Banff Mountain Film Festival

I'm somewhat of a film geek, and especially enjoy documentaries. I should also note that I'm not a very outdoorsy person. Sure, I've gone fishing, done some hiking and camping, and one time I even tried to climb a tree; But the outdoors aren't what comes to mind first when I write down places I like to spend time.

This being the situation, my movie obsession and my lack of outdoorsmanship rarely cross paths. But, once a year, the Banff Mountain Film Festival rolls through town and I get to see a bunch of documentaries filled with some of the most amazing footage you've ever seen and stories about extreme sports, rock-climbing, winter activities, and just about anything you can imagine.

Scene from 'Revolution One' directed by unicyclist Dan Heaton

Every year in Banff, Alberta, thousands of people from around the globe come to screen the best of the outdoor documentaries from that year. From there, the festival's greatest films are sent around the world on tour everywhere, and probably in a town near you.

Last year I was introduced to the festival by a friend, and I was instantly hooked! Words cannot describe some of these documentaries. They range from laugh-out-loud hilarious, to jaw-droppingly amazing, to painful to watch (I don't mean bad either, I mean seeing some of the skull-cracking spills these guys take is literally almost painful to watch). It brings in a hugely diverse audience too, I saw young kids and old men and women sitting audience together, proving that great filmmaking transcends all barriers.

Here's a trailer of one last night's movies, and so far the best one I've seen. It actually both the judges and people's choice awards at the Banff Film Festival.



If there's one thing you should check out if it hasn't already ripped through your town, it's the Banff Mountain Film Festival. If you're lucky enough to be in Grande Prairie (a phrase I rarely use) there's one last night of movies, and there might still be tickets. If you're somewhere else, check here to see if the tour is coming to your area.