here.

My Story

The first time I experienced Chiloé was in the fall of 2015, on my first trip to Chile, the same month that I left my entire life behind. I had just spent a week trekking the W Circuit in Torres del Paine National Park in the south of Chile, then a week attending my first Adventure Travel World Summit in Puerto Varas. 

After several blurry months Stateside, my life during my weeks in Patagonia had suddenly felt crisp and clear and fresh and purposeful and full of NEW. I was in a raw and vulnerable state, taking it all in, exposed to the elements and feeling every last one, letting it all happen around me, with gratitude.

It was in this open state that I first stepped foot on the big island of Chiloé, with zero expectations. I hadn’t heard of our guide Rafa or his company BirdsChile before this trip. I hadn’t spent much time reading the itinerary, I just showed up. So did Rafa, offering me espresso; he already knew exactly what I needed. That was a perfectly laid first stone on a path that would lead to great things.

Sunshine floods my memories of our experiences that week, the kind that actually reaches and warms my soul, even today. Every memory has bright yellows, blues, greens, vivid colors in what I saw and felt and tasted, hiking in the national park, sharing in my first curanto, exploring the local market, sampling new foods (even ones I didn’t like), cooking with local ingredients, connecting with the contagious laughter and genuine smiles of local residents.

Visceral. Chiloé was visceral.

My experience in Chiloé stayed with me as one of the most surprising and uplifting weeks during a dark time in my life.

I cultivated a friendship and business relationship with Rafa, and he began to move into the space of a mentor for me when I started organizing my own trips. Ultimately, this led to us working together to re-create our experience on Chiloé two years later, this time for my audience.

The Film

On the phone with Osprey, I shared this story and suggested that we travel to Chiloé for the film project, with one condition: that we leave room for magic to happen. While we can plan a basic itinerary, we absolutely must leave space open for chance encounters that will lead us down paths we cannot anticipate.

This is Patagonia.

I think they practically fell out of their seats. We were on.

Rafa and I put together a loose itinerary for me and the film crew, and south we went, to discover what paths awaited us in a land that rises to meet you exactly where you are, to tell a story of people and culture, to tell my story, and to reconnect with this special place beyond the end of the road…

Select 1080p quality and make it full screen! Enjoy and feel free to leave a comment below!!