It’s Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour time! But first, Kelly and I stopped at Rancocas State Park for a little hike on the way there. It’s finally getting far enough into spring that the trees are starting to leaf out in New Jersey and it was a prettier hike than others I’ve gone on recently. Amy and Gabe met us for a picnic dinner, and then it was on to the show in Princeton!
We got to see ten short films at the Saturday night Princeton showing. This is my third Banff experience, and as usual, the films were all fantastic!
55 Hours in Mexico
True weekend warriors, these guys decide to fly to Mexico, climb an 18,000′ mountain, and ski down it, all before work on Monday. Of course it doesn’t go smoothly. Watch the full film here.
The Last Dragons
“Protecting Appalachia’s Hellbenders.” These giant salamanders live in the clear streams of the Appalachian mountains and are a great indicator of a watershed’s health. Unfortunately, they’ve been disappearing along with their habitat. Watch the full film here.
Curiosity
Following three runners on the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, we learn why they would undertake a 103.1 mile race with 31,496′ of elevation gain through 4 countries. Watch the full film here.
Sounds of Paragliding
Théo de Blic has been paragliding since he was a child. This film immerses you in the peaceful sounds of such a daring sport. Watch the full film here.
A Line Across the Sky
Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold complete the first ever Fitz Traverse in Patagonia: seven peaks, four miles, and 13,000′ of vertical gain. Tommy and Alex are impressive athletes and always entertaining. Watch the trailer here.
The Important Places
Photographer Forest Woodward convinces his seventy year old father to return to the Grand Canyon and spend a month rafting it, which he had done once before in the 1970s. It’s a beautiful story. Watch the full film here.
Denali
This was the tear jerker of the night: a story of a man and his adventure dog, told from the perspective of the dying dog. Watch the full film here.
Eclipse
A photographer dreams of the iconic picture he wants to make: skiers silhouetted in front of a total solar eclipse. His chance appears and he heads up to the Arctic with some skiers to make it happen. Watch the full film here.
Unreal
We saw a short edit of this film with mountain bikers taking on dream landscapes. Watch the trailer here.
Nature Rx
A hilarious commercial selling the benefits of Nature. Watch the full film here. Part 2 is also available here.
Thanks Kristen. I watched The Important Places just now and really liked it. I will take time to watch the rest soon. I watched Denali a few months ago. Yes, that one is a tear jerker, but so good. Just too close to home.