By Kate Bartlett
The Banff Mountain Film Festival is an international sensation, highlighting the best adventure films from the annual film fest held annually in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The festival has been around for over 45 years, and the Roger Tory Peterson Institute has been hosting the tour for close to 20. This year, the Banff Film Festival will feature 17 short films over two nights at the historic Reg Lenna Center for the Arts.
David Niles, Advancement Director with Roger Tory Peterson Institute, is thrilled to be involved with this event for his third year. “This is such a unique event, bringing like-minded nature and adventure enthusiasts together in celebration of film, nature and art,” says David. “The energy at the festival is contagious; it’s truly like nothing else in the area.”
Before 2022, the Banff Film Festival was a one-day event held at the Reg Lenna in Jamestown. Last year, David and the team decided to extend the festival over the course of the weekend, in order to show more films and allow guests more time to truly appreciate the experience. “People travel from great distances for this event, so this allows them to explore CHQ County and all that it has to offer.”
This year, the event kicks off on Friday, April 19th with a VIP reception at 5:30pm. “It’s a great way to start the weekend, and allows people the chance to mingle and to get to know each other a bit before the films.” Food and beverages will be served to help celebrate the weekends festivities. 8 films will show on Friday starting at 7pm; with 9 films showing on Saturday. Prize giveaways will be held during intermission both evenings, with everyone in attendance entered in the chance for some incredible drawings from local restaurants and businesses.
Each Banff ticket also acts as a weekend pass to the Roger Tory Peterson Institute. The featured exhibition will be Kevn Ebi: Five Minutes in Nature. “It’s such a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the art for the weekend. Ebi’s photographs embody the power and serenity of the natural world.
The combination of Banff and Ebi’s exhibition is the perfect way to celebrate Earth Day; guests can totally get lost to the power of art and nature.”
This year marks the 48th Annual Banff Mountain Film Festival highlighting the world’s best mountain sport, culture and adventure films. Over 500 short films are submitted at the annual festival, with hosting cities granted the allowance to select the programs they wish to show at their event. “Essentially every film festival is different,” says David. “This allows us to select the programs that resonate with our area, making for a great festival each and every year.”
The Banff Film Festival is one of the most unique events of its kind, with nothing like it for miles around. “We’re honored to host adventure enthusiasts from various regions. It’s an international festival, but there’s no other host cities in our region.” This celebration of adventure and the great outdoors brings people together, bonding through common interests, watching films and appreciating the arts.
The event will be held at the historic Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, a gem in the Jamestown region, and also the largest movie screen in Chautauqua. “The Reg (Lenna) is the perfect place to view the films. With its rich history and beautifully restored theater, it’s an attraction itself. It’s an honor to introduce visitors to this non-profit organization, and show them a unique piece of Chautauqua history.”
David and the team invite everyone to come out and experience the film festival, April 19-20, for a weekend of appreciating nature and art. “The energy at the festival is unmatched. It’s quite a powerful gathering of nature and adventure enthusiasts in celebration of the great outdoors. It’s truly an inspirational weekend.”
Tickets are still available for VIP, one day and two-day passes. For more information and tickets visit https://rtpi.org/ and https://banff-tour.de/en.