THE BANFF Mountain Film Festival, a feast of documentaries from the global mountain and sports community, celebrating a love of the outdoors and the spirit of adventure, returns to Galway.
The films explore remote cultures, highlight intense expeditions through exotic landscapes, and adrenaline-packed action sports, with screenings starting at 7.30pm on Thursday May 19 in the Town Hall Theatre.
Among the films being screened is Operation Moffat, which takes inspiration from the colorful climbing life of Britain’s first female mountain guide - Gwen Moffat. Writer Claire Carter and filmmaker Jen Randall scramble, swim, and barefoot climb through Gwen’s favoured landscapes, grappling with her preference for mountains over people, and adventure over security.
Climbing The Fitz Roy traverse in Patagonia, Argentina, is one of the most sought after achievements in modern alpinism. Long considered impossible, it is coveted by many and attempted by a few. A Line Across The Sky traces the iconic skyline of Cerro Fitz Roy and its six satellite peaks - spanning four miles and 13,000ft. Seizing their chance during a rare extended weather window, Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold went big. The pair completed the first ascent in a five-day push, earning them the prestigious Piolet d’Or award.
In Unbranded, four young Texas horsemen hatch an outrageous plan to adopt, train, and ride a string of wild horses 3,000 miles from the Mexican border to Canada through some of the American west’s wildest terrain. Their aim is to prove the worth of wild horses and raise awareness about their plight. What ensues is an epic journey of self-discovery, danger, friendship, and big landscapes that entails runaway horses, perilous mountain passes, debilitating injuries, and one sassy donkey.
Also being shown is Eclipse, which looks at the attempt by photographer Reuben Krabbe to capture a skier in front of the 2015 solar eclipse in Svalbard. Up in the high arctic though, the weather is bad, the guide is sketchy, the pressure is massive, and the skiers just want to ski.
Tickets are available from the Town Hall on 091 - 569777 or www.tht.ie See also www.Banff-uk.com
