Each autumn season a selection of wild and wooly films head out from the Canadian Rockies to tour towns around the globe. In 11 months there are 450 screenings in 260 locales spread over 30 countries. From three nights, over 21 of those films will be screened as part of the Banff Mountain Film Festival at nexStage Theatre in Ketchum.
The 30-year-old Banff Mountain Film Festival screens films that are produced worldwide with diverse mountain sports to mountain culture content. Last year's winners of the 2005 Banff Mountain Photo Contest will also be exhibited during the shows and will include 18 of last year's winners in the Banff Mountain Photography Competition.
The People's Choice movie at the Banff Mountain Film Festival, "Asiemut" will be shown. It covers Olivier Higgins and Mélanie Carrier's account of their first cycling expedition, which took them 3,500 miles over six months across Asia, from Mongolia to Calcutta, India.
Also to be shown is "Fatima's Hand," voted The Best Film on Mountain Sports. This is the story of a young Norwegian woman who plans to climb and BASE jump off an imposing mountain in West Africa. When plans go awry, the film tracks her adventure despite increasing risks.
Also on deck is the film "Roam," a mountain bike adventure film that follows the exploits of the some of the world's best riders. "Exploring the Mother of Waters," is about the first complete navigation of the Mekong River from its source in Tibet to the South China Sea by Australian filmmaker and extreme kayaker Mick O'Shea.
"Tyrol-Land of the Mountains" is an ode to the Austrian landscape, has accompanying piano music composed by Phillip Glass. Of special interest is "Mountains Without Barriers" about two blind climbers and one climber with no legs who tackle a 1,000 foot rock tower in Italy as part of the No Barriers festival.
From adventure sports to culture and the environment, this selection of films will bring the world to the Wood River Valley.
SCHEDULE:
Thursday, Feb. 1
- "First Ascent: Thailand" USA 2006. Climbing.
-"Asiemut" People's Choice. Canada 2006. Cycling/Culture.
-"Unchained: New World Disorder VI" Canada 2005. Mountain biking.
-"Mountain Without Barriers" USA 2006. Climbing/Human Interest.
- "Cayesh-The Calling" USA 2006. Climbing/Mountaineering. (Language)
-"Mission: Epicocity" USA 2006. Kayaking.
Friday, Feb. 2
-"Anomaly" USA 2006. Ski/Snowboard. (Language)
-"Exploring the Mother of Waters" Australia 2006. Environment/Kayaking.
-"The Best of Jo" Canada 2006. Sport/Animation/Humor
- "Aweberg" Special Jury Mention. Canada 2006. Ice Climbing.
-"Tyrol-Land of the Mountains" Austria 2001. Environment.
- "Cobra Crack Best Short Mountain Film" Best Short Mountain Film. Canada 2006. Climbing.
- "Kids Who Rip" USA 2005. Sport/Humor. (Custom Edit)
Saturday, Feb. 3
-"The Thrill Seekers" UK 2005. Extreme Sport/Humor. (Nudity)
- "The Simplicity Factor" Canada 2006. Climbing/Bouldering.
-"Conversing with Aotearoa/New Zealand" USA 2005. Environment/Culture/Animation.
-"Roam" Canada 2005. Mountain Biking.
- "Yes to the No" Canada 2006. Noboarding/Snowboarding.
- "Ride of the Mergansers" USA 2006. Environment.
- "First Ascent: Didier vs. The Cobra" USA 2006. Climbing. (Language)
-"Fatima's Hand" Best Film on Mountain Sports. Germany 2006. BASE Jumping/Culture.
The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour
-Thursday, Feb. 1-Saturday, Feb. 3. nexStage Theatre in Ketchum.
-Doors 6 p.m. Program 6:30 p.m. Films 7 p.m.
- Tickets are $15, Chapter One Bookstore, Backwoods Mountain Sports and Elephants Perch, in Ketchum.
- A portion of the proceeds from the event go Friends of the Sawtooth National Forest Avalanche Center and the Sun Valley Ski Patrols charity of choice.
Photo by Sterling Lorence, courtesy the Banff Centre.
Wade Simmons rides near Moab, Utah in ?Roam.?
