2023 TOUR FILMS
The Banff Mountain Film Festival UK & Ireland 2023 Tour will feature two collections (Red and Blue films) of the best films from the world's most prestigious mountain film festival.
RED FILMS
A BAFFIN VACATION
12 minutes
Most summer holidays don’t involve skiing hundreds of kilometres over a frozen fjord in the Arctic Circle, but adventurers Erik Boomer and Sarah McNair-Landry are not most people. On a romantic getaway with a difference, the duo set off on a 45-day expedition through the remote landscape of Baffin Island in Canada, in search of stunning cliffs to climb and unexplored rivers to white-water kayak.
WILD WATERS
45 minutes (contains some subtitles)
Adventurer, competitor and badass human are all words used to describe French kayaker Nouria Newman. As she prepares to become the first female to run a 100ft (30m) waterfall, Wild Waters follows Nouria’s journey from young Olympic hopeful to one of the greatest kayakers of all time. However, running some of the world’s hardest white-water isn't Nouria's biggest challenge - expectations placed upon her as an athlete and as a woman weigh heavily on her decisions and she pushes back to make her own path.
BRIDGE BOYS
30 minutes
Kept away from towering cliffs abroad because of lockdown, top British climbers Pete Whittaker and Tom Randall are forced to look closer to home for adventure. Enter one of the most unusual climbs ever attempted – a 2,600ft horizontal groove beneath a motorway bridge on the M5. Sleeping on ledges suspended from the bridge, the pair face ferocious climbing moves, bridge-shaking traffic and police suspicion on this extraordinary Devon challenge.
WALKING ON CLOUDS
7 minutes (subtitled from Portuguese)
Brazilian engineer Rafael Bridi is on a quest to find complete freedom… and his search has taken him above the clouds. Establishing a slackline between two hot air balloons over the Praia Grande in Brazil, Rafael is hoping to break the record for the world’s highest slackline walk. To succeed he will need motivation, discipline and mindfulness at almost 2,000m above the ground.
THE NINE WHEELS
22 minutes
A story of choosing to live life to the fullest in the face of adversity. The Schneeberger family includes mountain bike stars of the future Emric (10) and Raoul (13), plus their parents Toni and Laetitia. Packed with emotion, soul and high-power riding scenes, this film explores what it is like to live with a disability, brotherly love, the devotion of parents and living life one day at a time.
FLOW
5 minutes
Big mountain skier Sam Favret explores the closed resort of Chamonix during the unusual winter of 2021. With spectacular aerial footage of iconic mountain faces, this captivating short offers a dose of unreality, serenity and Sam's powerful skiing, but above all the pleasure of rediscovering a playground allowed to return back to its wild state.
BLUE FILMS
LAPPORTEN SKYLINE
18 minutes (contains some subtitles)
Described as the gateway to Lapland, the Lapporten Gap is one of the most photographed natural landforms in Sweden… but some of the world’s top highliners have grander ambitions. They plan to put up a two-kilometre long highline across this iconic gap between snow-capped mountains and walk across, 600m above the ground. If they succeed, it will be a new world record.
THE PROCESS
15 minutes
British climber Tom Randall is known for his commitment to training, and outrageous challenges. This time, Tom has set his mind on becoming proficient in the sport of fell running, and has a madcap idea to try and complete the previously un-attempted Lakes Classic Rock Challenge and a Bob Graham link-up in 24 hours. What lengths is he willing to go to achieve his goal and when is enough, enough?
COLOURS OF MEXICO
5 minutes
Swoop from Mexico’s active volcanos to the steep and colourful streets of its historic villages in this visual feast from French mountain biking phenomenon Kilian Bron. Teaming up with adventure filmmaker Pierre Henni, the dream team capture a melting pot of the country’s most unique sights – complete with nail-biting riding – in this cinematic treat.
NORTH SHORE BETTY
12 minutes
The misty forests of British Columbia are hallowed ground for mountain bikers, and have influenced every aspect of the sport. They are also where Betty Birrell, then 45, picked up mountain biking after a career as a mountaineer and professional windsurfer. Three decades later, the single mother is a role model for her son, her friends and anyone she’s met along the way – and proof that you’re never too old to shred the trails.
DOO SAR
20 minutes (subtitled from Polish)
Two friends, two peaks, two epic ski descents. Polish athletes Andrzej Bargiel and Jedrek Baranowski head to the wildest corner of Pakistan’s Karakorum mountain range to tackle two rarely summited 6,000m peaks: isolated Yawar Shar II and the dagger-like Laila Peak. With icy conditions, narrow weather windows and near-vertical descents, there is serious beauty, but also serious risk.
FREE TO RUN
31 minutes
When the Taliban takes over Afghanistan, the basic human rights of women across the country are threatened. Mountain runner and UN human rights attorney Stephanie Case must fight to find a way forward for the Afghan women of her NGO, Free to Run, while taking on the longest and hardest ultra-trail race of her life.
ALTA
5 minutes
Glide down the slopes with some of the world’s most creative freeskiers. This action-packed short captures the essence of contemporary skiing. Join a diverse blend of urban-centric freestyle maestros, big-mountain hard-chargers and smooth powder hounds as they ride every type of terrain in the winter playground of Alta in Utah.
SAVING GLACIERS
8 minutes
Every year, glaciologist Dr Felix Keller observes the steady retreat of the Morteratsch glacier in the Swiss Alps. Determined that the melting and eventual disappearance of glaciers can be averted, Felix and his team set out to create a complex snow cabling system, recycling glacial meltwater back into snow. With enthusiasm, resilience and love for the mountains, these passionate locals are hoping to save winter for future generations.
DO A WHEELIE
6 minutes
Scottish rider Danny MacAskill joins forces with a host of amazing riders in celebration of the humble wheelie. For many cyclists, the wheelie is the first trick they learn. You don’t need an expensive bike or access to trails, and it can open doors to a whole new world. And of course, being Danny MacAskill, he takes this simple skill to a whole new level…