I recently had the privilege to watch the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival world premiere online screening from of the documentary, Piano to Zanskar.
The day had arrived! The visit to the Tiger's Nest, a sacred Buddhist temple in Bhutan. The temple is located on a clifftop in the Paro Valley.
This weekend, you will toe the line at your 2nd attempt of the 100km Ultra Trail Australia.
It was great to be at Melbourne film premiere of The Bikes of Wrath this past week; it follows the tale of John Steinbeck's book, The Grapes of Wrath.
The film tracks 5 young Australians cycling across US from Oklahoma to California in the footsteps of the Joad family as famously portrayed in Steinbeck's book.
It was great to be at Melbourne film premiere of The Bikes of Wrath this past week; it follows the tale of John Steinbeck's book, The Grapes of Wrath.
The film tracks 5 young Australians cycling across US from Oklahoma to California in the footsteps of the Joad family as famously portrayed in Steinbeck's book.
I recently had the chance to attend an International screening of the 2016 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour.
Each year a pre-selection committee shortlist from the approx. 375 entries to about 80 finalists which screen at the Banff Mountain Film Festival each October in Banff, Canada. The Banff Mountain Film Festival started in 1976 by The Banff Centre.
This year’s world tour selection showcased over 2 hours of touching films from scenic backgrounds to enthralling sports including 2 of the festival’s award winning films, Eclipse, Best Snow Sports Film and Unbranded, winner of People’s Choice Award.
The screening kicked off the highly entertaining 55 Hours in Mexico, an ode to the weekend warrior to pack as much in a weekend as possible. A group of four mates travel to Veracruz, hire a car, ascend the third-highest peak in North America, ski down the slopes and head back to work Monday morning.
Following last year’s world tour film Sun Dog, about a man’s best friend, we get to experience Denali, a film about the special bond between Denali the dog and adventure photographer Ben Moon. A very touching story.
UnReal featured widely renowned as the top slope style mountain biker in the world, Brandon Semenuk as he attempts to become the first mountain biker to film a full segment in a single continuous shot. A custom built trail which took 3 weeks was built in preparation for the film. An amazing sight to watch!
Freeskier Tim Durtschi drops tram laps at Jackson Hole and great mountain skier Angel Collinson tears up some Alaskan lines in a sample look at the feature length film Paradise Waits, which shares an entire season of the vibrant characters who are some of the best snowboarders and skiers in the world.
Builder showcased the love construction with the creation of some amazing dirt tracks and jumps for some of the best riders to enjoy.
Women’s Speed Ascent was Mayan Smith-Gobat and Libby Sauter’s goal. They were after the women’s speed record for the climb of The Nose on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, California. An ascent of fast proportions!
The main feature film from this year’s international screening was Unbranded, People’s Choice Award Winner at the festival. The film documented four young Texas horseman hatch an extreme idea to adopt, train and ride a group of wild horses 5,000 kilometres from the Mexican border to Canada through some of the American West’s wildest terrain. Their aim is to prove the worth of wild horses and raise awareness about their plight.
Nature Rx was a clever satirised commercial focusing on prescription medication with witty humour and a hit of the outdoors.
My favourite film from this year’s Banff Film Festival World Tour was the final film of the night Eclipse, with photographer Reuben Krabbe’s unparalleled determination to capture an incredible photo of a skier in front of the 2015 solar eclipse in Norway. The challenge of dealing with weather elements high up in the artic and pressure to find the right spot to capture the shot added to the complexity of the project.
The World Tour screenings provide a bit sized sample of the films chosen for the festival each year and I enjoyed yet another great night of adventures from the outdoors. However, I would love if there was a 2nd night of screenings so we get a chance to see a wider range of films including a few more of the award winning films which I imagine don’t get presented due to being feature length or maybe there could be a Banff Film Festival movie marathon!
Find out more about the Banff Mountain Film Festival and the International World Tour.
Related Reading
Film Review - 2015 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour
10 Must Watch Trail Running Films
Image Source: By Enricokamasa (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
There is nothing better than going out and enjoying a run or hike on the trails but if I am unable to be doing that, I enjoying watching some films and documentaries showcasing the beauty of the great outdoors and some amazing stories of trail runners and their adventures.
Here are some of my favourites clips and films on trail running which I would recommend you to check out.
The film documents Nike athlete Sally McRae’s journey in one of the most prominent 100 mile races in the world, the Western States 100. This is Sally’s first time running the race and also highlights how Sally qualified to get into Western States. It is definitely a bucket list race for many and this definitely shares the passion for the race and ultrarunning in general. A film by Billy Yang
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHoXgYPvj6o
I couldn’t resist including a 2nd film about Western States 100.
This film, "Unbreakable: The Western States 100" follows the four lead men on an amazing journey as they prepare for the 2010 edition of the Western States 100 mile endurance run, each runner undefeated in the lead up. Hal Koerner, two time defending Western States champion. Geoff Roes, undefeated at the 100-mile distance. Anton Krupicka, undefeated in each ultramarathon he has ever ran plus Spanish up and coming star, Killian Jornet, a two time Ultra-trail du Mont-Blanc champion. A film by JB Benna and Journey Film.
