The highly anticipated Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour is set to return to Australia this May and June, bringing with it a special significance for Australian audiences. The feature of a captivating film paying homage to Australian legend Dr. Glenn Singleman’s world record BASE jump from Pakistan’s Trango Tower in 1992 provides a special touch of celebration close to home. Regarded as the pinnacle of mountain film festivals worldwide, the event showcases a meticulously curated collection of ‘world firsts’ in their prospective sports.
With the world of adventure and exploration having had a long and celebrated history, it has often been thought that most ‘world firsts’ have been achieved, and there’s nowhere left to discover. However, in recent years extreme sports have been experiencing a form of rebirth with new and exciting hybrid sports surfacing. The 2024 Banff Mountain Film tour features multiple pioneering stories with the first ever discovery of a huge cave system in Canada to the first ever Tandem Cross- Country ski venture.
Reflecting on the upcoming festival, Australian World Record holder Glenn Singleman says of pushing the boundaries, “Extreme sports people will always continue to push the boundaries, they tend to believe that “If we don’t take risks, we won’t know what’s possible”. So as technology improves and human training and skill development improves, it is natural for the realm of possibility to be stretched. That is what is so exciting about events like the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival, in this space limits will always be stretched and we get to see that happen on the big screen.”
The selection process for the festival is rigorous, involving extensive deliberation and voting to narrow down the entries to a final program of over 80 films, which are then screened during the nine-day festival in Banff, Canada. From this prestigious lineup, a unique selection of over 2 hours of captivating films is curated specifically for Australian audiences. Embarking on a journey across every state and territory in Australia, this year’s exhilarating lineup of seven gripping adventure films stays true to the festival’s core mission of motivating and inspiring audiences to embrace the full spectrum of life’s possibilities. Among the highly anticipated films included in this year’s lineup are:
● Driving Sweep: Experience the adrenaline rush as Katie Veteto navigates Idaho’s iconic sweep boat down the treacherous Middle Fork of the Salmon River.
● Eternal Flame: Join French BASE jumpers Eric Jamet and Antoine Pecher as they combine a daring ascent of Pakistan’s Nameless Tower with an awe-inspiring BASE jump, inspired by Australian BASE jumping legend, Dr. Glenn Singleman.
● Mustafa Ceylan: Follow the remarkable journey of Mustafa Ceylan, a young Turkish immigrant whose encounter with skiing reshapes his destiny.
● Pioneers: Tandem Cross Country Skiing: Witness the pioneering spirit of Joe Dubay and Chris as they pioneer a new sport, tandem cross-country skiing, after a controversial disqualification.
● Soundscape: Embark on a soulful adventure with Erik Weihenmayer, a blind adventurer, as he ascends a mountain using echo location and imagination.
● Subterranean: Dive into the depths with hobbyist cavers as they push the boundaries of exploration in Canada’s vast cave systems.
Tickets for the 2024 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour are now available for purchase, offering audiences the opportunity to fuel their adventurous spirit and immerse themselves in the world of outdoor exploration. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this unforgettable cinematic journey. For more information and to book tickets, visit Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival Australia website.
2024 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour will be on the Gold Coast at HOTA on Tuesday May 21 7:00-10:00pm, and Wednesday May 22 7:00-10:00pm
