Swindon Link’s Jessica Durston was given the opportunity to attend the Swindon tour date of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, at the Wyvern Theatre.
If you are looking for an evening of exploration, adventure, and transporting documentary films, look no further than Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour.
Not having partaken in any extreme sports in my life, ever (unless you count that trip to Pencelli in secondary school), I was unsure what to expect from Banff’s Red Film Programme that was selected to play at Swindon’s Wyvern Theatre.
Well, let me take a moment to summarise what the evening ended up having on offer.
A Scottish mountain biking record attempt from Rab Wardell that also feels like a love letter to the country, showcasing it’s beautiful landscapes?
Yes.
A short, heart-warming film serving beautifully as a 74-year-old skiing enthusiast’s epitaph?
Yes.
A moving film about a young Native American man’s connection with his family, his tradition and his love for rock climbing and snowboarding?
Yes.
A death-defying display of biking through isolated unique landforms in Turkey shot solely during the hours of dawn and dusk?
Yes.
A young woman with cerebral palsy overcoming all adversity and ascending the Colorado mountains with the most amazing support team, including enigmatic blind adventurer Erik Weihenmayer?
Yes.
A powerhouse French climber who takes on the seven-year personal challenge of being the first woman to climb the head-spinning 5.14d Action Directe route in Germany?
Yes.
And last but by no means least, an undeniable crowd-pleaser. A visually stunning, breath-taking, mind-boggling, perfect ski run across locations in Switzerland to Luttach, Italy, from top free skier, Markus Eder?
Yes.
Have the synopsis’ listed above commanded your attention now? If not, I suggest you stop reading. The incredible capabilities of, and challenges that can be overcome by the human body are obviously lost on you.
Banff’s Red Programme of films were equally impressive, beautiful and inspiring. There really is not one duller or lesser piece of cinema within the bunch. It’s no wonder that the festival has been running for over forty years.
Therefore, when the evening’s host from the Banff team invited audience members to go online and vote for a favourite, I felt I was faced with an impossible task.
I suppose I could narrow it down to particular highlights. Personally, I found the features centred around climbing particularly gripping (get it?).
I have always been fascinated by Native American culture, and as a result of this fact, I was inescapably drawn in by Josh and Brett Lowell’s and Nick Rosen’s 35-minute masterpiece – ‘Deep Roots.’ The film follows descendant of the Ahwahnechee people, Lonnie Kauk, on his journey to connect with his father, his traditional family roots, and the ancient landscape around him, through his love for climbing.
The film felt different to the rest on the programme – essentially a piece about rock climbing, it also weaves in themes of family, tradition and culture as neatly and as tightly as the very ropes Lonnie uses to scale the impressive rock faces. I felt Lonnie was climbing for his family and for a connection to his father in particular, not so much for himself.
The other films tended to focus on the individual, their own goals and what they will personally achieve from their adventures. Lonnie’s achievements felt like they were more for his family, for his ancestors and for a higher cause.
Lonnie is the son of famous climber Ron Kauk and the audience is given a special intimate look at the pair of them reconnecting through Lonnie’s training to ascend some of the iconic climbs his father previously completed. One of these climbs being the Yosemite Valley’s Magic Line route.
Lonnie’s journey does not come without its trial and tribulations, but these only serve the purpose of encouraging you as the viewer to cheer him on harder. The audience’s collective investment in Lonnie and his story was evident with the echo of everyone intaking breath sharply whenever he would stumble, or fall and crash against the side of the rock face.
As much as I really enjoyed Deep Roots, any of the films on the Red Programme would be worthy of being voted the favourite, but I do not have the time or word count to detail every single highlight for you now. However, I feel I cannot move on without mentioning how impossible it was to not tear up during Frank Pickell’s short film ‘From My Window.’
From My Window follows Melissa Simpson who dreams of climbing the peaks of the Colorado mountains. She has cerebral palsy and her life maxim is that you have to dream big.
Living with her condition, she faces challenges far greater than just the mountain climb itself, yet the film is hopeful, light, and humorous too. I dare you to buy a ticket to the festival, watch her training and her journey, and not feel incredibly emotional and overwhelmingly inspired – I double dare you!
The Banff Film Festival really is a special event to be a part of – and the best of it is, you just have to sit there and be entertained and enthralled. Oh – and if that’s not enough, there’s a prize draw, where you can win a whole host of goodies from the festival’s sponsors!
Attendees also have the opportunity to win a grand prize of having a campervan kitted out (or a price-matched alternative prize for those without one) – but don’t worry, it’s just the smaller items that are given out in-person on the night. The bigger prizes aren’t wheeled onto the stage for you to collect like they used to do on Bullseye.
Furthermore, the adrenaline experienced by each incredible individual starring in the programme of films permeates through the screen and into your very own veins.
The air was electric within the Wyvern Theatre and everyone in the room was part of something bigger. We, the audience, were all in the privileged position of having these incredible human stories shared with us by all of the talented directors and photographers - but we were also sharing them with every stranger in the same room, at the same time. Connected by adventure.
Banff Film Festival reminds me why I love documentaries. In short – they’re real. These heroic individuals actually achieved these incredible feats that are at the heart of each film. You watch them do it.
The festival’s thrill-seeking features are as addictive as they are interesting. I can see why people are returning to their local theatres or cinemas each year to get another fix of Banff…
And who knows - if you try the festival out this year, maybe you’ll get hooked too?
More information about Banff Film Festival, and its film programmes can be found online at https://www.banff-uk.com/
A full list of the remaining tour dates and tickets can be found at https://www.banff-uk.com/tickets
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