What to Expect at CMC’s Banff Mountain Film Festival Screening

The crisp mountain air is calling, and so is the thrill of adventure! Colorado Mountain Club is bringing the magic of the Banff Mountain Film Festival to the National Western Stockyards Event Center in Denver, and it's an event you won't want to miss. But what can you expect from this incredible evening? Let's break it down:

The Basics:

When: Films start showing at 7PM, but doors will be open at 6PM. Come early to check out our booths, grab food, and meet other outdoor enthusiasts! The evening ends at 10PM.

Location: Stockyards Event Center - 5004 National Western Drive Denver, CO 80216

Parking: Parking is available at the Stockyards Event Center parking lot for $20 per car. Free street parking is available on National Western Drive.

Public Transportation Options: There is an RTD stop near the Stockyards Event Center, but there isn’t an easy way to access it. Rideshare is recommended. 

Food/Drinks: There will be a cash/card bar and a small selection of food available for purchase.  

What’s Playing: Each night features a different set of films. Click the series name to see the lineup each night.

FEBRUARY 27 - BASALT (Watch Trailer)

FEBRUARY 28 - GRANITE (Watch Trailer)

MARCH 1 - QUARTZITE (Watch Trailer)

MARCH 2 - SANDSTONE (Watch Trailer)

More Than Just Movies:

While the heart of the event is undoubtedly the collection of breathtaking films, it's so much more than just a movie night. Think of it as an immersive experience, a celebration of mountain culture, and a gathering of like-minded adventurers. Here's what awaits you:

• A Curated Selection of the Best: The Banff Mountain Film Festival receives hundreds of submissions, and only the most exceptional films make the cut. The CMC screening will showcase a diverse selection of these award-winning films, ranging from adrenaline-pumping expeditions to thought-provoking documentaries about environmental issues and mountain cultures. Expect a mix of climbing, skiing, kayaking, biking, and everything in between!
  
  
• Community Connection: Banff is a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow outdoor enthusiasts. If you’re a CMC member, stop by the CMC table and show us your membership card to get some goodies. Share stories, swap tips, and meet people who share your love for the mountains. It's a great chance to build community and find new adventure buddies.
  
  
• A Chance to Support the CMC: By attending the screening, you're directly supporting Colorado Mountain Club and our efforts to protect and preserve our mountain landscapes. It's a win-win!
  
  

Tips for Making the Most of Your Experience at Banff:

• Get Your Tickets Early: These screenings tend to sell out quickly, so don't wait! Grab your tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.
  
  
• Arrive Early: Give yourself plenty of time to find parking, get settled, and grab a snack or drink before the films begin.
  
  
• Bring Your Friends: Sharing the experience with friends makes it even more special. Gather your adventure crew and make it a night out.
  
  
• Come Prepared to be Amazed: Seriously, the cinematography is stunning. Be ready to witness some of the most incredible landscapes and human achievements captured on film.
  
  

Film Lineups: 

FEBRUARY 27 - BASALT (WATCH Trailer)

Home from Home

USA, 8 min

Filmmakers: John Peirce, Delianna

Description: Take a glimpse into the lives and hearts of some of the best Japanese freeride skiers in the world. Home from Home explores the intersection between Japanese athletes and the natural world.

Eliot Jackson - Drop The Mic

Canada, 2 min

Filmmakers: Scott Secco, Seb Kemp, Daniel Gillooley, Scott Secco Films

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

Wolf of Wingsuit

Australia, 8 min

Filmmakers: Aaron Gecic

Description: 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.

The Bird in My Backyard (2024 Best Short Film)

Canada, 20 min

Filmmakers: Ryan Wilkes, CBC, Trochilus Films

Description: Follow Eric Pittman, a window salesman turned hummingbird expert, as he documents the secret lives of the hummingbirds that nest in his urban backyard.

Canyon Chorus

USA, 17 min

Filmmakers: Chris Cresci, Davis Love, Wondercamp

Description: 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.

Wild Days (Tour Edit) (2024 Best Film - Snow Sports)

France, 50 min

Filmmakers: Yohan Guignard, L'Enérait, Pascal Berneville

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

Dropping Molly

USA, 30 min

Filmmakers: Cedar Wright, Cedar Wright Productions

Description: 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.

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FEBRUARY 28 - GRANITE (WATCH TRAILER)

Anytime - Utah (Tour Edit)

Canada, 8 min

Filmmakers: Darcy Wittenburg, Colin Jones, Darren McCullough, Galen Knowles, Tan Dunn, Anthill Films, Red Bull Media House

Description: In Utah's rugged, arid landscape, a new era of female freeride mountain biking is born. Follow four trailblazing women as they carve unprecedented lines and push the limits of what is possible.

