Banff Film Festival...World Tour

Every February, outdoor lovers in Boulder flock in droves to the Boulder Theatre to what the Banff Film Festival World Tour. These movies always make me feel inadequate. It is not just the extreme athleticism displayed in 90% of the movies, but the heart wrenching environmental stories they always manage to toss in. Every year there is a movie about women who gives up both comfort and health to save either native peoples or some wild animal. Undoubtedly, there are people all over the world who choose to live off the grid for some good cause, but why should such activism come at such a price. Two years ago the protagonist’s liver and kidneys were failing because tainted water she had consumed in Nepal. At the end of the movie we received a brief note that she is on death’s door and are left wondering until next year how it turned out. This year, our featured Artemis turned out to have a brain tumor by the end of the flick. Perhaps the filmmakers find such pathos inspiring, but I think it is a downer. Are there no activists out there that go to lead happy, healthy lives? Such stories just hammer home the point that third world countries are dangerous and you are better off vacationing at Club Med. Surely, that can’t be helping tourism. Cynicism aside though, most of the films do inspire you to get off the couch and get out there. There are gear vendors in the hallway to show you how and a raffle of free goodies at intermission. Next year, be sure to grab a ticket. If you love the outdoors, you will love these films.

I do have one final rant, directed to the organizers of this event. Move the thing to a real theatre instead of the Boulder Theatre. That venue is the worst possible place to hold a fest like this. The straight back seats are the most uncomfortable in the world. This year we thought we had a system by bringing our thermarest butt pads and down jackets we could tuck behind us for back support. Even with these improvements, our backsides were still throbbing by intermission and all the blood in our bodies had drained into our feet. I could barely walk by the end. I love this film fest, but after three years of physical torture, I will have to give it serious thought whether I want to put myself through it again next year. A larger venue would also give more room for vendors and patrons to mingle. So World Tour organizers get smart and find us another venue.