2019-2020 Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour Magazine

Banff Centre

Mountain Film Festival Magazine 2019/20 WORLD TOUR

Where Are They Now? Danny Daycare Banff Mountain Photo Essay Winner Win a trip for two to Peru

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Living your own adventure in Banff National Park This place is alive, are you?

B

ANFF NATIONAL PARK is a modern-day mecca for adventurers. It is also the inspiration for and birthplace of Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival, where adventurers from across the globe convene each and every year to share incredible stories, meet their heroes, and live their own adventures in the Canadian Rockies.

It’s the perfect place to live your best adventure—from climbing and mountaineering to epic adventures for the everyday biker, skier, canoeist and hiker—in any season, you’ll be inspired by Canada’s first national park.

During spring and fall, there is no better place to hike than along the trails of Banff and Lake Louise against the stunning backdrop of the snow-tipped mountain peaks. Here you will experience the famous, breath-taking aquamarine hues of Lake Louise and Peyto Lakes, surrounded by pristine mountain wilderness and awe-inspiring scenery.

During winter, sparkling crystals of snow fall on the mountains, creating a picture-postcard landscape and an even more incredible location for downhill and cross-country ski adventures. The golden triumvirate of ski resorts—Lake Louise

Ski Resort, Banff Sunshine, and Mt. Norquay combine to offer a large skiable terrain, in addition to the vast backcountry trails available throughout the park.

Like the diverse adventurers featured in Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival, Banff National Park is a place you can come to be truly alive, to feel your pulse race, to be inspired and uplifted.

And the best recommendation after an adventure to leave you rejuvenated and energized? Retreat to the natural mineral hot springs at the Banff Upper Hot Springs and enjoy stunning views of the nearby mountain ranges before dining in one of Banff’s many unique restaurants.

Each year adventure is celebrated at Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival. Why not find inspiration for your own personal adventure with a trip to the home of adventure, right here in Banff National Park?

The journey awaits.

This place is alive, are you?

To get inspired for your next adventure in Banff and Lake Louise visit banfflakelouise.com/adventure

Bianca Hyslop, Transformation. Photo by Katy Whitt.

Banff Centre is art that’s breathtaking, at an altitude that doesn’t help.

Banff Centre is

Experience art in the Rockies.

Home of Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival.

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CONTENTS

Banff Centre

Mountain Film Festival Magazine 2019/20 WORLD TOUR

MacAskill’s videos bridge athleticism and art… but does that make him babysitter material? P. 13

Departments

Where are they now?

Features

8 40 42 43 44 46

20 Where Are They Now? Boy Nomad filmmaker Niobe Thompson travels to Mongolia for film screening; watch Pete McBride’s new film Into the Canyon; youngster

10 Electric Greg How Greg Hill seeks out sustainable adventures.

Welcome Literature Excerpt Contest Film Award Sponsors Book Award Sponsors Last Words

Kai Jones (Far Out) is busier than ever; Kiwi climber Mayan Smith-Gobat’s (Women’s Speed Ascent) latest climbing feat; and Jacques Houot (The Frenchy) is alive and kicking.

22 The Wright Way Australian photographer Krystle Wright on chasing storms and dreams.

27 The Secret Life of Margo Hayes How people and events have shaped the Margo Hayes that we see today.

P. 10 Cover photo: Valentine Fabre, Dent Blanche, Switzerland © Ben Tibbetts Top: Danny MacAskill in Danny Daycare © Dave Mackison Above: Greg Hill in Electric Greg © Anthony Bonello

30 John Price Photographer John Price on the challenges of capturing a vertical world.

13 Danny Daycare Mountain-biking legend Danny MacAskill rips the trails, but this time with toddler in tow.

17 The Mountains are Calling Introducing the new Adventure Filmmakers Masterclass at Banff Centre.

32 Understanding the Matagi Javier Corso’s winning photo essay.

39 Living the Dream The life of a Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival Road Warrior.

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

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WELCOME IS IT ENOUGH for films to entertain us these days or do we want something deeper? Our planet urgently needs our help and as lovers of the outdoors, we need to ask ourselves, what is within our grasp that can bring us together and amplify our message? We think our shared love of adventure film just might be it.

Over the past decade we’ve seen significant changes in outdoor films. Filmmakers have answered the call to create more meaningful films that include women, diverse cultures and environmental messages. We still need a good laugh every now and then, so purely entertaining films like Danny Daycare will continue to be an integral part of our program. This comic relief is still as important as ever but the quality of production and audience reach has grown to a level we never previously imagined.

This year, more than 440 films were submitted to our annual competition in Banff, and with filmmaking equipment and editing software more accessible than ever before, we’re seeing lots of first time filmmakers rise to the top on low budgets.

We’ve been a staunch supporter of filmmakers since the Festival was born in 1976,

and we are still learning new ways to give storytellers the help they need during the creative process. In the summer of 2019, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity launched the first ever Adventure Filmmakers Masterclass (see article on page 17). The new Masterclass focuses on honing storytelling skills and technique in the field for a group of eight extraordinarily talented participants.

For many filmmakers, the support that Banff provides is transformational. Whether it’s the decision to show a film at the Festival or on the World Tour, or by developing new programs for emerging artists, small actions make a big difference. I’m proud of the difference we make and the stories we help amplify and I’m ecstatic that you’re here to share our success with us. Sit back and enjoy, because the films you’re about to see are amongst the best in the genre. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Joanna Croston, Festival Director

BANFF CENTRE MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL MAGAZINE Magazine Editor Louise Healy Supporting Editor Jess Green Magazine Contributors Bob Covey, Debra Hornsby, Nicky Lynch, Ryan Prather, Megan Smith Festival Director Joanna Croston Festival Manager Megan Smith World Tour Manager Jim Baker Senior Producer, Media + Production Woody MacPhail Strategic Partnerships Manager Laurie Harvey World Tour Coordinator Seana Strain World Tour Program Coordinators Jean Bilodeau, Natasha Fox, Mark Louie, Jess Ritchie, Lauren Schmidt World Tour Onsite Coordinators Kristi Beetch, Nicci Brown, Jamie Carpenter, Michelle deCamp, Callan Field, Samantha Hindle, Debra Hornsby, Dave Miller, Roxanne Miller, Charla Tomlinson, Heather Walter, Suzanne White Film Coordinator Brenda Williams Program Coordinator Kenna Ozbick Festival Coordinators Carmen Jackson, Patsy Murphy, Laura Newsome Volunteer Coordinator Debra Hornsby Production Admin. Coordinators Nurdjana De Rijcke, Maryann Madsen Script Supervisor Lana Hettinga Video Packaging Leanne Allison, Guy Clarkson, Mark Tierney, Louie Paccalagan Video Master Control Branden Charlton Video Engineering Travis Nadeau Live Graphics Sandy Macdonald Stage Manager Alyssa Neudorf Technical Assistants Holly Elliott, Martin Finnerty, Corwin Ferguson, Clare Prosser, Dave Miller MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Marketing Nicky Lynch Media Jess Green Festival Design and Artwork Kelly Stauffer, Christine Majer We wish to express our gratitude to Banff Centre without whose support we could not produce the Festival or Tour and to Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival founder John Amatt, and to former director Bernadette McDonald, whose visionary leadership elevated the Festival to the world stage.