Check out the trailer for ‘Unbreakable:’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a26xp28jm0
The team at Journey Film have done some great films, I would also recommend their film on Dean Karnazes’s ‘Ultramarathon Man’, his challenge of completing 50 marathons, 50 states, 50 days across America.
A year long running adventure by Matthew Dickinson running 52 Peaks across New Zealand. Spectacular scenery! I have never been to New Zealand but this definitely inspires planning a trip there in the future. A film by Matthew Dickinson.
Philippe and Anna Gatta share their amazing trail running journey along Great Himalaya Trail. They undertake the equivalent of running 40 marathons in 40 days with 15 passes over 5,000 metres and two over 6,000metres. The story and scenery are mesmerising. A film by Philippe and Anna Gatta.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prr4Wbulw0I
This short film follows ultrarunner Josh Spector as he prepares for what is known as the toughest footrace in the world, the iconic Badwater 135. It is a gruelling 135 miles through Death Valley in the hottest times of the year. The film is presented by Tailwind Nutrition.
More Than A Race follows the 100-kilometre journey of some of the world’s best ultra runners in the 2014 Vibram Hong Kong 100. As someone who has never been to Hong Kong this film definitely enticing me to visit the city and explore the trails beyond the city amazing skyline. A film by Lloyd Belcher.
This short film showcase one of the world’s most challenging running races, The Barkley Marathons. This 100-mile race with 60-hour cut off time push athletes to their limits as they climb an elevation gain comparable to two treks up Mt. Everest. In almost thirty years, only fourteen runners, out of over one thousand runner, have completed The Barkley. A film by Brendan Young
Salomon have created great trail running TV series and I would highly recommend checking out any episodes but the one I have chosen showcases the simplicity of enjoying the outdoors and running featuring Bernd Heinrich whom is a retired Professor living in a log cabin in the forests of Western Maine. Bernd has been an extremely accomplished runner throughout his life and this episode highlights lessons learned about life and from running. A film by Salomon Running.
This film follows a group of ordinary people as try to complete 4 multi stage races in one calendar year in the 4 most extreme landscapes in the world. The races are undertaken in the four deserts known to be the driest, windiest, hottest and coldest places on Earth.
The film is an emotionally charged journey as each competitor faces the physical and mental challenges of racing and shares their remarkable stories as they try to achieve the extraordinary. A film by Jennifer Steinman.
This film follows Ultra runner, Nikki Kimball, a 3 time Western States 100 winner and 2014 Marathon Des Sables winner, undertaking her definitive test of attempting to set new record for the fastest time across the US state of Vermont’s famous 273 mile Long Trail. The film offers a great insight into Nikki and her crew’s preparation for the journey and highlights the physical and mental challenges faced whilst wishing to inspire people to be more active and enjoy the outdoors and encouraging women and girls to follow their sporting pursuits. A film by Jaime Jacobsen
http://findingtractionfilm.com/
What is your favourite trail running film?
Related Reading
Film Review - Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour
Film Review and Q&A with Richard Bowles - Running the 1,200km Heysen Trail
I recently had the opportunity to attend an International screening of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour.
A pre-selection committee shortlist the over 360 entries to almost 80 finalists to screen at the Banff Mountain Film Festival each October in Banff, Canada. The Banff Mountain Film Festival started in 1976 by The Banff Centre.
This year’s world tour selection showcased over 2 hours of moving films from picturesque landscapes to action-packed sports and included 2 of the festival’s award winning films, Delta Dawn, Best Short Mountain Film and Cerro Torre, winner of Best Climbing Film.
The films ranged from the thought provoking with Delta Dawn telling the story of one man’s adventure on his stand-up board and travelled to the Colorado River Delta to explore use of Western water and the possible for environmental restoration to the joy and cheeky story of flight with Touch, a paragliding film over the Santorini, Greece and the French Alps, to the love of a man’s best friend in Sun Dog.
Return of the Tepuis, follows a 71 year old scientist search for a rare frog in the deep crevices in remote South America.
The most controversial film was the award winning, Cerro Torre, set against the backdrop of breathtaking Patagonia. David Lama, a climbing prodigy, plans to climb the infamous south-east face of Cerro Torre. No one has ever free climbed this section known as the Compressor Route. In 2009, he declared to the world his intent to free climb Cerro Torre, an accomplishment widely considered impossible. In 2010, Lama, now a sponsored climber, naively permitted his film crew to drill and fix 30 or so new bolts into the rock face, even though they planned to remove them and they were to facilitate filming only. This caused much controversy in climbers' circles, as his actions are unethical according to climbing traditionalists.
My favourite film at this year’s screening was a simple tale, Sculptured in Time: The Wise Man. The story of Eddie Hunter, an 88 year old who has skied over 2,500 days during the past 79 years and his love of skiing and sharing the enjoyment with future generations.
The World Tour screenings provide a great sample of the films selected each year and I walked away with a sense of wonder, inspired, challenged to improve and with a smile on my face from the joy the film makers shared in their individual adventures.
Find out more about the Banff Mountain Film Festival and International World Tour.
Related Reading
Film Review and Q&A with Richard Bowles - Running the 1,200km Heysen Trail
