2024 Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival Guide by Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity

Welcome

Many great stories begin because someone asks a question.

by Rita Taylor

On behalf of the Festival team, welcome to Banff Centre, located on the slopes of Sacred Guardian Buffalo Mountain within Treaty 7 territory. We acknowledge the traditional lands of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Shuswap Nations, Ktunaxa Nations, and Métis Nation of Alberta, Rockyview District 4.

Sometimes it’s as simple as “Where does this trail go?” or “Can we reach the top of that mountain?" Naturally inquisitive, we press ahead, because the answer is surely just around the corner. As the story takes us along, we might ask ourselves deeper questions like, “What happens to us when there’s no more winter?” or “What would it be like if we chop down all the old growth trees?” The films and books in this year’s program pose lots of questions, and many have some answers. But many more will leave it up to you, the audience, to decide what the next steps are.

The film Silvicola presents the complex, long-standing issues that have been part of our relationships, as Canadians, with our forests for centuries, while For Winter takes us on a strenuous, remote, data-collecting journey with an adventurer looking for urgent answers to climate change in an unlikely, dangerous place. The Last Observers reminds us that, sometimes, the answers may not present themselves in our lifetime they might take decades or even centuries to discover. Stories We Have Earned makes us reflect on what holes exist in our recorded history and asks “How can we make sure everyone’s story is told?”

“How far can the human body go?” is an often-asked question at our Festival. Kilian Jornet does just that as he crosses the Pyrenees in Into the (Un)known. Climbers Ashima Shiraishi and Beth Rodden want to know if they can do the hardest moves in the world, while Dawa Yangzum Sherpa wonders, “What does it take to be the first?” Hélias Millerioux and his gang of merry Frenchmen cross a good part of Alaska on an epic ski journey, with crampons or paddling packrafts, when they ask “Can it be done?”

This year’s program is designed not only to educate but to amaze and entertain. From films on screen, to panel discussions, to tons of book events to choose from, we know you’ll get your fill of both questions and answers. So get curious and ask away, we’ve got you covered.

Joanna Croston Director, Festival & World Tour

Photo

Festival at a Glance

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27

Morning Mixed Films

9 am – 12 pm | p. 36

Afternoon Mixed Films

2 – 5 pm | p. 36

Festival Opening Reception

5 – 7 pm | p. 48

Dawa

Yangzum Sherpa –and Films

7:30 pm | p. 36

Stories We Have Earned: The Stoney Nakoda Film Project

7:30 pm | p. 36

Morning Mixed Films

9 am – 12 pm | p. 37

Afternoon Mixed Films 2 – 5 pm | p. 37

Happy Hour 5 pm | p. 48

Snow Show

7:30 pm | p. 37

Wild Days

7:30 pm | p. 47

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28

Happy Hour 6 pm | p. 48

Radical Reels

7:30 pm | p. 38

Radical Reels –Simulcast

7:30 pm | p. 38

Bring Them Home

7:30 pm | p. 47

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29

Exhibitions p. 52 – 53

Snow Show Repeat 7:30 pm | p. 47

EVENT CATEGORY:

Feature Film

Mixed Film Program

Speaker Event

Accessible Program

Free Event

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30

Free Events p. 48 – 51

Dirtbag Café –Bronwyn Hodgins 7:30 pm | p. 38

Lux and artsPlace Screenings

Throughout the Festival | See page 47

FREE Events and Partner Events

See pages 48 – 51

Mountain Art Exhibitions

See pages 52 – 53

Backyard

Photo: From the film Backyard

by Christoph Johann

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31

Eric Blehm and Chad Sayers – Book Program

10 am | p. 44

Cory Richards –Book Program

12:30 pm | p. 44

Nandini Purandare, Deepa Balsavar and Sonja Swift – Book Program

3 pm | p. 44

Radical Reels

Repeat

7:30 pm | p. 47

John Vaillant, Book Awards – and For Winter

7:30 pm | p. 38

Snow Show Repeat

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Voices of Adventure – Jim Donini 10 am | p. 45

Bernadette McDonald – Book Program 12:30 pm | p. 45

Simon Carter and Ben Goldfarb –Book Program 3 pm | p. 45

Festival Marketplace 4 – 7 pm | p. 54

Rab Stage Events 4 – 6 pm | p. 50 – 51

Radical Reels Repeat 7 and 10 pm | p. 47

Beth Rodden – and Films

7:30 pm | p. 39

Evening Mixed Films

7:30 pm | p. 39

Searching for Amani

8 pm | p. 47

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2

All Day Mixed Films

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3

Bow Valley Filmmakers Showcase 10 am | p. 40

Festival Marketplace 10 am – 7 pm | p. 54

Rab Stage Events

10 am – 6 pm | p. 50 – 51

Indigenous Dialogue – q apkiǂ 1 pm | p. 51

Diving into the Darkness 1:30 pm | p. 40

Afternoon Mixed Films 2 – 5 pm | p. 40

Snow Show Repeat 2 pm | p. 47

Tamina

2 pm | p. 47

Tales & Ales

4:30 pm | p. 49

Run for Life 7 pm | p. 47

Riders on the Storm –and Films

7:30 pm | p. 40

The Giants 7:30 pm | p. 41

All Day Mixed Films 9 am – 5 pm | p. 42

Morning Mixed Films 9 am – 12 pm | p. 42

Festival Marketplace 10 am – 5 pm | p. 54

Rab Stage Events

10 am – 4 pm | p. 50 – 51

Afternoon Mixed Films

2 – 5 pm | p. 54

Big Water Theory

2 pm | p. 47

A Gift from Kei Taniguchi

2 pm | p. 47

Kids Program 2 and 3 pm | p. 49

Best of the Festival – Awards Presentation and Films

7:30 pm | p. 42

Best of the Festival – Films Only 8 pm | p. 42

Nov. 6 – 13 See page 8 for schedule.

8 pm | p. 47 @banffmountainfestival

9 am – 5 pm | p. 40

Morning Mixed Films

9 am – 12 pm | p. 40

Programs subject to change.

Evening Mixed Films

7:30 pm | p. 41

Ashima

9:30 pm | p. 47

@banffmountainfilmfestival

Mixed Film Programs

Adventure Shorts

Alpine Shorts

Canada-only Shorts

Climbing Shorts

Culture Shorts

Environmental Shorts

Mountain Sports Shorts

Radical Reels

Snow Shorts

Accessible Program

Award-Winning Films

Feature Films

A Gift from Kei Taniguchi

Adra (cc)

Ashima

Big Water Theory

For Winter

Karura, People of the River

The Meaningless Pursuit of Snow Mongolia, Valley of the Bears

Painting the Mountains

Run for Life

Sadpara

Silvicola

Stories We Have Earned

Tamina

Via Sedna

Wild Days

Canada only

Canada only – 48 hrs

Canada only

• Online Film Pass: $150CAD ($125 CAD until Oct 24). Watch up to 83 films in Canada (78 in USA) from Nov. 6 through 13. Available to purchase until Nov 9.

• Individual Program Rentals: From $10 – $25 per program from Nov. 6 – 13. Films available from November 6, 9 am MT until November 13, 11:59 pm MT unless otherwise specified

• Films not available online: Boundless: A Sam Anthamatten Portrait; Bring Them Home; Champions of the Golden Valley; Diving into the Darkness; Into the (Un)known; Of a Lifetime; Searching for Amani. Programs subject to change.

Ticket Information

Get Tickets

From $20

Tickets for events at Banff Centre and our partner venues will be available directly through each location online and at the door (subject to availability).

Banff Centre Box Office: tickets.banffcentre.ca/filmfest

Events at Lux Cinema Banff: luxbanff.com

Events at artsPlace Canmore: artsplacecanmore.com

Box Office

403. 762.6301 | 1.800.413.8368 box_office@banffcentre.ca

banffcentre.ca/box-office

Pre-Festival Phone Hours:

Tues / Wed / Thurs 12 – 4 pm

Please leave a voicemail message or send an email outside of these hours. A Box Office agent will follow up with you the same, or following, business day.

During the Festival:

Box Office agents will be available during daytime hours. Voicemail and email inquiries will be responded to within one day.

The Box Office in the Jenny Belzberg Theatre, Margaret Greenham Theatre and a temporary one in the Max Bell Auditorium lobby, will be open 30 minutes prior to each showtime.

Find out more about tickets and passes.

Programs/details subject to change. Tickets are non-refundable.

Theatres and Seating

Banff Centre Festival events are assigned seating in the Jenny Belzberg Theatre and Margaret Greenham Theatre and general admission in the Max Bell Auditorium. Doors will open approximately 30 minutes prior to each show. Last minute tickets for sold out shows will appear online immediately, and remaining tickets will be available for purchase at the Box Office in the lobby 30 minutes prior to screenings.

Latecomer Policy

For the enjoyment of other patrons, latecomers will not be admitted into the theatre until a suitable break between films, at the discretion of the Front of House Staff. Please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled event and take into account the increased demands on traffic and parking.

Lost and Found

Check the Info Desk in the Jenny Belzberg Theatre Lobby.

After The Festival Rent Films Online

Nov. 6 – 13

Missed seeing films during the Festival in Banff?

Choose from a variety of programs, including curated mixed film programs and feature films.

Online Film Pass:

Available to purchase until Nov. 9.

Individual program rentals:

Available to purchase Nov. 6 – 13

See p. 8 for details.

watch.banffcentre.ca/filmfest

Note: Different login accounts are required for the Banff Centre Box Office and the Festival online platform.

Accessibility

We are offering some accessible programs for hearing-impaired and D/deaf audience members during the 2024 Festival. These programs will have on-stage ASL interpretation for live aspects of the presentations (speakers and MCs) and personal Dolby CaptiView viewing devices available for film captions or open captions on-screen.

If you would like to make an accessibility request please email box_office@ banffcentre.ca in advance of these presentations.

Accessible Programs:

Simon Carter and Ben Goldfarb –Book Program

Friday, Nov. 1, 3 pm

Max Bell Auditorium

Beth Rodden –and Films

Friday, Nov. 1, 7:30 pm

Jenny Belzberg Theatre

The Art of Short Films

Saturday, Nov. 2, 3:30 pm Rab Stage, KCCI 1st floor

The Giants

Saturday, Nov. 2, 7:30 pm

Margaret Greenham Theatre

Accessible Films Online: Watch Online: Nov. 6 – 13

Some online film programs are accessible for hearing-impaired audience members.

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Films A

Z

Read more about the 90 film finalists from 20 countries in the 2024 Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival!

109 Below

(USA, 2023, 14 min)

Director: Nick Martini*

Producers: Stept Studios, Sarah Stewart*, Ben Osborne*, Lex Hinson

109 Below tells a tale of resilience and grit when elite rescue volunteers go out of their way to save the lives of strangers.

Nov. 2 | 7:30 pm | JBT | p. 40

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Culture Shorts

2 Legs is 2 Easy

(USA, 2024, 7 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Tamara Susa

Producer: BTX Productions, Tamara Susa

Steve Karczewski was born with bone cancer in his left leg and has never known what it is like to have two legs, but that hasn’t prevented him from doing anything and everything he’s ever wanted as an outdoor athlete.

Snow Show | Various Dates/Venues p. 37, 47

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Snow Shorts

VENUES:

JBT Jenny Belzberg Theatre

MBA Max Bell Auditorium

MGT Margaret Greenham Theatre

LUX Lux Cinema Banff

artsPlace artsPlace Canmore

* In person at the Festival

Photos, from the films:

109 Below, photo by Cam Riley; 2 Legs is 2 Easy, photo by Tamara Susa

A Gift From Kei Taniguchi

(Japan, 2023, 100 min)

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Directors: Toshiko Tozawa*, Tetsuya Okamoto*

Producers: Mountain Gorilla Films LLC, Toshiko Tozawa, Tetsuya Okamoto

Akihiro Oishi and Hiroki Suzuki are average Japanese workers who are determined to conquer the challenging North Buttress of Alaska’s Mount Hunter. They have been climbing partners since Kei Taniguchi died at 43 in 2015. Kei was the first and only female climber in the world to receive the highly regarded Piolet d’Or mountaineering award. She was Akihiro’s mentor and Hiroki’s climbing partner. This film explores Kei’s legacy and how she inspired the two men to climb Mt. Hunter.

Nov. 3 | 2 pm | artsPlace | p. 47

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Feature Film

A Team Sport

(USA, 2024, 16 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Directors: Alexis Berg, Julien Raison

Producers: Stept Studios, Sarah Stewart, Jon Brogan, Laura Mittleberg, Jason Israel, Marion Blache, Oliver Denton

Ultra-runner Courtney Dauwalter is one of the greatest athletes in the history of the sport. Continuing to shatter records, in 2023 she became the first person ever to wear the Triple Crown of ultra-running, winning three iconic 100+mile races backto-back in one summer. But who is the team behind Courtney and her remarkable success?

