PREVIEW
Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour
Thursday, Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m.
Arden Theatre
5 St. Anne Street
Tickets: $24 adults, $20 students. Call 780-459-1542 or at ticketmaster.ca
Escape the Ordinary is the Arden Theatre’s 2019-2020 theme, and sure enough the season starts with a full-throttle documentary that is anything but typical.
The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour makes its ninth consecutive screening, a cinematic showcase of high-octane outdoor sports films.
The two-and-a-half-hour screening (includes intermission) celebrates the beauty of nature through extreme sports and high-adrenalin adventure. Central to each story are daredevils that push the limits of risky stunts and appear devoid of gravity. Mostly, it’s a thrill to watch them cheat death at every turn.
“We always draw in a new crowd we don’t usually see at our other shows,” says professional programming presenter Caitlin North.
“People like to see them (athletes) do things you’d like to do. It’s the thrill of seeing someone do these incredible things on the big screen, and also being with people who enjoy the same adrenaline highs makes for an exciting event.”
This year there are nine jaw-dropping shorts ranging from two to 27 minutes long.
The festival makes history by introducing Viacruxis, an 11-minute animated mountain climbing film.
“This is the first time the festival tour has included an animation,” North said.
It follows the trials of Marcel and Andrej, two legendary mountaineers who encounter formidable obstacles and suffer incredible hardships in their quest.
Dreamride 3 is a six-minute biking film inspired by Dr. Seuss. It takes place in a New Zealand forest with lush ferns and the sense of creepy creatures lurking throughout.
Life of Glide revolves around Jeremy Jones’s passion for snowboarding and surfing in what he calls “The Glide.” In addition to Jones, the 16-minute short brings together both sexes of different ages also enjoying thrill rides on surf and snow.
Break on Through is a 26-minute short that introduces Margo Hayes, a 19-year-old from Boulder, Colorado training in Europe to endure the climb on a vertical mountain face. As a human spider woman she uses only her hands and feet, and pushes her body to the limits – even to the point of weakening it.
The two-minute Choices is a frenzied ride through some of Colorado’s amazing selection of trails.
Far Out – Terrace, British Columbia is a winter wonderland escape for three professional skiers who explore the backcountry. They fly off jumps, smash pillows and search for perfect ski lines in soft, fluffy snow.
How to Run 100 Miles, a 27-minute whimsical adventure, follows Jayson Scrime, a determined competitor who entered a 100-mile mountain ultra-marathon.
“He overcame poverty, homelessness, dyslexia and bullying. Through his resilience he was able to achieve this,” North said.
And lastly, Jacques, an 82-year-old “badass athlete” is the focus of an epic tale of survival and living life to the fullest in The Frenchy, a 14-minute short on positive thinking.
“It’s about countering aging through laughter.”
The film festival runs Thursday, Sept. 26.
