The Banff Mountain Film Festival returns to Revelstoke this week, with two nights of films at the new Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre inside the new high school.
The annual event features films about mountain life – everything from ice climbing to kayaking to skiing to mountain biking to paragliding from the summit of Mt. Everest. Here is the lineup for both nights. Check out the slideshow above for pictures from some of the movies.
Thursday, September 20
Ski Bums Never Die – What does it take to be a ski bum? An unending dedication to powder skiing? The ability to do anything in your ski boots? A lifelong quest for deep snow? Find out with this unusual and inspiring band of skiers in the Kootenay region of British Columbia. 4 minutes.
Reel Rock: Sketchy Andy – American climbing dirtbag Andy Lewis is taking the discipline of slacklining into the future as he solos the world’s longest high-lines and masters the hardest aerial tricks, while pushing his equipment to the limit. As Andy goes higher, harder, and faster with climbing, slack, and B.A.S.E., we all wonder how far he can go before it’ll be one step over the line. 22 minutes.
Kadoma – “Kadoma” is the nickname for Hendri Coetzee, a legendary South African kayaker who is known for exploring some of Africa’s wildest rivers. In December 2010, American pro kayakers Chris Korbulic and Ben Stookesbury followed Coetzee into the Democratic Republic of Congo for a first descent of the dangerous Lukuga River. Seven weeks into the expedition, tragedy struck. Winner of Best Film on Exploration and Adventure. 42 minutes.
C.A.R.C.A. – One man’s quest to revolutionize the world of animal avalanche rescue, using cats. 8 minutes.
Hanuman Airlines – Two Nepali adventurers channel the Hindu God of Wind on their mission to launch a paraglider from Mount Everest’s summit and travel to an ocean they have never seen. 26 minutes.
Seasons: Winter – Brian Ward discovers an unexpected and new-found love for water, in its frozen and expanded form. 4 minutes.
The Freedom Chair –Josh Dueck was an aspiring skier and coach until a ski accident in 2004 changed his life forever. Despite his comeback and success in the world of competitive sit-skiing, he wasn’t content. Josh’s dream is to tackle the backcountry and the steepest and wildest mountains in the world — and with his infectious outlook, he may just catch his dream. Winner for Best Film on Mountain Sports. 15 minutes.
Friday, September 21
The Man and the Mammoth – A caveman discovers skiing, thanks to his new friendship with a woolly mammoth. 6 minutes.
Chasing Water – Pete McBride grew up on a ranch in Western Colorado, a child of the Colorado River. After a life spent visiting other countries to tell stories as a National Geographic photojournalist, in 2008 Pete decided to follow the water from his family’s ranch to see where it ends up. This is the story of Pete’s journey, and a story about the lifeblood of the American West. Winner for Best Short Mountain Film. 18 minutes.
One the Trail of Genghis Khan: The Last Frontier – Tim Cope, his band of horses, and his dog Tigon travel overland 10,000 km from Mongolia to Hungary, following the footsteps of legendary warrior and nomad Genghis Khan. Cope visits distant parts of the world rarely seen, places on the cusp of modernity yet proud of nomadic traditions. The Last Frontier captures the culmination of his stunning three-year journey, the crossing of the Carpathian Mountains. Winner of the People’s Choice Award. 46 minutes.
On Assignment: Jimmy Chin – A brief portrait of a passionate athlete who has melded climbing and photography. Jimmy Chin believes that “the most honest photos happen when both the subject and the photographer are just in the moment, and the rest of the world has just fallen away.” 6 minutes.
This is My Winter – Get a glimpse behind the scenes of a season with big mountain legend Xavier de le Rue. Dealing with dangers, joys, and the ups and downs of a winter spent skimming his board over steep and gnarly lines, it’s all in a day’s work for one of the world’s finest snowboarders. 28 minutes.
The Trail Collector – People collect all kinds of things: stamps, coins, art. This is a collection of trails. 5 minutes.
Seasons: Fall – Deep canyons with steep, spring-fed creeks provide Kate Wagner with a soul-session in this paddling paradise. 4 minutes.
Reel Rock: Ice Revolution – A revolution is taking place, led by Canadian maniac Will Gadd. After 30 years of ice climbing, Gadd has finally realized his dream of climbing radically overhanging, heinously difficult ice at British Columbia’s spectacular Helmcken Falls. Gadd and Tim Emmett dodge exploding icicle bombs and send the hardest pure ice climb in the world. 13 minutes.
You can find links to all the trailers on the Banff Mountain Film Festival website.