Oct. 26 | 2 pm | JBT | p. 36

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Mountain Sports Shorts

Above Sinai

(USA, 2024, 13 min)

WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Kylie Zarmati*

Producer: Outlands Productions, Sensi Graves

Meet Sarah Sadek, Egyptian native and professional kiteboarder. Her home on the Sinai peninsula is a world where women are not often found in athletic roles, nor in the water. Sarah shows us how she is opening the eyes of her local community and pushing the boundaries in a gracious — yet badass — way.

Oct. 26 | 7:30 pm | JBT | p. 36

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Adventure Shorts

Photos, from the films: A Gift From Kei Taniguchi, photo by Akihiro Oishi; A Team Sport; Above Sinai, photo by Abdrahman Aldakiki

Adra

(UK, 2023, 53 min)

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Director: Emma Crome*

Producer: Coldhouse Collective, Harriet Sykes

Llanberis is the diamond at the heart of North Wales and is the epicentre of climbing in the UK. Adra gently gifts us a sense of home, community, and belonging as local climbers Zoë Wood and Lewis Perrin Williams take us on a nostalgic journey, exploring how this place has impacted the lives of the climbers who have lived, worked, and played in this beautiful corner of Cymru over the last century.

Nov. 1 | 7:30 pm | JBT | p. 38

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Feature Film

All in or Nothing

(New Zealand, 2024, 23 min)

WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Gordon Duff*

Producers: Soul Cinema, Gordon Duff, Matthew Fairbrother*

This story follows rider Matthew Fairbrother as he competes against 120 riders in the New Zealand MTB Rally. While other riders have full support crews, Matthew has only himself to rely on for six gruelling days as he battles to complete each leg self-powered, although the chocolate milk helps.

Nov. 2 | 9 am | JBT/MGT | p. 40

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Adventure Shorts

Anytime

(Canada, 2024, 62 min)

Directors: Darcy Wittenburg*, Darren McCullough, Colin Jones*

Producers: Anthill Films, Red Bull Media House, Ian Dunn, Darcy Wittenburg, Galen Knowles

Anytime showcases the collective ambitions of fifteen of the world’s best freeride mountain bikers across forests, deserts, cities, and highalpine peaks, as they attempt to define the frontiers of their sport.

Radical Reels | Various Dates/Venues p. 38, 47

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Radical Reels

Ashima

(USA, 2023, 86 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Kenji Tsukamoto*

Producers: Gray Hat Films, Kenji Tsukamoto, Minji Chang, Roy Choi, Dave Boyle

Ashima is an intimate portrait of elite rock climber Ashima Shiraishi as she travels to South Africa to try to become the youngest person in the world to climb a V14-graded boulder problem. Accompanying Ashima is Poppo, an eccentric, hermit-like, retired avante garde dancer, who also happens to be her father.

Nov. 1 | 7:30 pm | MGT | p. 39 Nov. 2 | 9:30 pm | LUX | p. 47

ONLINE: Nov. 9 – 11 | Feature Film (Canada only)

* In person at the Festival

Photos, from the films:

Adra, photo by Lena Drapella;

All in or Nothing, photo by Henry Jaine;

Anytime, photo by Margus Riga;

Ashima, photo by Kenji Tsukamoto

Backyard

(Germany, 2024, 27 min)

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Director: Tim Marcour

Producers: MKM, Matthias Kraupe, Tim Marcour

The Arlberg is Nadine’s* backyard and nobody knows the mountains and where to find the best lines like she does. Nadine has a dream, to ski five huge lines in one day. All she needs are perfect conditions.

Radical Reels | Various Dates/Venues p. 38, 47

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Radical Reels

Between the Lines

(USA, 2024, 15 min)

WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Liz McGregor*

Producer: BoonDocs, Liz McGregor

Alex Obregon found his love of fly fishing by way of whitewater, and simultaneously deepened his appreciation and understanding of all the spaces — and species — that a river holds.

Nov. 1 | 7:30 pm | MBA | p. 39

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Mountain Sports Shorts

Big Water Theory

(France, 2024, 83 min)

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Director: Emile Dominé*

Producers: AADO Media, Emile Dominé, Jules Dominé*

Follow kayaking superstar Nouria Newman and two childhood friends as they navigate one of the world’s most challenging sections of whitewater — the Rondu Gorge of the Indus River in Pakistan. Documenting Nouria’s attempt at completing the first female descent of these unbelievable rapids, Big Water Theory is set against the stunning backdrop of the Karakoram mountains and highlights the irreversible nature of the sport.

Nov. 3 | 9 am | JBT/MGT | p. 42

Nov. 3 | 2 pm | LUX | p. 47

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Feature Film

The Bird in My Backyard

(Canada, 2024, 20 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Ryan Wilkes*

Producers: Trochilus Films, Ryan Wilkes, CBC

The Bird in my Backyard follows a window salesman turned hummingbird expert as he documents the secret lives of the hummingbirds that nest in his urban backyard.

Oct. 26 | 9 am | JBT | p. 36

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Environmental Shorts

Photos, from the films: Backyard, photo by Christoph Johann; Between The Lines, photo by Liz McGregor; Big Water Theory, photo by Jules Dominé; The Bird in My Backyard, photo by Ryan Wilkes

Body of a Line

(USA, 2024, 11 min)

Director: Henna Taylor

Producer: Henna Taylor

In this animated short, Madaleine Sorkin* undertakes an intimate and creative journey to climb the most difficult rock climb above 4100 metres in the world: the DunnWestbay Direct on Longs Peak (Neniisoteyou’u) in Colorado.

Oct. 26 | 7:30 pm | JBT | p. 36

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Climbing Shorts

Boundless: A Sam Anthamatten Portrait

(Switzerland, 2024, 17 min)

Director: Etienne Mérel

Producers: The Faction Collective, Henrik Lampert, Irena Umek, Alex Hoye

Journey to the remote backcountry of the Alps with pro-rider and mentor Sam Anthamatten as he explores the student side of his persona by exploring new terrain and environments.

Bring Them Home

(USA, 2024, 86 min)

Directors: Daniel Glick*, Ivan MacDonald, Ivy MacDonald

Producers: Thunderheart Media, Melissa Grumhaus*, Sarah Clarke*

Bring Them Home tells the story of a small group of Blackfoot people and their mission to establish the first wild buffalo herd on their ancestral territory since the species nearextinction a century ago — an act that would restore the land, re-enliven traditional culture, and bring much needed healing to their community.

Oct. 26 | 2 pm | JBT | p. 36

Oct. 28 | 7:30 pm | artsPlace | p 47

Not available online

Canafornia

(USA, 2024, 2 min)

Directors: Scott Secco*, Scotty Carlson, Satchel Cronk

Producers: Kona Bicycle Company, Caleb Smith

Welcome to Canafornia, accessible only by a correctly attuned psychic elevator and the right bike for any conditions. Push all the buttons, and take a ride with Eddie Reynolds as he feeds on a healthy diet of dust, loam, plenty of air, and Lego.

Nov. 3 | 2 pm | JBT/MGT | p. 42

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Adventure Shorts

Snow Show | Various Dates/Venues p. 37, 47

Not available online * In person at the Festival

Photos, from the films: Body of a Line; Boundless: A Sam Anthamatten Portrait, photo by Frederik Kalbermatten; Bring Them Home; Canafornia, photo by Satchel Cronk

Canyon Chorus

(USA, 2024, 17 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Chris Cresci*

Producer: Wondercamp, Davis Love

Set against the backdrop of Desolation Canyon, UT, Mikah Meyer*, a world-record traveler and LGBTQ+ advocate and his friends reflect on their stories and the power of mentorship within the queer community.

Nov. 1 | 7:30 pm | JBT | p. 39

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Mountain Sports Shorts

Carved From Stone

(Canada, 2024, 11 min)

Director: Tyler Burr*

Producer: Burdock Creative Media, Tyler Burr

Brooke Carten has been rock climbing for long enough that it’s hard to imagine who she’d be if it weren’t for climbing’s influence on her life... But in what ways has this sport has influenced her? What are the pieces of Brooke’s personality that have been carved from the stone?

Oct. 27 | 2 pm | JBT | p. 37

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Climbing Shorts

Champions of the Golden Valley

(USA, 2024, 81 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Ben Sturgulewski*

Producers: Sturgefilm, Tideshift Studio, Katie Stjernholm*, Baktash Ahadi

In the remote mountain villages of Bamyan, Afghanistan, a newfound passion for skiing attracts young athletes from rival ethnic groups to the slopes. With minimal gear and makeshift skis, the determined ski coach Alishah Farhang organizes a thrilling ski race that fosters camaraderie, joy, and triumph.

“The ultimate underdog story.”

Variety

Nov. 2 | 2 pm | JBT/MGT | p. 40

Not available online

Darkhorse

(Canada, 2023, 25 min)

Directors: Bryan Smith, Cameron Sylvester Producer: Reel Water Productions, Bryan Smith

In today’s era of outdoor adventure sports, where social media followers, engagement and ‘likes’ have shaped the industry, an important question remains unanswered: If a snowboarder rides a steep, exposed line in the Whistler backcountry and no one sees it or hears it, did it really happen?

Nov. 1 | 7:30 pm | MGT | p. 38

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Canada-only Shorts

Photos, from the films: Canyon Chorus; Carved From Stone, photo by Tyler Burr; Champions of the Golden Valley, photo by Ben Sturgulewski; Darkhorse, photo by Reel Water Productions

Designed by Disaster

(USA, 2023, 20 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: James ‘Q’ Martin*

Producer: Q Stories, Page Buono

Designed by Disaster is a deeply personal and inspiring story about Danny*, a passionate climber who faces a life-changing ordeal in the Dolomites and is propelled to invent a revolutionary type of crampon, addressing a critical safety gap in mountain travel.

Nov. 2 | 7:30 pm | MBA | p. 41

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Alpine Shorts

Diving Into the Darkness

(Australia, 2024, 96 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Nays Baghai

Producers: Running Cloud Productions, Nays Baghai, Kearie Peak

An awe-inspiring feature length documentary about celebrated Canadian cave diving icon Jill Heinerth, and her journey of exploration, resilience and selfdiscovery into the planet’s deepest depths.

Nov. 2 | 1:30 pm | MBA | p. 40

Not available online

Dropping Molly

(USA, 2024, 26 min)

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Director: Cedar Wright

Producer: Cedar Wright Productions, Cedar Wright

Follow Molly Mitchell’s* roller coaster journey to climb Crank It, one of Colorado’s most dangerous routes. After breaking her back on the climb, Molly must face her rocky mental health and embark on a journey of therapy, self discovery, and growth.

Radical Reels | Various Dates/Venues p. 38, 47

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Radical Reels

* In person at the Festival

Photos, from the films: Designed by Disaster, photo by James 'Q' Martin; Diving Into the Darkness, photo by Janne Suhonen; Dropping Molly

Eliot Jackson — Drop the Mic

(Canada, 2024, 2 min)

Director: Scott Secco

Producers: Scott Secco Films, Seb Kemp, Daniel Gillooley

Eliot Jackson has sneaky superpowers. He is one of the most badass riders to ever scrub-whip a mountain bike.

Radical Reels | Various Dates/Venues p. 38, 47

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Radical Reels

Embracing the Grim

(France, 2023, 12 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Aleksandra Janiak

Producer: The North Face, Aleksandra Janiak

Fay and Line head north to the ephemeral Scottish land of mixed climbing. Their objectives are ambitious and the weather is fickle, testing the all-women team’s perseverance.

Nov. 3 | 2 pm | JBT/MGT | p. 42

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Alpine Shorts

Fall Harvest

(USA, 2023, 2 min)

Director: Keenan DesPlanques*

Producers: Keenan DesPlanques, Fiona Swartz

At Crankworx Cairns in 2023, Nicholi Rogatkin had a season-ending injury and it was the first time in his career that he had to sit out a season. This short film highlights the magic of getting back on a bike again.

Oct. 27 | 9 am | JBT | p. 37

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Mountain Sports Shorts

Farming Turns

(France, 2024, 25 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Anthony Bonello

Producer: Picture Organic Clothing

As a professional skier, Chris Ruebens* travelled the globe in search of the best skiing, until an expedition to Greenland brought the reality of climate change into sharp focus. Forced to confront his footprint and values, he takes action, risking his career as an athlete to become an organic farmer in a quest to foster a stronger connection to the mountains.

Nov. 1 | 7:30 pm | JBT | p. 39

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Snow Shorts

Photos, from the films: Eliot Jackson — Drop the Mic ; Embracing the Grim, photo by Line van den Berg; Fall Harvest; Farming Turns

Feeling the Apocalypse

(Canada, 2022, 7 min)

Director: Chen Sing Yap*

Producer: Nikolai Osborn*

A psychotherapist struggling with climate anxiety explores what it means to live in a dying world.