House of Bliss

Iceland, 9 min

Filmmakers: Elli Thor Magnusson, Ben Welland, Steve Lewis, 104 Frames

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

Ian

Australia, 8 min

Filmmakers: Matt Raimondo, GoodFolk Film Production

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

Ice Waterfalls (Tour Edit)

Spain, 36 min

Filmmakers: David Arnaud, MOVIO, Red Bull Media House

Description: For years, professional kayaker Aniol Serrasolses has dreamed of running the rivers and waterfalls formed by melting ice caps and gigantic glaciers. Accompanied by a team of expert kayakers and Arctic guides, he ventures into one of the most remote and rugged regions of the planet: Svalbard. Amidst the Arctic's otherworldly landscapes, reality is about to surpass his wildest dreams.

For Winter (Tour Edit)

USA, 45 min

Filmmakers: National Geographic Society Impact Story Lab, Taylor Schulke, Katie Cleary

Description: Glaciologist and National Geographic Explorer Alison Criscitiello leads her team on an ambitious 10-day climb up Mt. Logan, through whiteout conditions and precarious icefalls, to unearth thousands of years of climate data in one record-breaking ice core.

A Team Sport

USA, 16 min

Filmmakers: Alexis Berg, Julien Raison, Sarah Stewart, Jon Brogan, Laura Mittleberg, Jason Israel, Marion Blache, Oliver Denton, Stept Studios

Description: 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 back-to-back in one summer. But who is the team behind Courtney and her remarkable success?

2 Legs is 2 Easy

USA, 7 min

Filmmakers: Tamara Susa, BTX Productions

Description: 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.

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MARCH 1 - QUARTZITE (WATCH TRAILER)

Anytime - Switzerland (Tour Edit)

Canada, 5 min

Filmmakers: Darcy Wittenburg, Colin Jones, Darren McCullough, Anthill Films, Red Bull Media House, Ian Dunn, Galen Knowles

Description: Set in the Lenzerheide Bike Park this segment will highlight the fact that good times are at the core of it all. Leave your preconceptions behind and join the revolution as these women prove they're not just riding - they're reigning.

The Last Observers

Filmmakers: Maja K Mikkelsen, Patagonia Films, Adam Mikkelsen

Description: 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.

Jamrock: The birth of Jamaican rock climbing

USA, 17 min

Filmmakers: Gareth Leah, Well Good Productions

Description: 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.

Reel Rock: Jirishanca

USA, 32 min

Filmmakers: Peter Mortimer, Josh Lowell, Zachary Barr, Halle Johns, Sender Films, Patagonia Films

Description: 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.

Of A Lifetime

Switzerland, 44 mins

Filmmakers: Jérôme Tanon, Sart XDLR Suisse, Xavier de Le Rue, Beanie de Le Rue

Description: Of A Lifetime 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.

Sliding

United States Virgin Islands, 4 min

Filmmakers: Katie Tannenbaum, Matiss Spaile, Juris Kudeiko

Description: A female athlete skips the crowded ski slopes to traverse the Swiss Alps on her sled... headfirst.

The Smoke that Thunders

Canada, 5 min

Filmmakers: Caleb Roberts

Description: 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.

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MARCH 2 - SANDSTONE (WATCH TRAILER)

The Streif

Austria, 4 min

Filmmakers: Fabio Wibmer, Christoph Thoresen, Tobi Reindl, Thomas Wernhart, Legs of Steel in cooperation with Sick Cinema

Description: Fabio Wibmer is back on snow! This time crashing the preparations for the most legendary ski race in the world: the Streif.

Welcome to the Pit

Canada, 15 min

Filmmakers: Seth Gillis, Charlene Brochu

Description: 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.

River Mamma

USA, 13 min

Filmmakers: Saneh Hamilton, Sarah Hamilton Film, Ryan Weigman

Description: 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.  

Dolomites (Tour Edit)

France, 33 min

Filmmakers: Kilian Bron, Valentin Birent, VB Films

Description: Mountain biking free solo and more... Kilian Bron and his team take you on a thrilling and history-rich adventure, riding the steepest trails of the Dolomites.

109 Below

USA, 59 min

Filmmakers: Nick Martini, Stept Studios, Sarah Stewart, Ben Osborne, Lex Hinson

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

Undammed

USA, 37 min

Filmmakers: Shane Anderson, Patagonia Films, Swiftwater Films

Description: 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.  

Keep It Burning

Spain, 32 min

Filmmakers: Guillaume Broust, Manu Moreau, Petzi

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

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The CMC's Banff Mountain Film Festival screening is more than just a film festival; it's an experience. It's a chance to celebrate the spirit of adventure, connect with the outdoor community, and be inspired by the power of the mountains. So, grab your tickets, gather your friends, and get ready for an unforgettable night! We'll see you there!