Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour
When BANFF brought their latest festival to the city, I wasn't sure what to expect, other than films filled with adventure. I took my seat with a friend (who is the adventurous ebony to my, but I have to work, ivory) in the grand old theatre royal, a can of Smirnoff & coke in hand, anticipant peepers and a heart pounding with pre-empting of the up coming mystery and excitement. This was a buzz that filled the packed out floor and balcony above, made up of people young and older, couples, groups of friends, fathers and sons, as well as people seeking out thrills purely for themselves.
As the lights dimmed, the masses lowered in tempo and BANFF’s hostess kicked the night off. We were on a course for the, red film programme, as she introduced the first production, Viacruxis. This was a sweet start to the events of the evening, Ignasi López Fàbregas brings the legendary mountaineers Marcel and Andrezj to life with comical idiosyncrasies and a thought provoking guide from the middle to the end of their journey up the highest peak. Andrzej and Marcel, without words tell the universal story of; it’s not the journey that counts, it’s the people you take the journey with. I laughed, I gasped, I ewed and I awed. We were off to a nice light hearted start, as the hostess introduces the next production, Ascend. A short that feels more like an epic feature length of inspiration, Simon Perkins follows Jon Wilson on his mountain bike trail. Jon lost his leg to cancer after college, but never gave up on finding that special kind of freedom, that hitting the dirt track can provide. He’s all man and no prosthetic, when a path is too tough to ride flat out, he’ll hit it again, and again and again, until the path is conquered and behind him. I don't know if you’ve ever tried to ride a bike with one leg, up a flaming mountain no less, but from where I was sat it looked pretty tough. And Jon just shreds his way through the bushes, along the paths and over the tree roots in style. He’s a true inspiration to anyone who has a bike accessorised with cobwebs, to blow them off and go for a ride. With mouths wide open and beating hands of respect, the hostess introduces the following production, Far Out: Kai Jones. The film that was most likely to give you a heart attack. Kai Jones is said to be a snowboarder, but at the age of 11 years old and with the stunts that he performs, it’s probably safer to say that he’s a mad man before even becoming a teen. Teton Gravity Research captured some amazing footage of Kai and his adult snowboarding companion, as they repeatedly launched themselves down larger and larger mountain sides like avalanches with a backflip flourish. My heart raced, my eyebrows were constantly raised and a number of breathes were skipped. All I can think about now, is his poor Mum, he’s probably put years on her. Now with white hair and in desperate need of an oxygen machine, the hostess returned to introduce our final film for the first half, Ice & Palms. A five week and 36,800km expedition taken on as well as filmed by good friends Max Kroneck and Jochen Mesle, and it was all done with laughter and smiles. Oh not to mention the skies they would cycle with and vice verser the bikes they would bare while skying down slopes. They captured some stunning views between Germany and the Mediterranean as they summited amazing mountains and skying iconic lines. Also, they taught me the mean of verrückt is crazy in German.
With a body bursting for adventure and the loo, an interval was well timed. What did we do this new found sense of adventure BANFF had brought to us. Well, we joined a mammoth queue to enter a raffle (spoiler alert, we won nothing), tracked down other goodies dotted around the theatre and topped up our liquid supplies. all before re-joining the nattering masses, lite up by the full stage screen. BANFF’s hostess delivered some of the lucky few in this crowd, with no excuse to not follow this night with further adventure, in the form of various prizes and then we were back on the red film programme trail for our seated adventures. The first film introduced to us was, This Mountain Life. A truly epic journey, which if it wasn't already a film, some Hollywood mogul would be rubbing his hands together and joyously proclaiming “we’re gonna make the movie”, but Grand Baldwin and Jen Rustemeyer got there first. As they document the preparation, journey and aftermath of Martina and her 60 year old mother Tania, taking on a ski traverse from Vancouver to Alaska. Now I love Mum just as much as the next person, but spending a tough and cold six months alone with her on a 2,300km skying trek through the British Columbia wilderness, I’m pretty certain would only end with one survivor…and it would probably be her. Hat’s off to Martina for daring to make a dream an achievement and all the respect in this world for Tania for braving it, with love for adventure and her daughter. Love really can make you do some amazing and crazy things. The room now full of amazement and whispers of wonderment as well as respect, our hostess joined us for the final time, to introduce the last film of the night, How To Run 100 Miles. I already have a stitch, just at the though of it. Brendan Leonard captures the funny side of pain, suffering, persistence and finally glory, as he and Jayson Sime, an old college friend that fate has bound together, take on the 100 miles with the Run Rabbit Run event. Jayson runs, he’s resilient, he’s a fighter, from his feet to his grey matter, he’s got this. Brendan does not run, in fact he hates running, but he’s dedicated, you’ve gotta give him that. So dedicated, that they spend a year training for the event. They don't sleep in, they don't go for brunch with their girlfriends, instead they run, every Saturday pushing themselves a little further. Their exposing honesty along the journey of preparation has you rooting for Jayson and Brendan even before they reach the event, they’re just regular guys looking to do something amazing with their lives. Throughout the Run Rabbit Run event my seat seemed to get shorter and shorter, until I could sink back into it with teary eyes at the end.
The film festival ended on an incredibly well deserved roaring of applauded from everyone present, the filmmakers, all that were featured in the films and BANFF brought a spark of adventure to hearts of everyone that had packed out the theatre royal. However if you weren't lucky enough to be there on the night, you should for sure take a look at the productions online. Although reader be warned that seeing these production, be it in the theatre royal, the comfort of your own home or even on the back of a bus, you’ll be at risk of booking an adventure holiday, after viewing any of the above productions. And why the hell shouldn't you, on top of everything that these individual films will open your eyes to, they all send one combined message. You’re only gonna live one life, so get out there and live your life to the fullest.