Oct. 27 | 2 pm | JBT | p. 37

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Environmental Shorts

Find Me Outside

(Canada, 2024, 17 min)

Director: Ching Yu*

Producers: Diodio Studio, Rongqin Su*, Ching Yu

Find Me Outside follows four families in western Canada observing the wonder of nature through the eyes of children.

Footprints on Katmai

(USA, 2023, 22 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Max Romey*

Producer: Trailbound Sketches, Jennifer Langille

Following his Grandmother’s footsteps to one of the most remote and bear-strewn beaches in Alaska, painter Max Romey discovers that an ocean of problems is closer to home than he could have imagined.

Nov. 3 | 9 am | JBT/MGT | p. 42

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Environmental Shorts

For Winter

(USA, 2024, 54 min)

WORLD PREMIERE

Director: National Geographic Society

Impact Story Lab

Producers: National Geographic Society

Impact Story Lab, Taylor Schuelke*, Katie Cleary*

In the frozen heights of Canada’s tallest peak, an international team of scientists launches a daring expedition to unearth thousands of years of climate data in one recordbreaking ice core. Glaciologist and National Geographic Explorer Alison Criscitiello* is the brain and brawn behind this ambitious quest. As she leads her team on a 10-day climb up the mountain, through whiteout conditions and precarious icefalls, Ali and her team defeat the odds and reach Mt. Logan’s summit plateau where they camp for 16 days, while drilling in frigid conditions.

Oct. 31 | 7:30 pm | JBT | p. 38

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Feature Film

Nov. 2 | 10 am | MBA | p. 40

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Adventure Shorts

* In person at the Festival

Photos, from the films: Feeling the Apocalypse, art by Rowan MikolicO'Rourke; Find Me Outside, photo by Rongqin Su; Footprints on Katmai, photo by Max Romey; For Winter, photo by Leo Hoorn

The Giants

(Australia, 2024, 91 min)

Directors: Laurence Billiet*, Rachael Antony* Producers: General Strike, Matchbox Pictures, Laurence Billiet, Rachael Antony

From a seedling to forest elder: the film is a masterclass that draws on Bob Brown’s 50 years of inspiring activism, from the Franklin campaign for Tasmania’s last wild river, to today’s battle for the Tarkine rainforest. Brown’s story is interwoven with the extraordinary life cycle of Australia’s giant trees, brought to the screen with stunning award-winning cinematography and immersive animated forest landscapes.

Nov. 2 | 7:30 pm | MGT | p. 41

Ghost Resorts: Japan

(USA, 2023, 10 min)

Directors: Michael J Brown*, Zeppelin Zeerip* Producers: Sweetgrass Productions, Michael J Brown

With ski lifts no longer spinning and buildings falling into desolation, abandoned ski areas are nestled among the snow-drifted peaks of Japan. Yet the deep powder snow beckons to those who wish to experience an unconventional backcountry adventure.

Nov. 1 | 7:30 pm | MBA | p. 39

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Snow Shorts

Going East

(Austria, 2024, 33 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Loïc Isliker

Producer: Johannes Hoffmann

Join a group of curious skiers on a mission to travel as far east as possible using only public transport, skiing along the way.

Nov. 2 | 7:30 pm | MBA | p. 41

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Snow Shorts

Home From Home

(USA, 2024, 8 min)

Director: John Peirce Dellanno*

Producer: John Peirce Dellanno

A glimpse into the lives and hearts of some of the best Japanese free ride skiers in the world. Home From Home explores the intersection between Japanese athletes and the natural world.

Snow Show | Various Dates/Venues p. 37, 47

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Snow Shorts

Photos, from the films: The Giants; Ghost Resorts: Japan; Going East, photo by Max Kroneck; Home From Home, photo by Jordyn Romero

House of Bliss

(Iceland, 2024, 9 min)

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Directors: Elli Thor Magnusson, Ben Weiland

Producer: 104 Frames, Steve Lewis

House of Bliss (Saeluhus) documents the making of a shelter situated somewhere on the border of reality and imagination. A private world of contemplation and quiet relief from the outside world.

Nov. 2 | 2 pm | JBT/MGT | p. 40

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Adventure Shorts

How the Land Remembers Us

(USA, 2024, 20 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Jared Wahkinney

Producers: Evolution Cinema, Brendan Hall*, Francesca Pine Rodriguez, Gabriella Canal*

Amidst Yellowstone National Park’s 150th anniversary, Indigenous artists deeply connected to their ancestral land, share projects steeped in traditional ecological knowledge in an act of rematriation, and ceremony. Here, the land itself cradles their memories, recognizing them as integral threads in its rich tapestry.

Nov. 2 | 2 pm | JBT/MGT | p. 40

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Culture Shorts

I Am the Nature

(Brazil, 2023, 6 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Taliesin Black-Brown

Producers: Driven Equation, Helena Sardinha, Rafael Thomaseto, Ramiro Vargas Chumpí Washikiat

A poetic documentary honoring the philosophy and cultural expression of the Achuar people from the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador.

Nov. 2 | 2 pm | JBT/MGT | p. 40

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Environmental Shorts

Ian

(Australia, 2024, 8 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Matt Raimondo*

Producer: GoodFolk Film Production, Matt Raimondo

Meet 72-year-old Australian climber, Ian Elliott. Ian’s extraordinary climbing ability defies age stereotypes, showcasing his resilience and challenging societal perceptions.

Nov. 3 | 9 am | JBT/MGT | p. 42

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Climbing Shorts

* In person at the Festival

Photos, from the films: House of Bliss, photo by Ben Weiland; How the Land Remembers Us; I Am the Nature, photo by Taliesin Black-Brown; Ian, photo by Caleb Ware

Iniskim — Return of the Buffalo (Canada, 2023, 40 min)

Directors: Leanne Allison, Pete Balkwill*

Producers: Necessary Journeys, Leanne Allison, Amethyst First Rider*

Iniskim — Return of the Buffalo is an intercultural artistic response to the return of the buffalo, as wild animals, to Western North America.

Nov. 2 | 10 am | MBA | p. 40

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Canada-only Shorts

Into

the

(Un)known

(Spain, 2023, 42 min) WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Nick Danielsen, Regis Tosetti

Producers: NNormal, Mountainlife, Jordi Lorenzo Català

Sometimes testing the limits forces you to look at a familiar place through different eyes. When Kilian Jornet returns to the Pyrenees, where he had spent time with his family as a child, he knows he wants to challenge himself by linking all the major 3000-metre peaks in just eight days. Along the way he observes retreating glaciers and experiences the blur of days into nights in his rediscovered homeland.

Oct. 26 | 7:30 pm | JBT | p. 22

Not available online

(Canada, 2024, 3 min)

Director: Scott Secco*

Producers: Scott Secco Films, Seb Kemp, Daniel Gillooley

Jackson Goldstone is a World Champion downhill mountain bike racer. He’s also fast on his trail bike. Watch as he floats through Vancouver’s iconic North Shore trails.

Nov. 2 | 9 am | JBT/MGT | p. 40

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Mountain Sports Shorts

Jamie (USA, 2023, 19 min)

Director: Darcy Hennessey*

Producer: Well Travelled Collective, Sarah Steele

Jamie Logan* — a pioneering alpinist — has climbed some of the most dangerous climbs in the world. But nothing felt as life-threatening as admitting that, at age 69, she wanted to begin a new life living as a woman. This is a film that shows that love and trust can be the ultimate act of rebellion.

Nov. 2 | 9 am | JBT/MGT | p. 40

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Alpine Shorts

Jackson Goldstone — Solo

Photos, from the films: Iniskim — Return of the Buffalo, photo by R Kautuk; Into the (Un)known, photo by David Ariño; Jackson Goldstone — Solo, photo by Liam Mullany; Jamie, photo by Tara Kerzhner

Jamrock

(USA, 2024, 17 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Gareth Leah*

Producer: Well Good Productions, Gareth Leah

Kai Lightner, a 12-time national US climbing champion and the visionary founder of Climb for Change embarks on a transformative mission into the heart of Jamaica’s emerging climbing community, where passion and determination thrive despite limited resources and recognition.

Nov. 2 | 7:30 pm | MBA | p. 41

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Climbing Shorts

Judy’s Creek

(USA, 2023, 5 min)

Directors: David Herasimtschuk, Jeremy Monroe

Producer: Freshwaters Illustrated, Jeremy Monroe

Dive into the world of caddisflies, the artisans of the aquatic world — as Dr. Judy Li shares how her childhood curiosity led to a career in freshwater science, and how she has found ways to share the joys of science with audiences of all ages.

Oct. 26 | 2 pm | JBT | p. 36

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Environmental Shorts

Karuara, People of the River

(Peru, 2024, 77 min)

Directors: Stephanie Boyd*, Miguel Araoz Cartagena

Producers: Asociación Quisca, Stephanie Boyd, Mariluz Canaquiri Murayari, Leonardo Tello Imaina

Beneath the waters of Peru’s Amazon lies a world of spirits led by the Karuara, the ‘people of the river’. A brave Indigenous woman and her family confront powerful interests to save their river and these sacred beings. In a world that puts a price tag on nature, this film takes viewers inside the magic and beauty of the Amazon region and reminds us of our sacred connection to water.

Oct. 27 | 2 pm | JBT | p. 37

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Feature Film

Keep it Burning

(France, 2024, 33 min)

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Director: Guillaume Broust

Producer: Petzl, Manu Moreau

The Karakoram is the wildest mountain range in the world and Nameless Tower beckons to climbers who approach. Edu Marín, his brother Alex and father Novato attempt the second free ascent of Eternal Flame 33 years after the first ascent by Wofgang Güllich and Kurt Albert, and 13 years after Alex and Thomas Huber’s first free ascent.

Oct. 26 | 2 pm | JBT | p. 36

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Alpine Shorts

* In person at the Festival

Photos, from the films: Jamrock, photo by Gaz Leah; Judy’s Creek, photo by David Herasimtschuk; Karuara, People of the River, photo by Miguel Araoz; Keep it Burning, photo by Edu Marín

Kentaro

(Australia, 2024, 15 min)

WORLD PREMIERE

Directors: Til Stewart, Gaku Matsuda

Producers: Glimmer Films, Til Stewart, Gaku Matsuda

Following the Great Japanese Earthquake, parents Miho and Hiro Yokobori abandoned their life in Tokyo to embrace a new beginning in the isolated mountain community of Kawakami. Kentaro’s birth — the first birth in the village in 25 years — injects a renewed sense of hope and vitality, countering Japan’s troubling trend of an ageing population and record low birth rates.

Oct. 26 | 2 pm | JBT | p. 36

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Culture Shorts

The Last Observers

(USA, 2024, 25 min)

Director: Maja K Mikkelsen

Producer: Patagonia Films, Adam Mikkelsen

For decades, every third hour around the clock, every day of the year, Karin Persson and Lennart Karlsson have gone outside to observe and record the weather. At one of the last manual weather stations on the planet, there are no days off.

Nov. 3 | 9 am | JBT/MGT | p. 42

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Culture Shorts

Last of the Monarchs

(USA, 2022, 10 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Directors: Grayson Schaffer, Ryan Heffernan

Producers: Talweg Creative, Kyle Dickman*

Giant sequoias are some of the largest, longest-lived, and most iconic trees on Earth and are highly adapted to fire. The inexorable effects of climate change present an imminent existential threat to this incredible species once thought to be impervious.

Nov. 1 | 7:30 pm | MBA | p. 39

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Environmental Shorts

The Last Skiers

(Italy, 2023, 12 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Veronica Ciceri*

Producer: Veronica Ciceri

Told by a generation of Italian skiers who have witnessed the slopes on which they learned to ski turn into arid, yellow hills, The Last Skiers is an urgent statement on the fragility of nature — as many European nations saw their warmest January day ever in 2023, with temperatures topping 20°C in some areas of northern Italy.

Nov. 2 | 7:30 pm | MBA | p. 41

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Environmental Shorts

Photos, from the films: Kentaro, photo by Gaku Matsuda; The Last Observers, photo by Maja K Mikkelsen; Last of the Monarchs, photo by Simon Reinert; The Last Skiers, photo by Veronica Ciceri

The Magnus Way

(Canada, 2024, 11 min)

WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Graeme Currie Meiklejohn*

Producer: Gradient Global, Miranda Miller

Magnus Manson* was the most promising up-and-coming downhill racer in Canada, but then his friends at the races began to notice his absence and slipping results.

Nov. 1 | 7:30 pm | MGT | p. 38

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Mountain Sports Shorts

Mataperra

(Canada, 2024, 22 min)

Director: Rachel Trudeau

Producer: Rachel Trudeau

Yelda embarks on a quest that drives her to achieve much more than her climbing dreams. She aspires to make a mark in history by becoming the first Cuban to conquer three legendary ascents.

Oct. 26 | 9 am | JBT | p. 36

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Climbing Shorts

The Meaningless Pursuit of Snow

(USA, 2024, 65 min)

Director: Michael J Brown*

Producer: Sweetgrass Productions, Zac Ramras*

An investigation into why people from across the globe are drawn to backcountry skiing and snowboarding in an attempt to capture that perfect moment.