BANFF CENTRE MOUNTAIN FILM AND BOOK FESTIVAL Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity Box 1020, Banff, AB, Canada T1L 1H5 1-800-298-1229 email banffmountainfestival@banffcentre.ca Website banffmountainfestival.ca Box Office 1-800-413-8368 PUBLISHED BY FREEWHEEL DESIGN 516 Golden Ave., Ottawa, ON K2A 2E7 416-822-8166 Publisher/Art Director Michael Zikovitz Project Manager, Print Jodi Andersen

“I’m proud of the difference we make and the stories we help amplify”

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Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

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“Making positive change is about progress, not perfection”

THIS PAGE: Electric Greg follows the evolution of Hill’s adventures as he sets out to climb, run, and ski 100 summits without the use of fossil fuels.

OPPOSITE: Greg Hill skinning up for a day of backcountry skiing in Rogers Pass, British Columbia, while his electric car charges.

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Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

FILM FEATURE

Electric Greg A story of seeking more sustainable adventures

BY MEGAN SMITH

opposite: paul wright; this page: travis rousseau

E

NDURANCE ATHLETE GREG HILL is no stranger to human-powered adventures. After all, we’re talking about someone who, in 2010 skied two million vertical feet in a year (earning himself the nickname “Two Mill Hill”), as well as setting a number of other records for the number of vertical feet skied in 24 hours (50,000 ft) and in a month (330,000 ft). Spending this much time in the mountains, it’s not really any surprise that Hill started to notice the effects of climate change. Hill realized that while his adventures were human powered, his travel and approach to locations wasn’t always the most environmentally friendly.

Electric Greg, the new film directed by Anthony Bonello (Switchback Entertainment), follows the evolution of Hill’s adventures as he sets out to climb, run, and ski 100 summits without the use of fossil fuels.

The goal of this project? To seek out local adventures that could be accessed via electric car or human power, and document what it looks like to adventure in a more sustainable way. Unlike Hill’s other goals, this one had no time limit, as it was about changing habits and showing that it’s worth trying to make more positive choices.

Bonello and the Switchback Entertainment crew have been sharing stories from the slopes and summits for a number of years (you may remember films such as Eclipse (2015), Kilian (2016) and Liv Along the Way (2018)). For Bonello, Hill’s project felt like a natural evolution of conversations and trips that had happened over a number of years, including Hill’s 4,000 km ski trip in a rental electric car with fellow professional skier Chris Rubens in 2017. “Greg is outwardly charismatic and confident, but he’s humble and prefers others to talk about what he’s doing,” said Bonello. “I thought his project was awesome and I wanted to make Greg’s voice heard.”

Hill was proud of his records and personal skiing achievements, but after being caught in an avalanche in Pakistan in 2014, he started to question what else he could do other than just inspiring people to have epic days in the mountains. “My kids were the main reason to try and be better,” says Hill in the film. “I want to live consciously, and live the right way — it’s about setting a precedent for them and their future generations. We have to be conscious about our impacts on them.”

So Hill started his electric adventures, and along the way, shared stories on social media to show that change is possible as well as encourage dialogue around climate change issues. But he wasn’t without his detractors. While sitting in the dark at 11 pm, waiting for his car to charge in preparation for a 4 am alpine start the next day, we see Hill, in the film, question the effectiveness of his pursuit while reading negative comments on Instagram. “If you can’t change one person’s point of view, how can you hope to change millions?”

Amongst his friends, at least, Hill has proven the concept. During the filming of Electric Greg, Bonello would travel with Hill in his electric car or hike to local summits near Hill’s home in Revelstoke, British Columbia. In the process, he was able to collectively experience with Hill that change, and taking a principled stance, can feel really good. For Bonello and the Switchback Entertainment team, it reinforced that they want to continue highlighting global environmental issues and showing solutions (as imperfect as they may be at the moment). “This theme is not going to go away for us,” said Bonello. “It’s something we continue to track, take interest in, and want to tell stories about.”

As for Hill, this sustainable adventure has really just begun. While the 100 peaks are officially complete, he’s continuing to make positive changes in all aspects of his life, and this includes encouraging changes with the companies that he works with. “Change is scary, and initially I was afraid to try but making positive change is about progress, not perfection.”

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Dear Parents, You can raise children by helicopter, bulldozer or even tiger.

But when everything in their life is so structured, and things always go according to plan, they won’t be prepared for what will quickly become the “real world.”

Med school will not make someone a more empathetic human being. Liberal arts won’t transform worldviews the way the outdoors can. And even the best MBA program can’t teach true leadership.

Instead, consider what really allows a child to mature (both personally and professionally)—time spent doing things for real. Rather than reading about stuff confined inside a classroom, they’ll learn by trial, and more importantly, error.

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AROUND THE WORLD

AL ASK A / EAST AFRICA / INDIA / MEXICO / NEW ZEAL AND / NORTHEAST / PACIFIC NORTHWEST / PATAGONIA / ROCKY MOUNTAINS / SCANDINAVIA / SOUTHWEST / YUKON

FILM FEATURE

all photos: dave mackison

The film’s pièce de résistance is a lofty barrel-roll that took ten days of shooting before MacAskill nailed the landing.

Danny

Daycare D

ANNY MACASKILL IS FEELING INSPIRED. We caught up with the internet’s most famous bicycle stunt rider fresh off three weeks of whipping sold out crowds into a frenzy for his Drop and Roll Tour at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.

But it wasn’t necessarily his fellow riders’ incredible skills or daring feats that were amping MacAskill up. Neither was it the haggis and black pudding pizza being dished out (although he did fancy another slice).

What had MacAskill itching to once again feel the

Would you trust your child with this mountain biker?

BY BOB COVEY

friction between his tires and Glasgow’s hallowed concrete was witnessing the acrobatic antics of the circus performers in the Fringe’s adjacent tent.

