Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival brings adventure back to Lethbridge

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The Lethbridge Public Library is excited to welcome  back the  Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival world tour to the Yates Theatre, Friday, Jan. 14

“ Lethbridge celebrated its tenth anniversary of the in person  festival, a couple of years ago,” said Jonathan Jarvie, Lethbridge Public library librarian and  one of the organizers , noting they had to cancel the event last year because  of Covid. It will be the second year they had held the festival at the Yates Theatre.

Bear Like is one oif the Films  in this year’s Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival. Photo submitted

 

The event is a  collaboration between the Lethbridge Public Library and the Banff Centre for the arts.

 Because of Covid, the event, which usually runs over four nights, has been condensed to one night Jan. 14. They usually run all of the films one and then repeat them

“It’s been really exciting to bring this event back. We haven’t been able to do any adult programming, so this is a huge step for us to connect with Lethbridge and let them know we miss them,” he enthused, adding, as usual, the festival has a nature and environmental theme.

 

“ We have seven different films ranging from four minutes to 55 minutes long from the United Kingdom, France, Canada, the United States and Switzerland,” he summarized.

 The films were chosen out of approximately 400 entries.

“They’re all nature and adventure type films. Because the event was cancelled last year they are all from 2019-2021,” he said.

 The longest film is “Bear Like” From Switzerland, about grizzly  bears in Alaska.

The three minute long French film, “Follow The Light” features freestyle skiing and hot air ballooning over a backdrop of sunsets in Turkey.

Another French film, “Finally” is  13-minute -long exploration of  French Freestyle skiier Ben Buratti as he regains appreciation for his home mountain of  “La Clusaz.”

Five minute long  U.S. Film  “if you Give a Beach a Bottle” was inspired by a picture book as Max Romney  looks for marine debris  along Alaska’s coastline

 United Kingdom film , the 19 -minute-long “My Midsummer’s morning” as also inspired by a picture book. It follows the adventures of would be violinist Alastair Lee who walks through Spain, earning money for food by playing violin, though he admits he’s not very good at it.

Take a look at mountaineering from a Sherpa’s perspective with American film “Dream Mountain,”  an 18-minute film about  Pasang Lhamu  Sherpa Akita who reflects on humanitarianism, motherhood and mountaineering.

The one Canadian contribution “Em” is a 14 -minute-long exploration of Emilie Pellerin’s adventures rock climbing on La Zébrée in Quebec.

Jarvie is excited about the response to the festival’s return.

“We’ve already sold 100 tickets. Hopefully we’ll  fill some more seats next week,” he said, noting if people don’t feel comfortable attending the event in person, they can access a virtual screening available for an $18.50 rental fee.

 

You can watch two unique programs from the 2021/22 festival or past festival programs.  Visit lethlib.ca for more information on this and all Library activities and events.

 Tickets for the in person event are available at the Main Branch for $25. The Yates Theatre capacity is 474.

 

The City of Lethbridge has implemented the Province’s Restriction Exemption Program at all City-operated facilities, which affects the Yates Memorial Centre. All audience members 12 years of age or older must show one of the following, as well as matching government-issued ID:- Proof of vaccination; Proof of a privately paid negative PCR or rapid test within 72 hours of service (tests from AHS or Alberta Precision Laboratories not allowed) or Documentation of a formal medical exemption as outlined by the Government of Alberta.

— by Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor

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