Snow Show | Various Dates/Venues p. 37, 47

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Feature Film

Mongolia, Valley of the Bears

(France, 2023, 88 min)

Director: Hamid Sardar

Producer: Lato Sensu Productions, Muriel Barra

In Mongolia, Taiga forests and pure waters have kept an entire population nomadic for thousands of years. In the last 30 years, the rich natural resources have fallen prey to illegal hunters and miners, who are often locals. Appointed ranger Jal Tumursukh, a former hunter, now enforces the law of environmental protection, attempting to put an end to poaching but in the process also threatens cultural tradition.

Nov. 2 | 9 am | JBT/MGT | p. 40

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Feature Film

Photos, from the films: The Magnus Way, photo by Graeme Meiklejohn; Mataperra, photo by Jorge Luis Pimentel; The Meaningless Pursuit of Snow ; Mongolia, Valley of the Bears, photo by Zed

No Monastery No Village

(Nepal, 2024, 20 min)

Director: Tashi Lhazom*

Producers: Voices from the Roof of the World, Shanta Nepali Productions, Andrew Tkach, Shanta Nepali, Nimesh Puri

Halji village, in north-western Nepal, is a living museum which houses an 11th-century Buddhist monastery.

Unfortunately, the monastery lies just six kilometers below a dangerous glacier, the source of recent destructive flooding. Despite the danger, Buddhist monk Sonam and female yak herder Pema have chosen to stay in Halji, along with 500 other community residents.

Oct. 26 | 9 am | JBT | p. 36

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Culture Shorts

Nomad and Mare

(Canada, 2024, 26 min)

WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Emily Russell*

Producer: Emily Russell

A meditative documentary film chronicling the journey of a 20-yearold Canadian travelling 1100 kilometres across Spain and France on horseback.

Nov. 3 | 2 pm | JBT/MGT | p. 42

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Adventure Shorts

Oasis

(USA, 2024, 4 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Amon Barker*

Producer: Après Visuals, Rory Hibbler*

Oasis is an exploration into the spirit of freeride mountain biking. We follow Reed Boggs as he discovers, builds, and rides a top-to-bottom Red Bull Rampage-style line in the remote southern Utah desert.

Oct. 26 | 9 am | JBT | p. 36

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Mountain Sports Shorts

Odyssey of Loppa

(Norway, 2024, 15 min)

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Director: Anders Vestergaard*

Producers: Anders Vestergaard, Lisen Strøm*

Two Norwegian athletes, Thea and Lisen, go on an epic four day skitouring adventure exploring an Arctic peninsula.

Nov. 3 | 9 am | JBT/MGT | p. 42

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Snow Shorts

Photos, from the films: No Monastery No Village, photo by Amar Maharjan; Nomad and Mare; Oasis; Odyssey of Loppa, photo by Anders Vestegaard

Of a Lifetime

(Switzerland, 2024, 44 min)

Director: Jérôme Tanon

Producers: Sarl XDLR Suisse, Xavier de Le Rue, Beanie de Le Rue

Of a Lifetime is a celebration of discovery, adventure, and the passing of the torch to the next generation against the breathtaking backdrop of Antarctica. It chronicles the renowned de Le Rue family’s journey as Xavier, Victor, and 18-year-old Mila sail across the Drake Passage to ride the unimaginably steep icy lines of the white continent.

Snow Show | Various Dates/Venues

p. 37, 47

Not available online

Of the Black Sea

(USA, 2024, 38 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Hennie Van Jaarsveld*

Producer: Hennie Van Jaarsveld, Giray Dadali*

Join Turkic-American pro-skier, Giray Dadali, on his journey to answer a life-long question: Which has a greater influence, the heritage from which you descended or the culture in which you were raised?

Oct. 27 | 2 pm | JBT | p. 37

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Culture Shorts

Painting the Mountains

(France, 2024, 60 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Pierre Cadot

Producer: Picture Organic Clothing

El Chaltén, located under the shadow of the Fitz Roy massif in Patagonia, is home to a community of skiers dedicated to extreme conditions. Matthew Tufts returns home here every autumn to document steepskiing. This season, French skiers Aurélien Lardy, Vivian Bruchez, and Jules Socié aim to open new ski lines on the granite walls.

Nov. 2 | 7:30 pm | JBT | p. 40

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Feature Film

Photos, from the films: Of a Lifetime, photo by Jérôme Tanon; Of the Black Sea, photo by Ross Downard; Painting the Mountains, photo by Matthew Tufts

* In person at the Festival

Reel

Rock: Jirishanca

(USA, 2024, 32 min)

Directors: Peter Mortimer, Josh Lowell Producers: Reel Rock, Halle Johns, Zachary Barr

Renowned alpinists Josh Wharton and Vince Anderson attempt a free ascent of the Jirishanca, an epic 6000-metre peak in the Peruvian Andes. The duo will have to tackle 5.13 face climbing, horizontal ice roofs, technical mixed terrain, and treacherous snow mushrooms as they reconcile the inherent risk of climbing with their love of alpine adventure.

Oct. 27 | 9 am | JBT | p. 37

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Alpine Shorts

Reel Rock: With My Heart

(USA, 2024, 23 min)

Director: Andrea Cossu

Producers: Reel Rock, Andrea Cossu, Peter Mortimer, Takemi Suzuki, Halle Johns, Zachary Barr

Follow the philosophical journey of Japanese climbing phenom Sachi Amma, as he evolves from threetime world champion to traditional climbing purist, culminating in a visionary first ascent on the mythical Mt. Mizugaki.

Nov. 2 | 2 pm | JBT/MGT | p. 40

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Climbing Shorts

Reel Rock: Yeah Buddy

(USA, 2024, 28 min)

Director: Josh Lowell

Producers: Reel Rock, Peter Mortimer, Josh Lowell

Australian climber Angie ScarthJohnson, who first made her mark setting records at a young age, teams up with veteran adventure climber Hazel Findlay to explore the best of Mallorca’s deep-water soloing.

Nov. 1 | 7:30 pm | MBA | p. 39

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Climbing Shorts

Photos, from the films: Reel Rock: Jirishanca; Reel Rock: With My Heart; Reel Rock: Yeah Buddy

River Mamma

(USA, 2023, 11 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Sarah Hamilton*

Producer: Sarah Hamilton Film, Ryan Weigman

River Mamma follows Elisha McArthur*, a lifelong raft guide and single mom and her relationship with her teenage goth daughter, Charlotte, who has no interest in rivers at all.

Nov. 2 | 2 pm | JBT/MGT | p. 40

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Adventure Shorts

Roots

(USA, 2024, 12 min)

WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Danny Schmidt*

Producers: Gnarly Bay, 11th Hour Racing, Lauren Todd

In the Dominican Republic, baseball is more than just a sport — it’s a way of life. However, as the nation’s passion for baseball flourishes, its natural environment is under threat from rapid development. It requires dedicated individuals like Ismael to guide us back to solutions that harmonize with the environment.

Roots Run Deep ‘ROBIN’

(USA, 2024, 16 min)

Director: Craig Grant

Producer: Bag Carrier Films, Craig Grant

After five years of service in the New Zealand Army, Robin Goomes was at a crossroads. She had to decide whether to continue her career as a heavy machinery operator or to pursue her dream of becoming a professional mountain biker. But Robin had never competed outside New Zealand and despite the everpresent risk of injury looming, she decides to roll the dice.

Nov. 2 | 7:30 pm | JBT | p. 40

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Mountain Sports Shorts

Run for Life

(Lebanon, 2024, 78 min)

WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Bachar Khattar*

Producer: B.beirut films, Bachar Khattar Ali Kedami is a 60-year-old man. A father. A painter. An ultrarunner. He stumbles across the sport well into his forties, in his quest to find answers to his daughter’s condition. He decides to run the world for her in order to deliver her a message: you can achieve anything you want as long as you have the will and the determination.

Nov. 1 | 7:30 pm | MBA | p. 39

Nov. 2 | 7 pm | LUX | p. 47

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Feature Film

Nov. 1 | 7:30 pm | MGT | p. 38

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Environmental Shorts

Photos, from the films:

River Mamma; Roots, photo by

Corinna Halloran; Roots Run Deep ‘ROBIN ’; Run for Life

Sadpara

(Italy, 2024, 51 min)

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Director: Gabriele Canu*

Producer: feelms, Gabriele Canu

Sadpara is a journey through the heart of Pakistan’s mountains that explores the bond that unites its people with the high lands. What emerges is the simple routine of a small community, strong and pristine in character, set against the immensity of the Karakoram landscape.

Nov. 2 | 7:30 pm | MBA | p. 41

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Feature Film

Searching for Amani

(USA, 2024, 76 min)

Director: Nicole Gormley, Debra Aroko

Producers: Backroads Pictures, Nicole Gormley Films, Nicole Gormley, Peter Goetz, Mungai Kiroga, Caryn Capotosto

A 13-year-old aspiring journalist investigates his father’s mysterious murder within the boundaries of one of Kenya’s largest wildlife conservancies. As a ravaging drought encroaches, his quest to find the killer shifts and an activist is born as the collateral damage of a warming world is revealed. This documentary is a complex nuanced story with shades of grey where realities are revealed through the intimate lens of a young boy who comes of age in a changing world.

Nov. 1 | 8 pm | artsPlace | p. 47

Not available online

Shadows in the Understory

(Canada, 2024, 4 min)

WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Calvin Huth

Producer: Calvin Huth

A creative, season-blending mountain bike film that captures the beauty of Vancouver Island.

Nov. 2 | 7:30 pm | MGT | p. 41

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Adventure Shorts

Silvicola

(Canada, 2023, 79 min)

Director: Jean-Philippe Marquis*

Producer: Jean-Philippe Marquis Filmmaking, Jean-Philippe Marquis

Set amongst the rugged forests and shorelines of the British Columbia, Silvicola is a tableau of the complex web of cultural and economic forces which compel and constrain modern forestry practices. A story told through the eyes of an eclectic mix of characters whose lives and livelihoods are intimately entangled with the forest, Silvicola employs sinuating vignettes and industrial soundscapes to explore the tensions and dilemmas between commodification and conservation.

Nov. 3 | 2 pm | JBT/MGT | p. 42

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Feature Film (Canada only)

Photos, from the films: Sadpara, photo by Gabriele Canu; Searching for Amani; Shadows In The Understory; Silvicola, photo by JP Marquis

Sliding

(United States Virgin Islands, 2024, 4 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Directors: Katie Tannenbaum*, Matiss Spaile

Producers: Katie Tannenbaum, Juris Kudeiko

A short mountain sports film showcasing the sledding sport of skeleton.

Radical Reels | Various Dates/Venues p. 38, 47

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Radical Reels

The Smoke that Thunders

(Canada, 2024, 4 min)

WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Caleb Roberts*

Producer: Caleb Roberts

Aiming to paddle the fabled Minus rapids at the base of Victoria Falls on the Zambezi river, Ben Marr’s biggest challenge is to access them by trekking upstream. A total assault on the senses awaits as the force of the river speaks for itself.

Radical Reels | Various Dates/Venues p. 38, 47

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Radical Reels

Soul Flyers

(France, 2024, 18 min)

Director: Thibault Gachet

Producer: TG films, Thibault Gachet, Guillaume Peyrot

20 years after the creation of the first-generation Soul Flyers team by Reunion Island native Loïc Jean-Albert, new-generation team members Fred Fugen and Vincent Cotte return to the island where it all began, to keep the Soul Flyers spirit alive.

Oct. 27 | 2 pm | JBT | p. 37

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Mountain Sports Shorts

Stories We Have Earned: The Stoney Nakoda

Film Project

(Canada, 2024, 87 min)

Director: Cody Lefthand*

Producer: Stoney Film Project Ltd, Gary Burns*

Stories We Have Earned: The Stoney Nakoda Film Project examines the exploitation of the Stoney Nakoda people’s culture and customs for entertainment purposes through their involvement in Banff Indian Days, the Calgary Stampede, and the dozens of Hollywood films they participated in.

Oct. 26 | 7:30 pm | MGT | p. 36

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Feature Film

Photos, from the films: Sliding; The Smoke that Thunders, photo by Caleb Roberts; Soul Flyers, photo by Vincent Cotte; Stories We Have Earned: The Stoney Nakoda Film Project

Streets to the Peaks

(UK, 2023, 29 min)

Director: Andy Ashworth

Producer: Cut Media, Sami Young

Twelve young athletes are here to change the world, defy the odds, and show that nothing is impossible. From city streets to the epic alpine trail race at UTMB, this documentary captures their emotive and powerful journey to inspire change.