“I couldn’t believe their balance and their strength,” he says. Funny. That’s what most of MacAskill’s fans say about him. Since soaring to fame on the success of his 2009 collaboration (Inspired Bicycles) with filmmaker Dave Sowerby, MacAskill has continued to release mind-blowing trials riding content that hits the social media sweet spot of appealing to both core

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

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FILM FEATURE

RIGHT: Rock on! Real life Daisy, director Stu Thomson’s daughter, makes her film debut in Danny Daycare BELOW: MacAskill considered not letting the audience know that the youngster sending those massive park jumps in a bike trailer was in fact a stunt doll.

in The Ridge (2014); and the wacky and wonderful hay bale ride in Wee Day Out (2016).

Each of these showpiece stunts took MacAskill hundreds of attempts to complete.

They also reaffirmed the notion to him that determination pays off.

“Those experiences taught me that you persevere through those things because it’s worth it,” he says. Not that he’s all work and no play. MacAskill might ride hard, but at the centre of each of his films is a lightness which cannot be overlooked as a reason why his content has such wide reach. A great deal of that levity is surely due to the personality of the star himself. After all, this is a man who not only loves mountain biking in the mud, but prefers it to dry conditions.

“It’s the best,” he laughs. “The more miserable, the more wet, the better.”

That pathological preference probably has something to do with the fact that Scottish weather is famously rotten, but it’s also related to MacAskill’s penchant for making the most out of a situation. As long as he’s on a bike, he’s happy. And if he’s laid up and can’t ride, his search for inspiration knows no bounds.

Which is why audiences should take note of his recent proclivity for circus performances.

MacAskill muses: “It makes you realize what the human body is capable of.”

“It makes you realize what the human body is capable of”

fans of the niche sport and mainstream audiences coveted by advertisers.

MacAskill’s videos bridge athleticism and art: his elegant flow of tricks, flips and jawdropping balancing acts are complemented by aesthetic cinematography and hooky soundtracks.

But does that make MacAskill babysitter material? In Danny Daycare, MacAskill acts as the mountain-biking chaperone who rips the trails with his friend’s toddler in tow. He says there was a moment when he and director Stu Thomson (whose toddler daughter Daisy appears in the film) considered not letting the audience know that the youngster sending those massive park jumps in a bike trailer was in fact a stunt doll. Then they imagined the comment sections.

“You can’t underestimate the internet,” MacAskill says. “There might not be that same comedy culture everywhere it gets seen.”

Make no mistake, however, Danny Daycare was made for audiences to have a laugh.

Shot over the span of two years, and with no sponsors, MacAskill and Thomson picked away at their passion project whenever they could. The film’s pièce de résistance is a lofty barrel-roll off a huge berm. It took ten days of shooting, over a six month period, plus the obligatory crashes, until MacAskill finally stuck the landing. Good thing, too. He had knee surgery scheduled two days later.

“That’s a cool feeling,” he says of nailing the landing. “Putting all that energy into something you didn’t actually know was going to work in the end.”

Similarly, MacAskill’s most well-known clips from each of his videos are the result of Herculean efforts in stick-to-it-ness. There was the playful and precise balancing act at the abandoned ironworks factory in Industrial Revolutions (2011); the sketchy ride along the Isle of Skye’s death-defying Cuillin Ridgeline

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

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Y

OU ASKED AND WE LISTENED. In 2019, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity launched the first ever Adventure Filmmakers Masterclass. It was born out of two years of intensive planning by world renowned filmmakers and faculty, Keith Partridge (Bonington: Mountaineer) and Michael Brown (The Weight of Water), along with the Mountain Culture team who bring you the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival every year.

Built on the foundation of the highly successful Adventure Filmmakers Workshop, now in its 20th year, this new Masterclass was developed following feedback from participants of the Adventure Filmmakers Workshop program.

“Over many years of facilitating the Adventure Filmmakers Workshop, the overriding feedback was that the participants wanted to spend more time outdoors, learning the art of shooting and to dive deeper into the subtleties of great storytelling and finely crafted filmmaking,” says faculty member Keith Partridge. “So the new Adventure Filmmakers Masterclass really came from the desires of those who had been with us across

The Mountains are Calling Introducing the new Adventure Filmmakers Masterclass

BY JOANNA CROSTON, FESTIVAL DIRECTOR

photo: joanna croston

The new Masterclass allows participants to spend more time outdoors, learning the art of shooting and finessing the craft of filmmaking.

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

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The new masterclass focuses on honing storytelling skills and technique in the field for a group of eight talented participants.

of good storytelling. In 2019 guest speakers of the program included seasoned climber Barry Blanchard and one of Canada’s premier bear biologists, Dave Garrow. Blanchard and Garrow both had a unique story to tell during the field trips and the filmmakers attempted to capture each.

In the Adventure Filmmakers Masterclass, participants are challenged with not only unconventional shooting conditions during their field

“The Masterclass is perfect to either reignite the passion for an existing project or get the energy to start a new one” trips but with issues like on-location pre-planning, ensuring functionality of gear, keeping their stories on point, and utilizing their limited time effectively while in the field — all key to the success of telling a brilliant story.

“Both of the in-the-field exercises were terrific film projects to execute and

2019 Faculty and guest adventure speakers: Keith Partridge, Will Gadd, Michael Brown and Dave Mossop.

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certainly scenarios I have found myself shooting in on very many occasions,” comments Keith Partridge. “They were totally real world. Just the act of preparing for a shoot and getting out and doing a shoot brings out hundreds of tips learned in years of adventure filmmaking.”

The eight-day Masterclass is rounded out by special sessions on narrative and industry insider information. In 2019 this part of the program

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

was conducted by Sherpas Cinema founder Dave Mossop and high-adrenaline superstar Will Gadd. Both highly celebrated adventure film experts, Mossop and Gadd provided the insight and knowledge of shared experiences coming from humble beginnings to amazing success stories.

“The Masterclass is the infusion of energy and confidence that it takes to keep filmmakers going,” says Michael Brown in summation. “It isn’t easy, especially when working alone, to stay motivated. This session is perfect to either reignite the passion for an existing project or get the energy to start a new one.”

For more information and how to apply for the Adventure Filmmakers Masterclass and other programs, please visit our workshops webpage at banffmountainfestival.ca.

top: keith partridge; bottom: michael brown

so many years, it was something that simply couldn’t be ignored.”

As a step on from the Adventure Filmmakers Workshop, the Masterclass is designed to incorporate more hands-on ‘in the field’ training than its predecessor — think jugging up and down lines on a vertical rock face and participants navigating through challenging terrain and swamps. Co-leading the faculty charge is Michael Brown, who believes the devil is in the detail.

“Being ready for anything is critical to adventure filmmaking,” he says.

“One of the most exciting things for us to do with participants is to generate a vision for what ‘might’ come up out in the field,” says Brown. “Building systems that include time-saving and other helpful modifications to camera equipment, backpacks, cases, and sporting equipment is part of a larger and rewarding exercise that allows filmmakers to gain the edge they need to be successful.”

