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I watched movies for 3 days in Banff, and still managed only to see half the prize winners.

The Western Lands — Hoy

“The filmmaker creates a rich and beautiful canvas on which this story is told,” says jury member Julie Tait. “This is a sensual film with an experimental treatment, a story of life, love and loss.” “It’s sex mixed up with climbing,” adds jury member Pat Morrow.

Badgered

“Director Sharon Colman has given us a refreshing look at the resilience of the natural world in the face of human impact. She’s creatively delivered a serious subject in a light-hearted and humorous way,” says jury member Rob Frost.

King Lines

“He has everything,” says jury member Kerrie Long. “He’s young, talented, beautiful and articulate. And yet, this is a gritty story of persistence and determination — he’s always reaching for the route he might not be able to do.”

Loop

“It’s very difficult to deal with the philosophical approach to life in the mountains, and do it visually, not just with words,” says jury member Pat Morrow. “This film does that, with its strong synergy among visuals, narration and dialogue.”

20 Seconds of Joy (my review)

“We get to know the central character over time, and the film combines precipitous physical locations with insight into the deepest recesses of this athlete’s mind,” says jury member Pat Morrow.

Nine Winters Old

“Mountain culture is not just about folkloric traditions,” says jury member Charlie Buffet. “It’s the way people live and dream their mountain experience. There was a sense of surprise, of playful curiosity, that carried me through this film.”

The Beckoning Silence (my review)

“High quality re-enactment, spectacular production values,” says jury member Charlie Buffet.

Becoming a Woman in Zanskar

“Gives voices to two women from a remote and relatively closed culture,” says jury member Kerrie Long. “It moved me to tears.”

Into the Wild

“Rarely does Hollywood treat a delicate story with this level of integrity,” says jury member Rob Frost. “We hope that Penn’s work will lead the way for other Hollywood directors, and develop a taste for truth in their audience.”

The Grand Prize winner:

Death on Nanga Parbat

“For the Grand Prize, we looked to a film that transcends category,” says jury member Julie Tait. “In giving us fresh insight into a historic event and the cult of hero, Death on Nanga Parbat offers the viewer a depth of experience that underlines the power of the medium. It’s a triumph of substance over style.”

You and I can catch these videos on the World Tour, starting today. Check the Schedule to see when it’s coming close to you.

One awesome trailer as reward for getting to the end of this post:

King Lines follows Chris Sharma on his search for the planet’s greatest climbs. From South American fantasy boulders to uncharted deep water soloing in Greece to the future of sport climbing at Mt. Clark, Sharma and friends find and climb the most spectacular routes in the world.

Click PLAY or watch the King Lines trailer on YouTube.

Chris Sharma – Wikipedia

by Rick McCharles

OK, this is MY best film out of those I’ve seen.

A World Premiere.

20 Seconds of Joy

Germany, 2007, 60 minutes
Directed by Jens Hoffmann

“I don’t want to die, I want to live. I’m pretty good at running away, and this is my escape!” This is how Karina Hollekim describes her dedication to BASE jumping. Documentary filmmaker Jens Hoffman first met the now 30-year-old Norwegian in 2002. He immediately started to film, accompanying her through many stages of her BASE-jumping career, until it comes to a sudden stop, changing all aspects of her life.

Banff Mountain Film Festival

Karina was mad for BASE jumping the first moment she saw it. This movie documents her addiction to extreme sport and the many costs of that addiction.

It explains why extreme athletes are driven step-by-step to more dangerous stunts. She was one of the first 3 women to fly the new wing suits allowing more daring manoeuvres.

In the film she makes one mistake. And walks away. Later she crashes through equipment failure — and miraculously survives.

BASE jumping to most of us is tiny YouTube video highlight clips. This movie is essential if you really want to understand the sport.

Over 110 BASE jumpers have been killed to date. Pro jumpers last an average of 6 years.

I don’t want to do it. But this film makes me much more understanding of those that do.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on MySpace.

BASE jumping is a sport involving the use of a parachute to jump from fixed objects. “BASE” is an acronym that stands for the four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump:

* Building
* Antenna (an uninhabited tower such as an aerial mast)
* Span (a bridge or arch)
* Earth (a cliff or other natural formation)

Wikipedia