Nov. 3 | 2 pm | JBT/MGT | p. 42

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Mountain Sports Shorts

Tamina

(Switzerland, 2024, 108 min)

WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Beat Oswald*

Producer: Conobs GmbH, Beat Oswald Wolves are returning to the Swiss Alps, and Beat Oswald is determined to find them. To do this, he settles in the small town of Vättis in Tamina, a remote mountain valley. Yet as he searches for traces of the wolf, it is mostly humans he comes across as the journey unfolds into a multilayered quest. Tamina provokes and surprises viewers as it crosses the cinematic genres of mystery, wildlife documentary and thriller.

Nov. 2 | 2pm | artsPlace | p. 47

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Feature Film

Taras

(USA, 2024, 12 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Zeppelin Zeerip

Producers: Matchstick Productions, Steve Winter, Murray Wais

In March 2022, Taras Bihus hung up his snowboard boots and volunteered for the Ukrainian military. Having spent years competing throughout Europe, he knew the next chapter of life would bring him far from the peace of the mountains.

Oct. 27 | 9 am | JBT | p. 37

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Snow Shorts

Photos, from the films: Streets to the Peaks, photo by Jered Gruber; Tamina, photo by Samuel Weniger; Taras

Undammed

(USA, 2024, 17 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Shane Anderson

Producers: Patagonia Films, Swiftwater Films, Shane Anderson

After witnessing a massive fish kill on her ancestral home waters, Yurok tribal attorney Amy Bowers Cordalis dedicated her life to reversing the generations-long destruction wrought by the Klamath River dams. Undammed follows her journey to free the Klamath, from testifying before Congress to passing down fishing traditions within her young family.

Nov. 2 | 9 am | JBT/MGT | p. 40

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Environmental Shorts

Usugilix Awakun

(USA, 2023, 12 min)

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Director: Matt Mikkelsen, Palmer Morse

Producer: Spruce Tone, Kanesia McGlashanPrice, Shayla Shaishnikoff

In the waters off the remote island of Iluulux^, Alaska, toxic algal blooms are increasingly infecting filter feeding shellfish with unknown causation. When a community member dies from eating blue mussels, Unangax^ scientist Shayla begins working with her tribe to research and understand the harmful blooms.

Nov. 2 | 7:30 pm | MBA | p. 41

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Environmental Shorts

Via Sedna (Austria, 2024, 91 min)

Director: Ramona Waldner, Alex Brugger* Producer: LM.Media, Markus Bauer*

Against the odds and with only three days of decent weather, a team of eight women who speak different languages bond to overcome months of stormy seas on a fifteen-metre sailboat as they sail north to attempt a new route on Northern Sun Spire in Greenland.

Oct. 27 | 9 am | JBT | p. 37

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Feature Film

Photos, from the films: Undammed; Usugilix Awakun, photo by Palmer Morse; Via Sedna, photo by Ramona Waldner * In person at the Festival

Welcome to the Pit

(Canada, 2024, 15 min)

WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Seth Gillis*

Producer: Charlène Brochu

In 2011, Steve Matthews had a bright idea. With his kids completely hooked on snowboarding, he rallied a few friends and set out to build Yellowknife’s first and only rope tow.

Oct. 26 | 7:30 pm | JBT | p. 36

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Snow Shorts

What Brings You Up There

(France, 2024, 20 min)

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Director: Nathanaël Sapey-triomphe

Producer: Anth Film, Nathanaël Sapey-triomphe

In his infinite quest of always trying to achieve more, para-alpinist Nathanaël Sapey-triomphe keeps running as far as possible from himself. What Brings You Up There (Pourquoi tu vas là-haut?) follows Nathanaël hopping from one expedition to another, questioning the reasons that bring him back to the alpine again and again.

Nov. 1 | 7:30 pm | MGT | p. 38

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Mountain Sports Shorts

Wild Aerial

(Canada, 2024, 17 min)

WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Trixie Pacis*

Producers: Figment Films, Trixie Pacis, Sasha Galitzki*

Blending techniques from the disparate worlds of mountaineering and acrobatics, adventure aerialist Sasha Galitzki performs gravitydefying routines in subzero temperatures in Banff and Jasper National Parks, all without being tied in.

Oct. 27 | 9 am | JBT | p. 37

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Canada-only Shorts

Photos, from the films: Welcome to the Pit; What Brings You Up There?; Wild Aerial, photo by Kris Andres

Wild Days

(France, 2024, 83 min)

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Director: Yohan Guignard

Producer: L’Endroit, Pascal Barneville

Four friends from Savoie have a crazy idea: 50 days of self-sufficiency in Alaska’s Denali massif. Wild Days takes us on a gruelling overland journey to a place where time drifts, spirits wander off, and where friendships are created and then tested by commitment.

Oct. 26 | 9 am | JBT | p. 36

Oct. 27 | 7:30 pm | artsPlace | p. 47,

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Feature Film

Wildflowers

(Canada, 2024, 37 min)

WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Trixie Pacis*

Producers: Figment Films, Meghan J. Ward*, Trixie Pacis

Mountain writer Meghan J. Ward recruits a team of creative women to revisit Mary Schäffer Warren’s 1908 expedition to Maligne Lake, in Jasper National Park. Blending backcountry adventures with historical research, Wildflowers demonstrates that sometimes we must look back to blaze a better trail forward.

Nov. 2 | 10 am | MBA | p. 40

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Canada-only Shorts

Wolf of Wingsuit

(Australia, 2023, 4 min)

Director: Aaron Garcia*

Producer: Aaron Garcia

The beautiful and towering mountains of Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, are a paradise for BASE jumpers and wingsuit professionals seeking thrills during the off-season. Avalon, an American wingsuit pilot, and a Filipino-Australian documentary filmmaker unite to capture Avalon’s audacious quest to leap from the mountainside as many times as humanly possible.

Radical Reels | Various Dates/Venues p. 38, 47

ONLINE: Nov. 6 – 13 | Radical Reels

Photos, from the films: Wild Days; Wildflowers, photo by Natalie Gillis; Wolf of Wingsuit, photo by Aaron Garcia * In person at the Festival

Events Schedule

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26

Morning Mixed Films

9 am – 12 pm | JBT | $32-42

Oasis p. 26

Mataperra p. 25

No Monastery No Village p. 26

The Bird in my Backyard p. 14

BREAK, 15 MIN

Wild Days p. 35

Afternoon Mixed Films

2 – 5 pm | JBT | $32-42

Judy’s Creek p. 23

Kentaro p. 24

A Team Sport p. 12

Keep it Burning p. 23

BREAK, 15 MIN

Bring Them Home p. 15

Dawa Yangzum Sherpa and Films

7:30 pm | JBT | $32-42

Kick off the Festival on opening night with the remarkable mountaineer Dawa Yangzum Sherpa! Dawa Yangzum summited Everest at age 21, went on to become one of just over 100 women worldwide to earn an International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations certification, and was part of the first all-female team from Nepal to reach the summit of K2. She joins us in Banff for an onstage interview with Nikki Tate.

The Summit of Excellence Award will be presented at the beginning of this program.

Speaker presentation followed by films:

Welcome to the Pit p. 34

Body of a Line p. 15

Above Sinai p. 12

Into the (Un)known p. 22

Draw prize sponsored by YETI

Stories We Have Earned: The Stoney Nakoda Film Project

7:30 pm | MGT | FREE (Ticket required)

See p. 31

EVENT CATEGORY:

Feature Film

Mixed Film Program

Speaker Event

Accessible Program

Free Event

Body of a Line

Dawa Yangzum Sherpa

Photos: Courtesy of Dawa Yangzum Sherpa; from the films Body of a Line; Reel Rock Jirishanca; Boundless: A Sam Anthamatten Portrait, photo by Frederik Kalbermatten; 2 Legs is 2 Easy, photo by Tamara Susa

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27

Morning Mixed Films

9 am – 12 pm | JBT | $32-42

Fall Harvest p. 18

Reel Rock: Jirishanca p. 28

Taras p. 32

Wild Aerial p. 34

BREAK, 15 MIN

Via Sedna p. 33

Afternoon Mixed Films

2 – 5 pm | JBT | $32-42

Carved From Stone p. 16

Soul Flyers p. 31

Feeling the Apocalypse p. 19

Of the Black Sea p. 27

BREAK, 15 MIN

Karuara, People of the River p. 23

Snow Show

7:30 pm | JBT | $32-38

Waist deep pow, big air, steep and deep couloirs and sick lines are all in the cards for Snow Show. Join us at this favourite big screen event that rings in the riding season!

Boundless: A Sam Anthamatten Portrait p. 15

Home From Home p. 20

Of a Lifetime p. 27

BREAK, 15 MIN

2 Legs is 2 Easy p. 11

The Meaningless Pursuit of Snow p. 25

Sponsored by

LOCATION KEY:

JBT Jenny Belzberg Theatre

MBA Max Bell Auditorium

MGT Margaret Greenham Theatre

For screenings at Lux Cinema Banff and artsPlace Canmore, see page 47.

Reel Rock: Jirishanca

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28

Radical Reels

7:30 pm | JBT/MGT (simulcast)

$32-38

High adrenaline films surging with energy and good vibes all presented on the big screen. Epic adventures and fearless athletes abound, one of Banff's most popular programs!

Eliot Jackson – Drop the Mic p. 18

Backyard p. 14

Wolf of Wingsuit p. 35

Dropping Molly p. 17

BREAK, 15 MIN

Sliding p. 31

The Smoke that Thunders p. 31

Anytime p. 13

Sponsored by

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31 Anytime

Dirtbag Café –Bronwyn Hodgins

7:30 pm | Rose and Crown | $20 Get Tickets: Banff Centre Box Office

Enjoy a social night in downtown Banff hearing stories from Bronwyn Hodgins, a professional rock climber and guide based out of Squamish, BC. She is known as the first Canadian woman to free climb the 1000-metre face of El Capitan in Yosemite, has climbed up to 13d trad and 14c sport, and has established new routes on remote big walls in Greenland and on Baffin Island.

Draw prize sponsored by Rab

For screenings at Lux Cinema Banff and artsPlace Canmore, see page 47.

John Vaillant, Book Awards – and For Winter Film Premiere

7:30 pm | JBT | $32-42

John Vaillant, the award-winning bestselling author of The Golden Spruce and The Tiger, joins us in Banff to talk about his latest book Fire Weather – a panoramic exploration of the rapidly changing relationship between fire and humankind, where in our new age of intensifying climate change we are seeing the destructive power of fire unleashed in previously unimaginable ways.

This program begins with a presentation of the 2024 Banff Mountain Book Awards.

Followed by film:

For Winter p. 19

Book signings with John Vaillant and winning authors in attendance will be held during intermission.

Draw prize sponsored by Arc'teryx

John Vaillant

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Beth Rodden –and Films

7:30 pm | JBT | $32-42

ACCESSIBLE — See p.9

One of the best female rock climbers of our time, Beth Rodden joins us in Banff to share A Light Through the Cracks, her inspiring new memoir about overcoming devastating trauma, refusing to be held hostage by fear, and taking a leap toward healing. She will be joined by author Eva Holland for an in-depth interview

Presentation followed by films:

Canyon Chorus p. 16

Farming Turns p. 18

Adra p. 13

Draw prize sponsored by Kicking Horse Coffee

Evening Mixed Films

7:30 pm | MGT | $38

Roots p. 29

What Brings You up There p. 34

The Magnus Way p. 25

Darkhorse p. 16

BREAK, 15 MIN

Ashima p. 13

Evening Mixed Films

7:30 pm | MBA | $38

Reel Rock: Yeah Buddy p. 28

Between the Lines p. 14

Ghost Resorts: Japan p. 20

Last of the Monarchs p. 24

BREAK, 15 MIN

Run for Life p. 29

*Programs subject to change.

Beth Rodden

Adra

Ashima

Roots

Photos: From the film Anytime, photo by Sterling Lorence; photos courtesy of John Vaillant and Beth Rodden; from the films Adra, photo by Lena Drapella; Ashima, photo by Kenji Tsukamoto; Roots, photo by Corinna Halloran

Mongolia, Valley of the Bears

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2

ALL DAY FILMS: JBT | $70-78

HALF DAY FILMS: MGT | $38

Morning Mixed Films

9 am – 12 pm | JBT/MGT

Jackson Goldstone – Solo p. 22

All in or Nothing p. 13

Undammed p. 33

Jamie p. 22

BREAK, 15 MIN

Mongolia, Valley of the Bears p. 25

Afternoon Mixed Films

2 – 5 pm | JBT/MGT

I Am the Nature p. 21

House of Bliss p. 21

River Mamma p. 29

How the Land Remembers Us p. 21

Reel Rock: With my Heart p. 28

BREAK, 15 MIN

Champions of the Golden Valley p. 16

*Programs subject to change.

Bow Valley Filmmakers Showcase

10 am | MBA | $25

Iniskim – Return of the Buffalo p. 22

Find Me Outside p. 19 Wildflowers p. 35

Diving into the Darkness

1:30 pm | MBA | $25 p. 17

Riders on the Storm –and Films

7:30 pm | JBT | $32-42

In February 2024, 33 years after the original German ascent, climbers Siebe Vanhee, Sean VillanuevaO’Driscoll, Nicolas Favresse and Drew Smith made the first free ascent of the legendary line, Riders on the Storm in Patagonia, spending a wild and wooly 18 days on the wall. The trio of alpinists — Siebe, Nicolas, and Sean — joins us for an evening of tall tales and musical interludes.