A critical element of the program is centered around crafting the art

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

We caught up with some stars of Banff Centre Mountain Film Festivals past to see what they’ve been up to in the last year…

↑ Boy Nomad | Documentary filmmaker Niobe Thompson travelled to Mongolia’s Altai mountains with a projector in hand to debut Boy Nomad for Janibek, his family and the wider community, one of the world’s last nomadic horse cultures: the Kazakhs of Western Mongolia.

“Over a decade of filmmaking I have always tried to send the films we make back to every person involved in the process, no matter how distant they live from our home in Canada,” says Thompson. “The audience in Mongolia was a tough crowd — people who live in an extreme alpine environment all year round, moving with their animals — but there were tears in many eyes.

Without exception, his was the first time any of them had seen a film dedicated to celebrating their unique way of life.”

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Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

clockwise from left: aaron munsen; pete mcbride, krystle wright; jason smith; nic alegre

↑ Pete McBride | Delta Dawn filmmaker Pete McBride documents what one day of traffic, or 363 flights (sewn together digitally), looks like in Grand Canyon National Park. In his new film, Into the Canyon, McBride walks the length of the canyon with The Emerald Mile author, Kevin Fedarko, to highlight how proposed developments could alter the landscape around the Colorado River and its most iconic conduit, the Grand Canyon. “It turned out to be about 10 times more difficult than anything else I’ve done in my life,” McBride says of his epic overland journey. ← Mayan Smith-Gobat | Kiwi climber Mayan Smith-Gobat (Women’s Speed Ascent) climbs the famous Tasmanian Totem Pole. Usually photographed from the more accessible north side; photographer Krystle Wright (The Mysteries, Where the Wild Things Play) had an idea, which came to her in a dream, to capture a southern ascent along the Sorcerer route. Wright, Smith-Gobat, and a film crew meticulously plotted for months how to complete and document the climb which involved Wright swimming across the channel, and harnessing herself from a tightrope she’d rigged across nearby rocks to get the perfect shot exactly on the ‘blue hour’ at around 5:30 p.m. ←← Kai Jones | Following on from the huge success of his cameo appearance in Teton Gravity Research’s (TGR) Far Out in 2018, freeskier Kai Jones is busier than ever. He spent last winter filming Winterland for TGR, made an appearance on the Today Show, and went on his first trip to ski big lines in Alaska. And if that wasn’t enough, Kai continues to rock climb, has started Enduro mountain biking competitions, plays soccer, runs track, serves on the student council, and gets straight A’s. All of this and he’s only 12 years old! ← The Frenchy | Vive le Frenchy! 83-year-old Jacques Houot, who has survived some two dozen close calls with death (including avalanches, cancer, car accidents, a heart attack, drowning, and even attempted murder) is alive and kicking, and is still trying to beat everyone in the Aspen Cycling Club races. Pictured here is Jacques with Michelle Smith, director of The Frenchy. Smith says,“I asked Jacques what his next major goal is and he says he wants to be the first person to bike on the moon. Just for kicks, I looked up what it would cost us to do and make a film about it, and it came to about $1.5 billion dollars!”

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Australian photographer Krystle Wright lives eleven months of the year on the road as an adventure photographer, cinematographer and director but says it’s now time to slow down.

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Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

THE WRIGHT WAY

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Wright collaborated with Sydney Morning Herald photo-journalist Nick Moir to chase some of the deadliest tornadoes in the US.

Krystle Wright on chasing storms and dreams

BY LOUISE HEALY

all photos: krystal wright

K

RYSTLE WRIGHT is fond of chasing things. Living eleven months out of each year on the road as an adventure photographer, cinematographer, and director (Nobody’s River and The Mysteries) it’s Wright’s job to chase adventure — and she does so by paragliding off peaks in Pakistan, free diving in the southern oceans, dodging polar bears in the Arctic, and documenting tornadoes in mid-west America.

She’s also been back running around after badass women in Where the Wild Things Keep Playing, the sequel to Where The Wild Things Play, the tongue-in-cheek ode to 28 adventurous women ripping around on mountains, rivers, and trails while their male counterparts sit in an empty bar wondering where all the cool women have disappeared to.

But with the chase comes hectic schedules, non-stop travel, and no

real place to call her home. We spoke to Wright in Cambodia where she was reflecting on her latest projects while attempting a holiday (she says herself she finds it hard to sit still).

“While Where The Wild Things Play was warmly received, I received criticism for the lack of diversity I presented — and that’s something I’ve thought about a lot as our industry learns to move forward and evolve out of the past,” she says.

“So for Where the Wild Things Keep Playing, it felt like it was time to push myself in meeting new athletes and extending my community across the world. I wanted to discover athletes who may not have received as much attention and yet were out there doing their thing and getting stoked on being outside and having a great time.”

Prior to finishing that project she embarked on Chasing Monsters, the last segment in her series about

photographers. Wright says that after experiencing “a deep sense of frustration” about how photographers are portrayed in films she decided to create three mini-documentaries — the autobiographical In Perpetual Motion, A Restless Peace and Chasing Monsters — “to demonstrate the collision of ambition and fear” a photographer has in the pursuit of incredible imagery.

“I wanted to bring to life the internal dialogue a professional photographer battles when he or she is capturing the moments that define their craft,” says Wright. “Photography as a medium speaks so strongly verbally and I felt there needed to be more artistry associated with it. When a photographer has to explain what a photograph is about it actually defies what we originally set out to do as artists, because we shouldn’t have to explain what it means. Art is meant to have a sense of freedom about it.”

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Wright has been running around after badass women again in Where the Wild Things Keep Playing, the sequel to Where The Wild Things Play.

one). “I was reminded of that vital lesson that if you lose visuals of your surroundings, it’s just not worth the gamble with your life.”

Something she tries not to gamble with is her fear of regret. For it is this insatiable desire to get the perfect shot that has kept Krystle Wright chasing wild adventures and dreams, and at times herself.

“I think a lot of the time my curiosity overrides all common sense so this coming year my biggest priority is to create more space in my life and to slow down.”

But for now it’s time for a change, a chance to reset the speed dial.

“My aim in life is to leave this world with no regrets so slowing down will actually allow me to be more creative because I’ll be evolving to a better balance.”

We think that’s a dream worth chasing.

