KRISTIAN SCHMIDT
a&e | FILM PREVIEW
HIGH ON LIFE
The 38th Ban≠ Mountain Film Festival World Tour by Elizabeth Schwyzer
WING MAN: Wingsuit pilots attempt to fly through a naturally occurring archway near China’s Tianmen Mountain in Heaven’s Gate .
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orget the operatic national anthem competition on some of the scariest, sketchiest that launches the Super Bowl. Who routes in the world. Among Baratiak’s faves on the Wednesdayneeds the spectacle of the Olympic opening ceremonies? Bring on the night program is Heaven’s Gate, a Finnish film heart-pumping trailer and booming, god-like that follows the gnarly quest of a group of voice that herald the Banff Mountain Film wingsuit pilots who drop from a helicopter Festival. and fly through a natural archway carved out of Next Tuesday and Wednesday, February 25 the rock in Tianmen Mountain, China. Other and 26, the festival’s world tour touches down highlights include the brief but riveting Sensory in Santa Barbara, where we’ve been hosting Overload, in which a blind kayaker takes on screenings since 1992. Thanks to UCSB Arts & the white water, and , a short that celebrates Lectures Associate Director Roman Baratiak, a the tradition of a “birthday challenge”— in this longtime Banff buff who attends the festival in case, a 35-year-old American climber who sets Canada annually, Santa Barbara has developed out to ascend 35 routes in one day. Though few of the films on the Santa an enthusiastic and devoted fan base; it takes two nights at the 2,000-seat Arlington Theatre Barbara program center on environmental to accommodate the tour’s avid local following. concerns, conservation is a primary goal of the Of course, that’s a tiny fraction of the festival. From selecting films that educate viewapproximately 390,000 viewers who take part ers about issues like the controversial Northern in over 840 screenings across 40 countries over Gateway Pipelines Project to offsetting the the course of the tour, on top of about 17,000 impact of the festival and tour by purchasing festivalgoers who flood to Banff, Alberta, each green energy, Banff Mountain Film Fest has proved its ongoing commitment to balancing November. Seeing these films in Santa Barbara isn’t entertainment with social responsibility. quite the same as being surrounded by the Tour host Kristi Beetch, who will travel to snow-capped Canadian Rockies, but as soon Santa Barbara to introduce the films, served as the lights dim, they’ll transport you to on the selection committee that pared things another world. This year’s lineup is charac- down from 365 submissions to the 89 that made teristically action-packed, featuring films of the final cut. Of those 89, 15 films will screen at skiing, surfing, climbing, kayaking, cycling, the Arlington, and if past years are any indicaand wingsuit flight alongside more meditative tion, the shows will sell out in advance. mountain-related footage, including a 90-year“Because the tour has been going on for old woman chronicling her solo adventures in decades, we now have multiple-generation families who come,” Beetch explained. “It’s a the Himalayas. Baratiak takes an active role in curating the highlight in a lot of people’s year.” Beetch said Santa Barbara program. Among his favorite she never gets tired of hearing from viewers films this year is North of the Sun (from the who find themselves inspired to travel, try new Tuesday-night program), winner of the festi- sports, take action for an environmental cause, val’s overall Grand Prize (awarded by an inter- or even make a film of their own as a result of national jury), as well as the People’s Choice the festival. Her favorite line of feedback came Award. Set on a remote Arctic island, the film from a fan who described Banff as “charting the follows the adventures of two young Norwe- evolution of human potential.” gians as they explore the frozen terrain and find creative, ecoUCSB Arts & Lectures brings the friendly ways to transform Banff Mountain Film Festival the wild, dark landscape into World Tour to the Arlington an action-sports playground. Theatre (1317 State St.) on Tuesday, February 25, Also playing Tuesday night is and Wednesday, February 26, at 7:30 p.m. For Spice Girl, a climbing film from tickets, call 893-3535 or visit artsandlectures the U.K. that features British .sa.ucsb.edu . To learn more about Banff, visit phenom Hazel Findlay, a petite, banffcentre.ca/mountainfestival. blonde woman who crushes the
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KCSB-FM 91.9 Popped Culture Film Presentation : Is The Man Who Is Tall Happy? A dazzling animated documentary about NOAM CHOMSKY, the father of modern linguistics, featuring dynamic illustrations by filmmaker MICHEL GONDRY (Eternal Sunshine).
Monday, February 24, 7pm UCSB MCC Theater FREE! Limited seating. Arrive early to guarantee your spot!
Tune in to KCSB-FM 91.9 or www.kcsb.org on Friday, February 28, 7:30pm to hear NOAM CHOMSKY live at the Lobero Theater 13th Annual Frank K. Kelly Lecture on Humanity’s Future
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