Banff Mountain Film Festival goes on world tour

By Erika Roy, January 8 2015 —

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour will be in town this week.

Each year, the Banff Centre hosts the Banff Mountain Film Festival in November and screens outdoor-focused films. After the festival ends, a selection of the films go on a world tour that visits nearly 500 locations in over 40 countries.

“We always work with a local organizer to help establish the program that we feel will work best in that community,” says world tour program manager Jim Baker. “Many of the films that connect and engage
audiences are the same on different continents, but there’s always a chance to craft [the program] to include things of particular local interest.”

Feedback from pre-screeners, the film jury, tour staff and audiences is taken into account to create a program that is relevant to each city.

“They’re crafted to go together to give the tour audiences a really condensed and refined version of what happens over nine days here in Banff,” Baker says.

The film tour promotes mountain culture and outdoor pursuits by encouraging community participation, inspiring adventure and supporting filmmakers.

“The on-the-ground connection of the local community is a really important part of it. It’s not just what’s on the screen.It’s connecting in the lobby and sharing that experience together,” Baker says. “And then, it’s inspiring people to take their own adventures and maybe make their own films.”

The proceeds from many of the screenings are donated towards local outdoor-focused organizations.

The tour will be in Calgary from Jan. 11–17 at the University of Calgary’s Rozsa Centre and Feb. 4–7 at the Calgary Public Library’s John Dutton Theatre. There are two programs, each with eight films. Tickets are available for $24 online, at Mountain Equipment Co-op and at the door.