“I MAY HAVE HAD A CAMERA IN HAND BUT I’M NOT THE ONE CALLING THE SHOTS” In Chasing Monsters, Wright sets about documenting some of the deadliest tornadoes in the US with Sydney Morning Herald (where she started her career) photo-journalist Nick Moir. “At times I was really, really scared but that’s also generally when the magic happens,” she says. “I may have had a camera in hand but I’m not the one calling the shots. Ultimately Mother Nature chooses when to interact with us. But when she does, when the sky is turning to black and swirling, you feel so alive because you’re a part of this bigger, other worldly, and unbelievably phenomenal thing.”

She references one occasion where they came within a mile or two of a multiple voracity tornado (that’s several mini tornadoes inside a bigger

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Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

Krystle Wright’s dodgy accident resume For every successful adventure in Krystle Wright’s life comes a dodgy miss or accident: In 2008, she knocked out her front teeth in a mountain biking accident in China, resulting in seven replacement crowns.

In 2010, she fell into a shallow crevasse in the Canadian Arctic (but thankfully managed to crawl out).

In 2011, in the northern Karakoram Range in Pakistan, she slammed into boulders during a tandem paraglider takeoff and blacked out.

In early 2016, she broke her fibula in a skiing accident in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Photo: Travis Rousseau

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Making each step of the process as environmentally responsible as possible — that’s an art, a science, and a commitment to the planet that Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is excelling at.

Visiting either of their breweries in Chico, CA or Mills River, NC, you will see some very obvious clues to their commitment to sustainability.

You may park under a portion of the 10,751 solar panels that collectively provide 20% of the Chico brewery’s power needs. You’ll see bike parking, electric car charging stations, and rainwater collection cisterns. But it is the infrastructure behind the scenes that is perhaps the most impressive.

In 2016, the Mills River facility became the first production brewery in the US to reach LEED® Platinum certification — the highest level awarded by the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Sierra Nevada has spent

decades fine-tuning the most environmentally responsible brewing systems possible. Heat, steam, and water are all resources that can be used several times, and closing loops with these resources whenever possible is one of the most effective ways to reduce overall consumption.

Mandi McKay, Sustainability Manager, explains that these systems can have the biggest impact but they aren’t always the easiest to wrap your head around — such as recovering excess heat from the brewing process and using it to generate hot water and steam for the next batch of beer.

The environment is top of mind for future plans for Sierra Nevada.

“We recognize that climate change is a significant threat to our business and it’s our responsibility as global citizens to do our part,” Mandi says.

While their breweries may be as sustainable as possible, Sierra Nevada knows they can have an impact outside of brewing as well. Future endeavors include working with the

farmers that supply their ingredients on regenerative agriculture, reducing the footprint of transporting beer from the brewery to your fridge, and evaluating all upstream and downstream impacts of the company to find the greatest opportunities to reduce impacts. As Mandi says, “The future is outside of our four walls.”

“It’s our responsibility as global citizens to do our part” Sierra Nevada also works with other breweries to share what they’ve learned about brewing more sustainably and are advocating for policies that are aligned with climate-based science. For them, it’s an opportunity to lead and demonstrate the huge impact businesses can have on the climate change conversation.

“Even if we didn’t have a business, it’s something we should all be doing.”

Cheers to that.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

BY LOUISE HEALY

M

ARGO HAYES made her mark in 2017 by being the first woman to climb a 5.15 route.

In early 2019 she became the first woman to complete a hat trick of 5.15s, proving that she is deserved in her ranking among the greatest climbers of her generation.

For all her achievements, Hayes is incredibly humble, attributing her successes in life to the hard work of her family, mentors and the climbing community. She had a nurturing and creative upbringing with her mother creating craft projects and themed installations from thrift store finds at home. We caught up with the 21-year-old to learn a bit more about the people and events that have shaped the Margo Hayes we see today.

THE SECRET LIFE OF MARGO HAYES

all photos: greg mionske

Life lessons on the wall

It’s apparent your mother established a very colourful and supportive home for you growing up. How has she shaped your approach to life?

My mom has, and always will be my biggest inspiration in life. Since day one, she taught me to value kindness above anything else. Growing up, she fostered an environment where I learned to appreciate nature, growth, and diversity.

I was always a unique kid — I would wear dress up clothes from thrift shops, shave my head, and dance in the courtyard at school. It never made me feel uncomfortable because I grew up in an environment where I never felt judged and was free to explore.

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Your grandfather led an expedition to summit Mount Everest in 1983.

Did he ever talk to you about his mountaineering?

The beauty is that most of his stories are a tribute to friends for whom he has great respect. He rarely talked about the difficulty of the actual climb, but rather, the moments that he shared with his comrades. I find this to be a good reminder that the beauty in an adventure or a challenge is based much more heavily on the experience and connections, rather than on the success or failure.

Your dad was a big wall climber in Yosemite. What’s your most vivid memory of your dad from childhood?

My dad would take my sister and me on ski days, hikes, and bike rides. One highlight was the ice cream stops that we would commonly make at the end of a big day. When I started climbing at age 10, my dad instantly became my favorite partner. There isn’t anyone else who I’d prefer to be on the other end of my rope.

You grew up training with climbers who were many years older than you.

Besides how to climb harder, what did you learn from those sessions?

I learned that unlike gymnastics, climbing isn’t based on perfection or style. Everyone is free to use their own skills, ideas, and strengths to arrive at the same destination. This was new to me! By climbing with older climbers, I realized that there were no limitations when it came to community. I could climb with anybody, regardless of age or gender.

“Shattering the glass ceiling” is a phrase bandied about when describing your accomplishments.

How do you view the concept of trailblazing?

Trailblazing is an interesting expression.

I really think it is more of a community based feat. The expression sounds very one directional and singularly focused, when in fact I believe it is broad. In order for me to open a new part of the path, I needed all of the women and men who came before me.

In early 2019, Margo Hayes became the first woman to complete a hat trick of 5.15s, proving that she is deserved in her ranking among the greatest climbers of her generation.

What’s the most difficult part of approaching climbing projects that might not, at the time, seem possible?

Sometimes when we are dubious of whether we will accomplish our goal, we question whether or not we are wasting our time. In these moments, it’s important to remember that the actual moment of success is fleeting, but the lessons that we learn in trying, we carry with us forever.

Tell us something about you that’s not on your climbing CV. What is something about you that most people don’t know?

I grew up with a lot of music in my house. My older sister, Nola, plays the violin, sings, and dances. Because of this, I have a deep love and appreciation for music.

“It’s important to remember that the actual moment of success is fleeting, but the lessons that we learn in trying, we carry with us forever”

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

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CAPTURING THE VERTICAL WORLD

Will Gadd using decades of experience to navigate volcanic choss and blobs of yellow ice in Sendai, Japan.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Challenge and evolution in John Price’s photography

BY RYAN PRATHER

L

opposite and right: John price; top: phil lester

credit: all caps

below: John Price’s 2017 Festival signature image of Larry Shiu ice climbing in the Canadian Rockies. The image was taken in December 2015 on a route hidden away in a narrow slot canyon on the South Face of Cascade Mountain in Banff National Park.

