Contact CU Independent News Staff Writer Sonia Fraser at sonia.fraser@colorado.edu
Banff Mountain Film Festival recently paid a visit to Boulder, marking the 40-year anniversary of the festival’s international tour.
The event was one part eco-love and two parts adrenaline, and the sold-out, two-night event was received with enthusiasm by new visitors and longtime supporters alike.
The excitement in the audience was tangible. Patrons showed their loud support, getting rowdy at times, but never out of control. Boisterous attitudes aside, the enthusiasm of the crowd definitely added to the overall ambiance of the event.
“I had a fabulous time in Boulder. I sincerely believe that we have the best audience of any event ever,” Banff Road Warrior Charla Tomlinson said. “I met so many people who have been attending the film festival for ten plus years”.
One such person is Chloe Sommer, who recently moved to Colorado after a long history of attending the Banff Film Festival with her family in her hometown of Davis, California.
“I go to Banff every year because it’s kind of a family tradition. I wanted to go in Boulder to kind of continue that myself and just get inspired by all the great films.”
Among the most exciting aspects of the event were the three entries representing Boulder in the billing. Nature Rx, Women’s Speed Ascent, and 55 Hours in Mexico were all local productions.
To have three Boulder films showcased on the Banff world tour is no small matter. Each year the Banff Foundation receives submissions from countries around the world. Of those submissions, only a few selected sets have the opportunity to go on tour.
“This was my first time submitting to Banff. It’s been great,” Boulder filmmaker Justin Bogardus remarked, “we’ve been one of the most shown and popular films on the whole tour. They love us in Hungary! Among other places.”
The festival will continue to tour through Colorado until early March.