Presentation followed by films: 109 Below p. 11

Roots Run Deep ‘ROBIN’ p. 29

Painting the Mountains p. 27

Draw prize sponsored by Oboz Footwear

–Return of the Buffalo

Going East

The Giants

7:30 pm | MGT | $25

ACCESSIBLE — See p. 9

Shadows in the Understory p. 30

The Giants p. 20

Evening Mixed Films

7:30 pm | MBA | $38

Usugilix Awakun p. 33

Jamrock p. 23

The Last Skiers p. 24

BREAK, 15 MIN

Sadpara p. 30

Going East p. 20

Iniskim

Riders on the Storm

The Giants

Photos: From the films Mongolia, Valley of the Bears, photo by Zed; I Am the Nature, photo by Talieisn Black-Brown; Iniskim – Return of the Buffalo, photo by R Kautuk; Riders on the Storm event, photo by Drew Smith; The Giants

Final Day

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3

ALL DAY FILMS: JBT | $70-78

HALF DAY FILMS: MGT | $38

Morning Mixed Films

9 am – 12 pm | JBT/MGT

Footprints on Katmai p. 19

Odyssey of Loppa p. 26

Ian p. 21

The Last Observers p. 24

BREAK, 15 MIN

Big Water Theory p. 14

Afternoon Mixed Films

2 – 5 pm | JBT/MGT

Canafornia p. 15

Embracing the Grim p. 18

Nomad and Mare p. 26

Streets to the Peaks p. 32

BREAK, 15 MIN

Silvicola p. 30

Kids Program

2 & 3 pm | MBA | FREE No ticket required.

A selection of family-friendly films for everyone to enjoy!

Note: Both screenings show the same films and are 30 minutes long.

Sponsored by

LOCATION KEY:

JBT Jenny Belzberg Theatre

MBA Max Bell Auditorium

MGT Margaret Greenham Theatre

Best of the Festival

Various Venues | $32-38

It's a night not to be missed! The international film jury announces film award winners and a selection of the winning films will be screened.

Note: Films screened are not confirmed until the jury finalizes the award winners on November 3, and the program will be announced following the film award presentations.

Awards Presentation

and Films:

7:30 pm | JBT | $32-38

Draw prize sponsored by BUFF®

Films only:

8 pm | MGT | $35

8 pm | Lux/artsPlace | $35

Subject to change.

Big Water Theory

Embracing the Grim

Photos: From the films Big Water Theory, photo by Emile Dominé; Embracing the Grim, photo by Megan Moss; Festival finalist book covers Eric Blehm, Ben Goldfarb, Bernadette McDonald, Simon Carter

Book

FESTIVAL READING ROOM

Elder Tom Crane Bear Room, MBB

Relax and read 2024 Festival Book Competition entries.

Nov. 2 and 3

9:30 am – 5 pm

Nov. 4

9:30 am – 5 pm

Nov. 5

9:30 am – 4 pm

LOCATION KEY:

KCCI Kinnear Centre

MBB Max Bell Building

RMB Rocky Mountain Books

Signings

Eric Blehm

Oct. 31 | 11:30 am

MBB Lobby

Nov. 2 | 10 am

KCCI Pages Booth

Simon Carter

Nov. 1 | 4:30 pm

MBB Lobby

Nov. 2 | 1 pm

KCCI Pages Booth

Gloria Dickie

Faye Latham

Nov. 2 | 6 pm | MBB Lobby

Nov. 3 | 1 pm

KCCI Pages Booth

Jane Marshall

Nov. 2 | 4 pm

KCCI RMB Booth

Lynn Martel

Nov. 2 | 5 pm

KCCI RMB Booth

Bernadette McDonald

Nov. 1 | 2 pm | MBB Lobby

Nov. 2 | 12 pm

KCCI RMB Booth

Christopher Pollon

Nov. 2 | 10 am

Nov. 2 | 6 pm | MBB Lobby

Jamey Glasnovic

Nov. 2 | 6 pm | MBB Lobby

Nov. 3 | 11 am

KCCI RMB Booth

Ben Goldfarb

Nov. 1 | 4:30 pm

MBB Lobby

Nov. 2 | 12 pm

KCCI Pages Booth

Geoff Powter

Nov. 1 | 11:30 am

MBB Lobby

Nov. 2 | 11 am

KCCI RMB Booth

Nandini Purandare & Deepa Balsavar

Oct. 31 | 4:30 pm

MBB Lobby

Nov. 2 | 11 am

KCCI Pages Booth

BOOK WINNERS SIGNING

q apkiǂ

Nov. 2 | 2 pm

KCCI Pages Booth

Beth Rodden

Nov. 1 | 9 pm | JBT Lobby

Chad Sayers

Oct. 31 | 11:30 am | MBB Lobby

Nov. 1 | 5 pm

KCCI RMB Booth

D.L. Stephen

Nov. 2 | 3 pm

KCCI RMB Booth

Sonja Swift

Oct. 31 | 4:30 pm | MBB Lobby

Nov. 1 | 6 pm

KCCI RMB Booth

John Vaillant

Oct. 31 | 9 pm | JBT Lobby

Meghan Ward

Nov. 3 | 1 pm

KCCI RMB Booth

Paul Zizka

Nov. 3 | 2 pm

KCCI RMB Booth

Oct. 31 | 9 pm | JBT Lobby | John Vaillant, Book Awards – and For Winter Book winners will sign during intermission.

Mountain Books

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31

Eric Blehm and Chad Sayers

10 am | MBA | $20

Freeskier Chad Sayers has graced dozens of magazine covers, starred in film projects, and has made his way through over 60 countries on six continents, whether searching out the perfect ski run, the perfect wave, or the perfect light. His photography book Overexposure: A Story About a Skier was a finalist in the 2022 Banff Mountain Book Competition.

In his new book The Darkest White, Eric Blehm shares the life story of Craig Kelly – a heartbreaking but extraordinary and inspiring odyssey of a legendary snowboarder whose athletic prowess and innovations would revolutionize winter sports, take him around the globe, and push him into ever more extreme environments that would ultimately take his life.

Cory Richards

12:30 pm | MBA | $20

The Color of Everything is a thrilling tale of risk and adventure by renowned climber and National Geographic photographer Cory Richards. But it is also the story of a tumultuous life – a stirring, lyrical memoir that captures the profound musings of an unquiet mind grappling with the meaning of success, the cost of fame and addiction and whether it is possible to outrun your demons. Jack Tackle joins Cory for an in-depth interview.

Nandini Purandare, Deepa Balsavar and Sonja Swift 3 pm | MBA | $20

Headstrap: Legends and Lore from the Climbing Sherpas of Darjeeling is a captivating chronicle by authors Nandini Purandare and Deepa Balsavar that weaves a vivid tapestry and delves into the untold story of a group of people who have played a significant role in mountain exploration and climbing in the Himalayas.

Sonja Swift’s Echo Loba, Loba Echo is a story about the metaphor of the wolf and how this is echoed in the lives and minds of people. It is a story about wolves’ own cultures, survival stories, acts of rebellion, and vital roles in maintaining healthy territories – and what wolves show us about ourselves.

Photos: Chad Sayers; Eric Blehm, photo by Callia Blehm; Photo by Cory Richards; Sonja Swift; Nandini Purandare and Deepa Balsavar; Jim Donini; Bernadette McDonald; Simon Carter; Ben Goldfarb

Programs will be followed by book signings with the authors.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Voices of Adventure –Jim Donini

10 am | MBA | $20

Climber Jim Donini set free climbing standards in Yosemite Valley in the 70s, established bold new routes in Alaska, pioneered first ascents in Patagonia, and more recently explored remote peaks on the edge of the Northern Patagonia icecap. Geoff Powter, author of Survival is Not Assured: The Life of Climber Jim Donini, will interview Donini –diving into a remarkable life story, exploring groundbreaking climbs and tumultuous experiences both on and off the rock.

Bernadette McDonald

12:30 pm | MBA | $20

TALES AND ALES

Nov. 2 | 4:30 pm

MBA | Cash Bar | FREE

See p. 49 for details.

The name of Maurice Herzog, the first man to reach the summit of Annapurna, is recognized, but how many know Ang Tharkay, the Sherpa who carried the seriously frostbitten Herzog on his back for miles? Rarely mentioned in accounts of early expeditions, local climbers have been significant members of first ascents on the world’s tallest and most challenging peaks. In Alpine Rising, award-winning writer Bernadette McDonald sets the record straight by shining a light on these too often forgotten heroes.

*Programs subject to change.

Simon Carter and Ben Goldfarb

3 pm | MBA | $20

ACCESSIBLE — See p. 9

Simon Carter’s decades-long photography career in Australia and awe-inspiring locations around the globe is showcased in his latest book. The Art of Climbing provides endless inspiration for aspirational outdoor climbers – and anyone keen to graduate from inside climbing walls –and seasoned climbers alike.

While roads are so ubiquitous they’re practically invisible to us, wild animals experience them as entirely alien forces of death and disruption. In Crossings, environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb travels throughout the United States and around the world to investigate how roads have transformed our planet.

This program will have live ASL interpretation.

artsPlace &

Enjoy a night out in downtown Banff or Canmore and catch favourite films and rescreenings of films you may have missed earlier in the week.

artsPlace Screenings Sponsored by

artsPlace 950, 8th Avenue, Canmore artsplacecanmore.com

Lux Events

artsPlace Screenings

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27

Wild Days 7:30 pm | $20

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28

Bring Them Home 7:30 pm | $20

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29

Snow Show Repeat 7:30 pm | $30

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31

Radical Reels Repeat 7:30 pm | $30

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Searching for Amani 8 pm | $20

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2

Tamina

2 pm | $20

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3

A Gift From Kei Taniguchi 2 pm | $20

Best of the Festival 8 pm | $35

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31

Snow Show Repeat 8 pm | $30

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Radical Reels Repeat 7 pm | 10 pm | $30

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2

Snow Show Repeat 2 pm | $30

Run for Life

7 pm | $20 Ashima 9:30 pm | $20

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3

Big Water Theory 2 pm | $20

Best of the Festival 8 pm | $35

Lux Cinema, 229 Bear Street, Banff Tickets at the door or at luxbanff.com

Free Events

AND PARTNER EVENTS

All events on pages 43 – 51 are free, except partner events where noted.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26

Arc’teryx x Monods Run

9:30 am | Monods Sports

Led by Arc'teryx athletes, this 7-8km intermediate friendly trail run will move through some stunning scenery in Banff National Park, with after run refreshments and celebration at Monod Sports. Registration required.

Festival Opening Reception

5 pm | MBB Lobby | Cash Bar

Join us to open the 49th Festival, celebrate the recipients of the 2024 Summit of Excellence Award and enjoy Faye Latham’s exhibit, British Mountaineers.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27

Festival Happy Hour, hosted by Wild Life Distillery

5 – 7:30 pm | JBT Patio

Happy Hour drink specials and sampling, music, campfire conversation and games.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28

Festival Happy Hour, hosted by Wild Life Distillery

6 – 7:30 pm | JBT Patio

Happy Hour drink specials and sampling music, campfire conversation and games.

Mountain Voices and Echoes

7 pm | Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies

Join us for a moderated conversation to discuss mountain voices in mountaineering and skiing from the Swiss Alps to the Rockies. Registration required.

LOCATION KEY:

JBT Jenny Belzberg Theatre

KCCI Kinnear Centre for Creativity and Innovation

MBA Max Bell Auditorium

MBB Max Bell Building

SBB Sally Borden Building

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30

Meet us on the Mat, hosted by Lolë

6 – 7 pm | Lolë Store, Banff

Meet us on the mat for an hour of meditative and relaxing yoga. Registration required.

Mountain Ski and Trivia Night

7 – 9 pm | Wild Life Distillery, Canmore

It’s time to put your outdoor knowledge to the test — expect a mix of fun questions covering everything from epic ski films to legendary mountain feats, all designed to challenge mountain enthusiasts of any level! Hosted by SkiUphill RunUphill.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31

Arc'teryx x Monods After Party

8 pm | Secret Location!

We’re celebrating film and community with a special after party — at a secret location! Tickets required.

Festival Happy Hour, hosted by Wild Life Distillery

6 – 7:30 pm | JBT Patio

Happy Hour drink specials and sampling, music, campfire conversation and games.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Festival Happy Hour, hosted by Wild Life Distillery

6 – 7:30 pm | JBT Patio

Happy Hour drink specials and sampling music, campfire conversation and games.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2

Sunrise Hike

6:30 am | KCCI, 2nd floor

Join Oboz Footwear, BUFF®, Kicking Horse Coffee, Yeti, and Kahtoola for a sunrise hike up Sacred Guardian Buffalo Mountain. Alison Criscitiello in person. Registration required.