OCAL PHOTOGRAPHER and climber John Price knows how to actively capture the sense of adventure and aesthetic that is at the heart of Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival. From hundreds of global submissions, Price’s signature image was chosen to represent the Festival and World Tour in 2017.

An expat from Canberra, Australia, Price proudly calls Canmore, Alberta his home — the perfect locale for someone who was drawn to photography through his love of mountains and the sports that explore them.

Price has attended the Festival in person since 2012 and was the subject of At What Price, a film screened in 2016. The exposure Price’s image earned at the Festival and across the globe had a distinctive impact.

Friends and clients shared messages of “excitement, stoke, pride, and belief.” These overwhelmingly positive messages of support offered him invaluable affirmation as an artist.

He adds, “To walk around and see my image blown up, everywhere, celebrating a community that completely defines me as a person and a professional, was one was one of the proudest moments of my life.”

With this experience compelling him to be “motivated like never before”, Price has

continued to capture images that place you in the moment, images which elicit an undeniable sense of place in his vertical world.

Now, in his ever-evolving career, Price reflects on the other aspects of his work that have influenced his progression as a climber and photographer. The constant challenge of shooting in the mountains has had a profound influence on him as an artist. With little to no control over lighting, typically harsh weather, and the logistics of safely rigging for an alpine environment being cited as some of his greatest challenges, it’s no surprise that in a medium such as photography — which is so reliant on optimal conditions — his learning moments are defined by immense challenge.

Price recalled an expedition in Japan with Will Gadd and Sarah Hueniken where they were establishing a new ice route called Frozen Gold. Price says that he’ll never forget jugging a rope above Gadd while he was climbing. “We were in a volcanic fluting, a dagger of ice was streaming water downwards and a strong updraft was causing it to fly back up the wall, the water was hitting the camera lens and freezing instantly.” He adds, “I was trying to stay a healthy distance from Will, capture images, and make sure I didn’t knock any of the abundant loose rock down on the climbers.” To highlight the true challenge of the situation, he proffered “often if I screw up in the wrong place, I could kill people.” Success in such severe scenarios as these is hard earned, and understandably, can feel beyond rewarding.

Looking to the future, Price seems keen on becoming more of a storyteller and believes film might help him grow definitively into that role. He shared that “there are some stories, yet untold, which I’m extremely passionate about and slowing working away at.” His excitement is palpable when he announces, “creating films is something I want to sink my teeth into.” He adds, “I’m passionate, at times to a detriment, but for that reason when I get an idea I tend to obsess. I truly believe a few key stories of Canadian climbing history have not been told, and I would like to help tell them.”

We sincerely hope John does just that.

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BANFF MOUNTAIN PHOTO ESSAY COMPETITION

Ito Ryoichi, guardian of the Matagi museum in the region of Oguni (Akita), is dressed with traditional clothes of Matagi hunters in XIX century. Nowadays they only use some parts of this gear during special rituals and festivities. Before World War II, they replaced spear-hunting tactics with the use of modern rifles.

Understanding the Matagi

BY NICKY LYNCH

all photos: javier corso

For centuries, hunting had been the main economic activity for the Matagi, the traditional hunters living in small villages in the highlands of northern Honshu, Japan. →

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BANFF MOUNTAIN PHOTO ESSAY COMPETITION

F

OLLOWING THE 2011 FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR power plant incident, the Japanese government banned products that were likely to have been affected by the disaster, including meat or milk from animals that had been feeding on local grass in the area. This included the hunter’s main prey — the Japanese black bear, classified as a vulnerable and threatened subspecies.

“The Matagi’s lifestyle revolves around hunting, always for self-consumption or regulated sale,” says photographer Javier Corso. “It is not a coincidence that we went to document them for the first time in 2017, a few months after the ban had been lifted.”

Corso and his production team spent a month with the Matagi in spring 2017. “Until we spent time with them we had always assumed, in an inertial way and as if there was only one correct answer, that hunting was wrong,” says Corso of the challenging subject matter detailed in his winning photo essay, Matagi. He adds, “Their way of understanding and relating to the natural environment that surrounds them, has opened our minds and eyes, because although it may seem paradoxical, a hunter community can be ecologist, animalist, and even postulate as guardians of natural balance.”

Knowing that very few people outside the Matagi culture had ever accompanied them on their hunts, Corso says his team spent the first week getting to know the hunters without taking any photos. “Our first victory was to help them understand that we did not belong to any activist group, and that we were not looking to denounce the hunting of the Japanese black bear, but rather talk about hunting from an anthropological point of view, and reflect on the

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Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

ABOVE: A group of hunters meets at dawn to organize the hunting strategy before their usual eight-hour day in the mountains. They are led by Sato-san, nicknamed “Captain”, in whose cabin all meetings take place.

Haruo Endo, veteran Matagi hunter from Oguni, prays in front of a small altar in honor of the deity of the mountains, before beginning the ascent.

The Matagi believe that everything they take from the mountain, both plants and animals, are a gift from the Mountain Goddess (Yama-no-Kami). For that reason, they never gather more than necessary, and always hunt with an immense sense of responsibility.

possible extinction of their cultural heritage.” After sharing several dinners together, Corso says the hunters began opening up to them, to the point of showing real affection.

Corso says this project has been a difficult introspective exercise for himself and his whole team. “We knew from the beginning that we wanted to talk about cultural heritage — and we had chosen Japan because we thought it represented the coexistence between tradition and modernity,” he says. “Matagi hunters are one of the last authentic traces of traditional Japanese culture — and we want to open a framework of constructive debate in this regard. This project

“Matagi hunters are one of the last authentic traces of traditional Japanese culture�

Visit banffmountainfestival.ca for details on learning opportunities at Banff Centre in mountain photography, adventure filmmaking, and mountain and wilderness writing.

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

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BANFF MOUNTAIN PHOTO ESSAY COMPETITION

Captain Sato draws his Matagi knife to proceed to dismember the animal — his family name engraved on the blade. Knowledge of how to make the finely-tuned Matagi knife is passed from generation to generation among the blacksmiths of the region.

has changed us, forcing us to reflect on how we perceive and interact with nature.”

Corso’s essay was selected as the Grand Prize winner of the 2019 Banff Mountain Photo Essay Competition. The jury of awardwinning photographers, including Art Burrows, Ben Tibbetts, and Krystle Wright, comments: “Corso questions us — what do we value — the 'vulnerable' species of bear or the endangered cultural tradition? These are delicate questions and in each image Corso has masterfully uncovered different layers of regard to help the viewer probe the territory.”

Javier Corso is the founder of OAK STORIES, an agency and production company specialized in documentary projects, carried out by multidisciplinary teams. He would like to add that he never works alone and wants to recognize the work of the Matagi Team, composed by Alex Rodal (Chief Research Officer), Lautaro Bolaño (Filmmaker), Marina Rull (Producer), Tsuzumi Takagi (Producer/ Fixer) and Kouta Tavares (Fixer/Translator).

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Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

Presented by:

OPPOSITE PAGE: Matagi are not a group that kills animals indiscriminately, on the contrary, they consider bears as equal living beings. As part of the hunting ritual, Matagi dismember the animal’s corpse in the forest with their own hands, leaving parts of the bear as an offering to Yama-no-Kami.

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Living the Dream

The life of a Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour Road Warrior BY DEBRA HORNSBY

T

HEY CALL US ROAD WARRIORS. For those of you in the audience at one of our screenings across Canada and the US, we are the in-person face of the Festival. We are the Banff MCs, the jacks-ofall trades — helping local tour hosts choose the perfect film line-up for each location, crafting show scripts, schlepping equipment, and troubleshooting tech issues.

My name is Debra Hornsby and this is my sixth year as a Banff road warrior. My business card actually reads ‘tour coordinator’ — but given the thousands of miles I and my fellow road warriors rack up every year driving to Banff’s 550 screenings across Canada and the US, road warrior suits us just fine.

I used to have a normal job at Banff Centre, home of the Festival. You know — 9 to 5 at the office, five days a week. Work was satisfying, life was good — but damn, those Festival road warriors sure looked like they were having more fun. So one day, I up and quit, and applied for a road warrior position.

I am on the road between 90 and 100 days most years. Those days have taken me everywhere from St. John’s, Newfoundland to San Diego, California. A typical day looks something like this: up early after a late show the night before, answer emails, drive to a new location (in Google Maps I trust), check into hotel, 3 pm technical rehearsal, 7 pm show, 10:30 pm teardown, return to my hotel and try to remember what room I’m in, sleep, repeat.

I like to say this job is 98% joy and 2% sublimated panic. The joy comes from the fans who fill the theatres and who tell me they look forward to the Banff films all year. The panic comes from those rare but inevitable snafus that happen with any live event: that time a few years back when one of our road warriors

credit: all caps

“There was the piercing scream from the audience mid-show when a squirrel scurried down the theatre’s center aisle”

Me hanging out with the Banff Centre logo in Banff. During the Festival, we road warriors binge-watch films and help visiting tour hosts and staff determine which films will tour each year.

found himself desperately hugging a frozen projector to warm it up after a long winter drive. There was the piercing scream from the audience mid-show when a squirrel scurried down the theatre’s center aisle. Or the giant rat that scuttled across the stage during the show opening. And the legendary time in New York City when the road warrior had to roll the projector, precariously balanced on a speaker platform, for several blocks along the Broadway sidewalk because the tour van was stuck in a garage. All in a day’s work.

And it’s addictive. Some of my fellow road warriors have been doing this job for a whopping 20 years. In the offseason, we work as hostel managers, mountain guides, trail builders, and seasonal parks’ staff. But come November, we all get the itch to be on the road again. Because here’s the thing about the Festival.

The underlying message of the films we screen is to follow your passion. Find what makes you happy, and do it. I think I can speak for all my fellow road warriors when I say that the opportunity to bring these films to Festival fans across Canada and the US makes us happy. You, our audience, make us happy. And with 300,000 people making us happy, I think you could say we’re living the dream.

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LITERATURE EXCERPT

No-Self

Written by climber Hazel Findlay (Spice Girl), this is an excerpt from Waymaking, an anthology of women’s writing, poetry and art, about what a woman’s narrative of wild adventure looks like. BY HAZEL FINDLAY

I

F WE ARE ASKED to look for ourselves, at what can we point our fingers? Of course I will point at my chest with firm conviction. Not at my clothes, but at my body. This is where I point, my nail cutting past my woolly jumper. But if it’s my body that is me, am I still me when I die and my body returns to the earth? Am I still ‘me’ when my friend waves my ashes in a ziplock bag? When I look back at photos of myself as a little fat baby, is this me?

Throughout my twenty eight years, cells have one by one fallen from my skin back to earth: flakes of skin, a toenail, clumps of hair.

The earth has a trail of debris following it, a tail of dust. Scientists say that distant planets are easier to locate by these tails than by their bodies; their bodies may be vast and dense but they are difficult to see under the glare of neighbouring stars.

Of course there is something more to being ‘me’.

There is something it ‘feels like’ to be me. There is something it feels like to be in my head, and this inner me is purer and certainly more permanent than dandruff and fallen hairs.

When I close my eyes I look for this internal me, and all I find are thoughts and feelings, the nature of which are similar to white-capped waves rising and falling in a turbulent ocean. As soon as you track one another fills the gap in its place. I can feel the lump of my body, the mass sucked to earth, and the longer I sit the lighter it feels. There is energy in this lump. The sensations in the felt body are also ever changing.

With practice and mental effort, I can enquire into what my left earlobe feels like, and as I watch, ‘what it feels like’ also changes; an itch builds and then suddenly disappears, a moment later it prickles with the intensity of fire; a second passes and I can’t feel it at all. I reach for it fearfully with my fingers to check it hasn’t gone. I wonder if this earlobe can give me any clue as to where I might find myself?

After sixth form college thousands of teens travel the world on a gap year looking for themselves. I wonder if any of them may have considered that their ‘selves’ might be a deep illusion, a best imaginary friend, a trail of debris, not much more than a fallen

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Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

hair. Can you be both the hunter and the hunted?

I do notice that there are a lot of thoughts spoken with my voice. These thoughts are me. They sound like me and they are saying things I’ve heard a thousand times before. It’s this self I wish I wasn’t. The endless record player of a thought-filled self. With effort I can turn down the volume but to switch it off I need help.

Time spent deep in an activity, deep in the woods, deep in exposure, deep on the surface of an ocean, deeply in love — in these wild places with wildness in the heart the self is absent. The absence is not felt or observed because then of course it isn’t an absence any more. At first light in the mountains you can bathe in silence without noticing you hear no sounds. Some silences are loud; others are just there.

When I do something completely, my self disappears because being and doing doesn’t require self. When I experience something grander than I, self disappears.

In the shadow of wild lands and vast waters even my tiresome thoughts give up the fight and disappear, leaving my consciousness free to experience without thought or judgement.

Lost in play, lost in effort towards some empty goal, even in fear or doubt, even in discomfort, I drift down not into sleep but into a kind of awakening beyond the waking world; I find my being lost in a maze. In this maze, the self and her little sister the ego cannot follow. Here I can be free from them. And maybe what’s left is me.