Nikon Photo Walk

8 am | KCCI, south entrance

Join wilderness photography and Nikon Canada ambassador Kristian Bogner for a free instructional photo walk in Banff. Registration required.

Climb with the

Pros:

Bronwyn Hodgins & Connor Runge

12:30 & 2:30 pm | SBB | Requires SBB day pass.

Join professional climbers and Rab athletes, Bronwyn Hodgins and Connor Runge for a climbing session, practice technique, get some tech-tips, and chat about their epic adventures. Sign up required — two sessions available. $16 day pass. (Free with SBB membership)

Art Walk

2 pm | JBT Trees

Explore the Photo Jury Showcase, Emily Beaudoin’s exhibit Daybreak, and Faye Latham’s exhibit British Mountaineers, with photographers and artists in attendance.

Tales and Ales

4:30 pm | MBA

Partake in heady tales from three authors as they read from new work — a perfect pairing of adventure and wildlife, with a splash of poetry. Supported by Wild Rose Brewery.

Festival Happy Hour, hosted by ACC/YETI

5 – 7:30 pm | KCCI, 2nd floor

Purchase your signature Festival Yeti for a minimum $30 donation, receive a complimentary beverage provided by Wild Rose Brewery and Core Values Cider Co. Proceeds support the Alpine Club of Canada Facilities Fund.

Festival Happy Hour, hosted by Wild Life Distillery

5 – 7:30 pm | JBT Patio

Happy Hour drink specials and sampling music, campfire conversation, and games.

POW Pre-Season Stoke Party, presented by Rab

9 pm | Rose and Crown Banff | $20

Join us for an unforgettable party, as we celebrate the kickoff of the winter season and raise funds for POW Canada to protect our future ski adventures! Tickets required.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3

Mountains and Mimosas: Art with Emily Beaudoin 9:30 am | KCCI 301

A morning of art and inspiration hosted by Rab, with Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival tee artist Emily Beaudoin. Art supplies provided, registration required.

Kids

Program

2 pm and 3 pm | MBA

A selection of family-friendly films for the whole family to enjoy! The same film program will be shown twice.

View details and registration links for all free events here. filmfest.banffcentre.ca/schedule

Photos: Happy Hour, by Abigaile Edwards; courtesy of Nikon Photo Walk, photo by Monika Deviat

Kinnear Centre, 1st Floor All events on the Rab Stage are free. No registration required.

Stage

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Ana Caroline de Lima — Sempre Viva 4 pm

Sempre-Viva is a flower endemic to Brazil's only mountain range where a community of flower pickers have had their way of life recognized by the United Nations. Photographer Ana Caroline de Lima will present stories and photos about the Sempre-Viva.

Rab Athletes — In Search of the Qhapaq Ñan

5:30 pm

In late 2023, two Latino friends, Leonardo Brasil and Adam Pawlikiewicz Mesa, embarked on a bicycle odessey in search of the oldest trail system in South America, the Qhapaq Ñan. Leo and Adam join us on the Rab Stage to share stories from this trip.

Peter Mather

Photos: Mountain Ghosts by Peter Mather; Photo Rodeo, Evan Wong

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2

The Enormocast, Live with Barry Blanchard

10 am

The Enormocast podcast features deep and engaging interviews with some of the biggest names in climbing. Barry Blanchard joins host Chris Kalous for this live interview for The Enormocast.

Impact Storytelling and Environmental Documentaries

11:30 am

Documentary films may be one of the most effective tools for conveying authentic messages about climate change that inspire conservation and ultimately lead to action and real world impact. Join storytelling experts as they share best practices and visions for both the planet and the creative genre.

Indigenous Dialogue — qapkiǂ

1 pm

q̓apkiǂ is the Ktunaxa verb for telling someone everything and is the title of a new book that shares generations of Ktunaxa Indigenous wisdom, creation stories and ways of life. Join Elder Lillian Rose and other contributors for a lively discussion about their project.

Take Me Outside

3:15 pm

A screening of the winning short film from the Take Me Outside contest.

Filmmakers Forum — The Art of Short Film

3:30 pm | ACCESSIBLE

Join five women filmmakers from this year's festival as they discuss why short films rule and how they can set your career in motion. This program will have live ASL interpretation.

Festival Photo Rodeo

5 pm

The Photo Rodeo continues for its second year as four photographers go head-to-head presenting their best shots and telling stories of life in the field. Hosted by Paul Zizka and supported by Paul Zizka Photography.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3

Where Did it Come From, Where is it Going? — The Lifecycle of your Outdoor Gear

10 am

Join JoJo Das, Executive Director of the Sea to Sky Outdoor Adventure Recreation Enterprise, in conversation with representatives from Arc’teryx, Rab, ANEW Climate, and KORE as they explore what a sustainable outdoor apparel and gear industry looks like.

Writers Forum – Creativity in Storytelling

11:30 am

Writers, publishers, and editors attending this year's festival discuss the creative process and the challenges of telling a good story. Hosted by Don Gorman, Rocky Mountain Books.

Filmmakers Forum — Ideas for Funding Your Project

1 pm

Join finalist filmmakers from this year's festival as they discuss funding, pitching and ideas for securing sponsorship. Hosted by Jimmy Hopper.

Peter Mather — Banff Mountain Photo Essay Winner, Mountain Ghosts

3 pm

Peter Mather is a Yukon photographer and filmmaker specializing in outdoor adventure, wildlife, and wilderness landscape photography. Peter will present his winning essay from the 2024 Banff Mountain Photo Essay Competition, Mountain Ghosts.

Evan Wong

MOUNTAIN ART Exhibitions

Daybreak

Emily Beaudoin (Canada)

Max Bell Auditorium Trees

Until November 11

Emily Beaudoin has spent the last 32 years exploring, painting and growing in the Rockies and they have always been her muses. This show tackles dramatic lighting – alpenglow on towering peaks, blue hour over a still lake, or the aurora dancing across the sky – to stop you in your tracks and remind you to live in the moment.

AT BANFF CENTRE (FREE)

British Mountaineers

Faye Latham (United Kingdom)

Max Bell Building Lobby

Until September 2025

Erasure poetry is the process of erasing, covering or otherwise obscuring selected words from an existing text to create a new poem. This exhibit features the erasure poetry of Faye Latham’s book collection, British Mountaineers. Written in 1942, F. S. Smythe’s biographical text of the same title forms the original canvas where words are picked, painted and stitched together to create a new, dream-like narrative, which tracks the journey of an anonymous figure found by reading between the lines.

2024 Mountain Photo Essay Jury Showcase

Jenny Belzberg Theatre Trees

Until November 11

This exhibit features the photography of Mattias Fredricksson (Canada), Irene Yee (USA) and JoJo Das (Canada) who together form this year’s 2024 Banff Mountain Photo Essay Jury.

Photos left to right: British Mountaineers, courtesy of Faye Latham; Daybreak, courtesy of Emily Beaudoin; Mountain

Photo Essay Jury: Showcase, photo by Irene Yee; Glyde Hall, Walter Phillips Gallery exterior, photo by Rita Taylor; Mountain Ghosts, photo by Peter Mather; Dwayne Harty, Plains Bison Near the Bull Mountains, Montana (detail).

18” x 30”. Oil on linen, courtesy of the Banff Culture Collective

Listening Devices

Walter Phillips Gallery

Ongoing

Listening Devices is comprised of audio and score-based works in Banff Centre’s Permanent Collection or on long-term loan that are informed by the relationship between sound, listener, and location. Taking place outside of Walter Phillips Gallery, the works in the exhibition are variously intended to be experienced in the woods, amongst the pollinators, and mountainside in Banff, or alternatively online.

Information on the exhibition and accessing the works:

Banff Mountain

Photo Essay Competition

Grand Prize 2024: Mountain Ghosts

Peter Mather (Canada)

Laszlo Funtek Building Wall

Until September 2025

Canada's Yukon Territory is a vast wilderness, with surprisingly low wildlife populations. The extreme cold, darkness and limited plant communities of the North are reflected in the abundance of animals. Predators and furbearing animals in the North are also generally very shy due to hunting and trapping. This creates a feeling in the North, that many animals are ghosts, we rarely see them, most often we find passing signs of animals in the snow. This photo essay captures this story in imagery, highlighting how our mountains are home to rarely seen wildlife.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BANFF CULTURE COLLECTIVE

Gallery Hop

Various downtown locations

October 26 – November 3

What could be more invigorating than moments of crisp mountain air interspersed with moments of wonder, intrigue and discovery? Enjoy an unscripted self-guided discovery of Banff’s cultural spaces on your own time.

See schedule and venues at: banffculturecollective.com

Photo Essay Competition sponsored by

Walter Phillips Gallery is closed for renovations and will reopen in February 2025.

FESTIVAL

Marketplace

Purchase the latest gear and apparel from partners and industry leaders, unique mountain gifts from local artisans, book signings, and more!

Friday, Nov. 1 | 4 – 7 pm

Saturday, Nov. 2 | 10 am – 7 pm

Sunday, Nov. 3 | 10 am – 5 pm

Banff Centre, Kinnear Centre for Creativity and Innovation, 1st & 2nd Floor

EXHIBITORS

MAJOR BRANDS

Rab Equipment

Oboz Footwear

BUFF®

Arc'teryx

Fjallraven

DUER

NRS

Ferreol

Lolë

Petzl

Prior Skis

RETAILERS ON SITE

KORE Outdoors

Kumpfy Shoes

Norseman

Outdoor Specialist

Smartwool Banff

SkiUphill RunUphill

Rocky Mountain Dog

BOOK AN ADVENTURE

World Expeditions

Lake Louise Ski Resort and Summer Gondola

The Lodge at Bow Lake

The Alpine Club of Canada

Yamnuska Mountain

Adventures

HI Wilderness Hostels

Shadow Lake Lodge

Sawback Alpine Adventures

Freeflow Institute

Selkirk Powder Descents

Wells Gray Adventures

Alpine Air Adventures

GET EDUCATED & INVOLVED

Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies

Great Divide Trail

Association

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society

Southern Alberta

Yellowstone to Yukon

Conservation Initiative

Rocky Mountain Adaptive

Mountain Muskox

POW Canada

Soul of Miistaki

BOOKS & MEDIA

Rocky Mountain Books

Pages Books

Summerthought Publishing

Gem Treks Maps

BEVERAGES & MOUNTAIN MUNCHIES

Wild Life Distillery

Wild Rose Brewery

Happy Yak

Drop Caramel Co.

Wild Mountain Eats

Sly Foods

7 Summits Snacks

ARTISANS & MAKERS

Knurl Design Company

Tibetan Trom

GeoGems

SillyGoat Studio

Mountain Adornment

Wonderland

Maxiene's Fibers

Back to Nature Apparel

Emersons Cree Designs

Tibetan Meditations

Branches Marketplace & Gifts

Treasure Mountain Jewel Shop

Let Them Play Apparel

View Marketplace

Photos by Rita Taylor

Purchase at the Festival Marketplace from Nov. 1 – 3

Rab Tech Shirt

Purchase the Signature Festival shirt at the Rab booth.

Festival Buff®

Purchase the Signature Festival Buff ® at the Buff ® booth.

About the artist:

Rab and Buff ® launched the fourth annual Signature Artist Emily Beaudoin is a talented watercolour artist, illustrator, and muralist based in Canmore, AB. The mountains and their flora and fauna are an endless source of inspiration for her, and she spends her time hiking, biking, and skiing into the backcountry to paint her experiences. Emily strongly believes that we must protect the wild places we call home.

- Angie C.

Film Competition

Jury

The 2024 Banff Mountain Film Competition received 477 film submissions from 47 countries. One of the most exciting but difficult jobs at any competitive festival is choosing the winners. This process starts with our devoted pre-screening committee who viewed all of the entries. From all the entries, 90 finalists from 20 countries were selected. This year’s Festival features 16 World premieres, 11 North American premieres, and 26 Canadian premieres. Prior to the Festival, our international jury — selected to represent a range of knowledge and experience in film production, distribution, and mountaineering and exploration — screens each finalist and then will meet in Banff to determine the award winners. Mountains of thanks goes to each of them for helping us ensure that fine filmmaking is recognized and rewarded, and that our Festival programming continues to be of the highest quality. The awards are announced on Sunday evening, November 3 in the Jenny Belzberg Theatre. The winners will be announced online at banffmountainfestival.ca.

Special thanks to Wild Life Distillery, and Erwin and Lorraine Widmer for hosting the Film Jury Dinner.

2024 BANFF MOUNTAIN Awards

Grand Prize

$5000

Book Competition

Jury

The 31 st annual Banff Mountain Book Competition once again saw a large number of entries, with 180 of the best mountain books from around the world submitted to the competition, a feat that shows mountain literature is alive and well.

Our dedicated volunteer readers helped narrow down 186 submissions from 10 countries to the long list of category finalists in seven categories, before the international jury went to work to read all 31 finalists to determine the award winners. The Grand Prize will be announced at the evening show on Thursday, October 31 in the Jenny Belzberg Theatre.

Grand Prize

$5000

Photo Essay Competition

The annual Banff Mountain Photo Essay Competition showcases the best in mountain themed photography by recognizing photographers who have mastered the art of storytelling through still images. The 2024 competition saw 286 entries from 50 countries and all seven continents! After reviewing photography from 22 finalists, our international jury selected Peter Mather’s essay titled Mountain Ghosts as this year’s Grand Prize Winner. A Special Jury Mention was given to Adolfo Mesias for his essay Through the Clouds and Among the Lonely Mountains.

Grand

Prize 2024

Mountain Ghosts

Peter Mather

See p. 53 for details

Photo Essay Competition sponsored by

JOJO DAS (CAN)

IRENE

Photo: Mountain Ghosts, by Peter Mather

Summit of Excellence Award

For

Presented at Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival since 1987, the annual Summit of Excellence Award has recognized an individual who has made a significant contribution to mountain life in the Canadian Rockies.

The 2024 award will be presented on opening night, Saturday, October 26.

Sponsored by

Adventure Filmmakers Workshop

Fall 2025

Bringing Stories to Life. Explore the concepts that are key to every great adventure film in this intensive 10-day workshop.

Scholarship support generously provided by the Asper Endowment and the MacLachlan Ridge Family Endowment

Supported by:

Mountain Spirit Award

This award recognizes a young Albertan between the ages of 15 - 25 for initiating positive change to celebrate, protect, and advocate for the outdoors.

The 2024 award will be presented on October 28 at Radical Reels.

Sponsored by

Mountain Writing Intensive

Fall 2025

For more information on all programs and application deadlines: banffcentre.ca/programs

Special thanks to: Carlyle Norman Writing Scholarships, Steve Swenson and Ann Dalton, Michael and Julie Kennedy

Photo by Rita Taylor

Photo by Deb Lantz

Otter Hotel

Sudden Sally Meadow Spa + Pools

Sally Borden Fitness and Recreation Come and Stay

Oct. 26 – Nov. 3

$16 Drop-in Day Pass:

Must present a ticket/stub from an event

• Use of climbing wall/fitness room/pool/hot tub

• Festival climbing

Open daily: 12 – 8 pm

Harness/shoes $3 each Prices do not include tax

Hours and facilities available are subject to change.

Community Climb

Presented by Rab

Nov. 2

Bronwyn Hodgins and Connor Runge

12 – 1:30 pm 2:30 – 4 pm

( See page 49 for details )

It's not too late to book a getaway and stay in the heart of the Festival at Banff Centre or with our exclusive downtown lodging partner, Banff Lodging Co. Special discounts for Festival attendees. Find out more about Festival hotels

BANFF AIRPORTER SHUTTLE SERVICE

Receive a 25% discount on the Banff Airporter's shuttle service between Calgary Airport and Banff. Valid Oct. 23 – Nov. 7. Use Promo Code: FILMFEST banffairporter.com

Photos: Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, photo by Tom Arban; Banff Lodging Co .

Photo: Bronwyn Hodgins, by Jaron Pham

free Roam Transit

Getting Around free Downtown Shuttle

November 2 + 3

Show your Festival ticket (paper or digital) for a free bus ride.

Canmore-Banff – Route 3 Lake Louise Express – Route 8X.

For schedules: roamtransit.com

Parking

At Banff Centre

There is limited parking at Banff Centre. Please arrive early or park your vehicle downtown and walk to Banff Centre.

Paid Parking in Banff

Go to BanffParking.ca to use an interactive web app to view parking lots and availability.

Then walk up to Banff Centre via St. Julien Road or the Ken Madsen pathway. (see map p.63)

November 2 + 3

The Festival downtown shuttle is sponsored by Banff Airporter

are approximate and subject to change.

Map of Banff Centre

arcteryx.com

Festival Dining

Vistas Dining Room

Great for Pre-Show Lunch and Dinner! Enjoy the view and choose from a selection of hot entrees, a well-stocked fresh bar, delicious house-made desserts plus vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.

Breakfast 7 – 9:30 am

Lunch 11:30 am – 1:30 pm

Dinner 5:30 – 7:30 pm

Festival Buffets

Served in Vistas

Nov. 1 – 3

Lunch Nov. 2 – 3

$28.50/person

Dinner Nov. 1 – 2

$34.50/person

Prices include coffee, tea, and fruit juices.

Grab & Go

Oct. 26 – Nov. 3

Pick up fast take-out options!

Maclab Bistro

Throughout the Festival

Festival Marketplace Kiosk 1st floor of the Kinnear Centre (Nov. 1 – 3)

View Festival dining and buffet menus:

Bring your own cup for FREE coffee sponsored by Kicking Horse at intermission during all events in the Jenny Belzberg Theatre, and on Oct. 31/Nov. 1 in the Max Bell Building during the daytime book events.

Maclab Bistro

Come visit us for dine-in service and enjoy your delicious meal looking out over the Bourgeau Range, or use our take-out service.

Open Daily:

Coffee & Pastry Takeout: 7 – 11 am

Dine-In: 11 am – 11 pm

Bar: 11 am – 1 am

A Taste for Adventure

Oct. 24 – Nov. 7 | Maclab Bistro

Experience a mountain-inspired culinary delight! The Elk Maclab Burger ($26), available as a special offering, pairs beautifully with the Wild Life Rosemary Country Cocktail ($18)

Recycling

Bring your own reusable drinking vessel. Recycle or compost using bins provided.

Learn more about: Banff's Zero Waste Trail banffzerowastetrail.ca

Photos by Rita Taylor

Watch Films Around the World

The World Tour hits the road following the Festival, bringing the best in mountain and adventure films to over 45 countries!

• Did you know… the Banff World Tour has visited all 7 continents (including Antarctica)!

• There are more than 930 World Tour screenings annually in over 45 countries!

• We are delighted to have had screenings for the first time ever in Thessaloniki and Athens, Greece and Ljubljana, Slovenia in 2024!

“Astana was fully sold, which never happened before! Once again, we would like to thank you for the opportunity to bring the best documentary stories and Banff vibe to our people.”

– Kazakhstan host

“We had an amazing International Women’s Day program which included our Ambassador for a Day initiative and the screening of the Banff Mountain Film Festival at the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA). The audience loved it!”

– Pakistan host

Astana

Online Films

Photo: From the film What Brings You Up There

Board of Governors

MOUNTAINS OF THANKS

MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP TEAM

Kyla Conner, General Counsel and External Relations

Banff Centre exists for the advancement of creative potential that enriches our world. We bring artists, leaders, and communities together to create, collaborate, share, envision, learn, and be inspired.

Banff Centre is supported by funding from Government of Alberta, Government of Canada, Canada Council for the Arts, and Alberta Foundation for the Arts, as well as through the generous support of many individuals, corporations, and foundations.

SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM

Chris Lorway, President and CEO

Michael Code, Senior Vice President

Valerie Kapay, Vice President, Talent Management and Culture

Derek Fast, Executive Director, Marketing and Communications

Martha Haldenby, Executive Director, Development (Maternity Leave)

Aliza LeBlanc, Chief Financial Officer

Josephine Ridge, Interim Executive Director, Arts

Mark Wold, Executive Director, Leadership

BANFF CENTRE BOARD

OF GOVERNORS

Paul Baay, Chair — Calgary, AB

Brinna Brinkerhoff — Calgary, AB

Ron Hallman — Gatineau, QC

Chris Lorway, President & CEO — Banff, AB

Lori Paine — Calgary, AB

Pinder Sandhu — Calgary, AB

Naomi Schmold — Edmonton, AB

Myron Tetreault — Canmore, AB

THE BANFF CENTRE FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jill J. Price, Chair — Vancouver, BC

Gavin R. Berger — New York, USA

David Gagnon — Montréal, QC

Susan P. Kololian — Toronto, ON

Sandy Martin — Calgary, AB

Michael S.H. McMillan — Toronto, ON

Aly Khan Musani — Calgary, AB

Paul Baay, Chair (ex officio) — Calgary, AB

Chris Lorway, President & CEO (ex officio) – Banff, AB

The Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival is truly a team effort. Thank you to everyone behind the scenes and to all staff across Banff Centre who help us create one of the largest and most prestigious festival of its kind in the world – including over 90 volunteers from the Bow Valley and from as far away as Massachusetts and Virginia. We also wish to express our gratitude to John Amatt, founding director of the Festival in 1976, and we are grateful for the leadership of all our past directors and staff.

We would also like to thank the dozens of individuals and organizations who have provided their time, expertise, services, and products to help us deliver a festival of such high technical quality.

Technical Sponsors:

• Signiant

• Christie

• Avid

• Dolby

• Cinematronics

• IT Xchange

• Panasonic Canada

• Riedel Communications Canada

• Eventive

Festival Team

FESTIVAL AND WORLD TOUR

Managing Director —

Digital, Film & Media

Kerry Stauffer

Director — Festival & World Tour

Joanna Croston

Senior Producer

Woody MacPhail

Festival Manager

Megan Cotterell

Manager, Strategic Sponsorships

Haley Daniels

Film and Event Specialist — Festival

Natasha Fox

Event Specialist — Competitions

Margaret McKeon

Event Specialist — Partnerships

Ryan Prather

Festival Coordinators

Debra Hornsby, Paige Roulston

Production Administrative

Coordinator

Anne Billingsley

World Tour Manager

Sarah Karasiuk

Event Specialists — Tour Events

Seana Strain, Mark Louie, Lauren Schmidt, Karolina Krakowiak, Akcinya Kootchin

Film and Event Specialist — World Tour

Louise Caola

Digital Platform Specialist

Tori Nixon

Conversion and Mastering Specialists

Mark Tierney, Chris Barkhouse

Content Verification

Rongqin Su, Guy Clarkson

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Director of Communications

Carly Maga

Marketing Officer

Nicky Lynch

Graphic Design Lead

Christine Majer

Graphic Designers

Shannon Fidler, Martha de Santiago, Jenni Filman

Manager, Platforms and Digital Marketing

Hayden Browne

Digital Marketing Strategist

Rachel Bigger

Social Media Officer

Kyla Jacobs

Media Relations and

Festival Magazine

Porter O’Brien Agency

Erin Brandt-Filliter, Nazareth Araújo

AUDIENCE SERVICES

Manager, Audience Sales and Services

Kay Astop

Supervisor, Audience Sales and Services

Lev Nesterov

Audience Services Coordinators

Gini Dickinson, Marian JohnstonHarvie, Jack Olszewski, Heather Ware

PRODUCTION SERVICES

Production Manager, Media and Production

Ryan Reaney

BANFF CENTRE MOUNTAIN FILM AND BOOK FESTIVAL

Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Box 1020, Banff, AB Canada T1L 1H5 1.403.762.6347 | banffmountainfestival@banffcentre.ca

Video Technologist

Darcy Locke

Technicians

Branden Charlton, Sandy MacDonald, Andrew Sayer, Paul Price, Dave Miller, Martin Finnerty, John Brigham, Blair Atkinson, Vikas Hansa, Parker Evans-Davies, Raffi Tchalikian, Winston Cromwell, Adam White, Victor Saavedra Miranda

Graphics and Animation

Court Brinsmead

Senior Video Editor

Jozef Karoly

Videographer / Editor

Curtis Doherty

Audio Post Production

Ben Ewing, Jeff Kynoch

Lead Video Technician

Jennifer Chiasson

Photography

Rita Taylor

PRODUCTION PERFORMING ARTS

Production Manager, Performing Arts

Andrew Smith

Technical Director, Performing Arts

Kirsty Conroy

Production Coordinator

Marissa Gell

Stage Manager

Alyssa Neudorf

Stage Carpenters

Michael Young, Sharon Fish, Kate Sunderland, Lorelee Godden

Sound Technicians

Lyle Fish, Sam Hindle, Shahid Chew

Zulkifli, Chris Bernhardt

Lighting Technicians

Matt Flawn, Darrell Shaw, Georgia

Jeffery, Pui Leung

Projection Technicians

Brendan Briceland, Juan Anez

“The One Book Every New Climber Should Read”—Gripped Magazine

10th Edition Now Available

Inspiring outdoor enthusiasts around the globe across nine editions for more than six decades.

Mountaineers Books is proud to have the following authors speaking at Banff this year:

Bernadette McDonald

Nandini Purandare & Deepa Balsavar

Geoff Powter in conversation with climber

Jim Donini

LoadOut® GoBox 60

Ambassador Christina Lustenberger

B.C., Canada

NO GREAT STORY

OFFICIAL PARTNER

TEA

STARTED WITH A CUP OF

Join us next year to celebrate our 50th anniversary ! Nov 1 – 9, 2025

Paul Zizka, Banff National Park,