Running with no steps or breaths.

Climbing with no moves.

Watching without thinking.

Sharing without judging.

Dancing without caring.

A day spent without a narrative.

No failure, no success.

Pure absorption.

For some, the concept of no-self is terrifying. Terrifying, as all things which liberate can be.

This piece was presented courtesy of Vertebrate Publishing.

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2019 BANFF MOUNTAIN

FILM COMPETITION AWARDS

Grand Prize

$4,000 Sponsored by MEC

Creative Excellence Award $2,000 Sponsored by Trangia Stoves

Including Tommy Caldwell, Lynn Hill, Beth Rodden,

Best Film – Exploration and Adventure

Alex Honnold, Kelly Slater,

$2,000 Sponsored by Devold

Chris Sharma and many more—56 stories.

Best Film – Mountain Culture

$2,000 Sponsored by Helly Hansen

Best Film – Mountain Environment & Natural History

STORIES BEHIND THE IMAGES Lessons from a Life in Adventure Photography

by Corey Rich

$2,000 Sponsored by Kupilka

Best Film – Climbing

Mountaineers Books is an independent nonproot publisher

$2,000 Sponsored by the Alpine Club of Canada

Best Film – Mountain Sports ®

Elevate

your mountain stories

Best Film – Snow Sports

$2,000 Sponsored by Park Distillery

Best Mountain Short

$2,000 Sponsored by Sherpa Adventure Gear

Best Mountain Feature

Kate Harris © Kari Medig

$2,000 Sponsored by Rumble Supershake

$2,000 Sponsored by The North Face Banff owned + operated by Highline Outdoors

People’s Choice Award $2,000 Sponsored by Osprey

Mountain Photography Residency

Summit of Excellence Award Sponsored by Norseman Outdoor Specialist and Yamnuska Mountain Adventures

Mountain and Wilderness Writing Program Adventure Filmmakers Workshop

Mountain Idol Award

Sponsored by Banff Mount Norquay, Rab and the Alpine Club of Canada

Youth Adventure Photography Workshop NEW: Adventure Filmmakers Masterclass

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

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For more information and application deadlines visit: banffcentre.ca/programs

2019 BANFF MOUNTAIN

BOOK COMPETITION AWARDS S LOW MOT I O N F U L L H D / 120 P VIDEO-OPTIMISED AF SYSTEM IN-CAMERA 5-AXIS VR

Grand Prize

ISO 100-51200 4K UHD

Phyllis and Don Munday Award $4,000 Sponsored by the Alpine Club of Canada

Mountain Literature The Jon Whyte Award

$2,000 Sponsored by The Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies

Adventure Travel Award

$2,000 Sponsored by Fjällräven

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Mountain Image Award

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$2,000 Sponsored by Association of Canadian Mountain Guides

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Guidebook Award

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$2,000 Sponsored by Lake O’Hara Lodge

Mountain Fiction and Poetry Award $2,000 Sponsored by Town of Banff

When you want the best!

Climbing Literature Award

Exceptional mountain experiences in the Canadian Rockies Photo Credit: Phil McKinney Photo Credit: Brandon Parker @chasingphil

$2,000 Sponsored by Rocky Mountain Books

climb : ski : trek : learn : explore Canmore, AB, Canada | 1-866-678-4164 yamnuska.com canadianrockieshiking.com backcountryfood.ca

Proudly sponsoring the

SUMMIT OF EXCELLENCE AWARD

Mountain Environment and Natural History Award $2,000 Sponsored by Rocky Mountain Soap Company

Mountaineering Article Award

$2,000 Sponsored by University of Alberta and the Alpine Club of Canada

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Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

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We’ve made our packaging shorter, wider, and now much easier to eat out of and we’ve gone one major step further and reformulated our meals to remove artificial preservatives, flavours, GMOs and colour additives from our 25 delicious recipes.

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Last Words Festival and World Tour tidbits and your feedback

Heard around the world…

Passion Patrol I think I’ve single-handedly recruited half of my town to join me at the film fest over the years, so…ya know…sponsor me ☺ —Tacoma, Washington, US All hail diversity Thank you for featuring women, people of color, people over 50 yrs old and under 13 yrs old, people of different abilities, and immigrants. Thank you for also including films about hardcore athletes but also people who are just nature enthusiasts who care about the environment or just being outside. All of these things combined make the outdoors so much more approachable and accessible for EVERYONE! —Boulder, Colorado Finding my religion This festival is like religion to me. I am moved to such emotions and tears many times during the viewings. I am preparing for my first ultra-marathon, 60 miles. Attending the festival this year and seeing three films on running has motivated and taught me that I can do this. It is not about finishing or not, it’s all about the journey into the unknown.

—Tampa, Florida Soaring heart journeys This was my first time attending the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour and it truly kicked off my week in the most empowering way. Watching those films made me feel really humbled about the planet we live on, but at the same time, truly uplifted and inspired me to be more adventurous. I can’t begin to describe the feeling I had in my heart the whole time I was there experiencing their journeys through their lens.

—Ottawa, Canada • @BanffMtnFest • @banffcentre • #BanffWorldTour

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• BanffMountainFilmFestival • BanffCentre

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2019/20

United in holy matrimony My wife and I have been going to see the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour every year—wherever we were living— since before we were married (more than 15 years). Wouldn’t miss it!

—Portland, Oregon, US Bear hugs all round please All the people responsible for bringing the Banff Centre Mountain Film World Tour to reality deserve a giant collective hug. It is a great undertaking to sow the seeds of adventure, thank you for your efforts.

—Yellowknife, Canada Social Media: (From the world-renowned photographer) @Jim_Herrington: Y’all changed my life for the better the last couple of years, thank you! @jjnoyola - 13th consecutive year at @BanffMtnFest! What a way to remind me how life is calling. @wvrent: Walking home after the first night of the @BanffMtnFest World Tour stop @londonlibrary once again has me on cloud 9. Human spirit and determination can accomplish the most astounding things. @Stigij: Enjoyed the @BanffMtnFest mountain film festival last night in Porthcawl.

Can recommend it to all armchair adventurers (and real ones)…some amazing adventure. @Momotempo: Something is happening tonight that I have been looking forward to all year. An absolute booking for the soul. I may never come back indoors again afterwards. @gemaargie: @ukbanfffilmfest Blown away! I laughed, I cried and I was moved. I needed some clarity and perspective today, and a certain film did that for me this evening.

• youtube.com/ banffcentre

• @banffmountainfestival

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countries

550,000 people

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films shown in…

…1,100 screenings around the world

22,000 attend the Festival in Banff each year

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