FFWD Weekly
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Cover Story by FFWD Staff In the 25 years since the first Banff Mountain Film Festival, many of the world’s greatest mountaineers have descended on the small, picturesque town in the Rockies to tell awe-inspiring tales of fear and courage, risk and tragedy, accomplishment and defeat. From the legendary Sir Edmund Hillary to a younger generation of climbers like Kitty Calhoun, one thing all the guests have shared is a love of the mountains. Beyond that, their views on climbing and its future often differ dramatically. "It’s definitely not a group that agrees on much of anything," says festival director Bernadette McDonald. "They’re obviously very passionate about what they do, and when you’re passionate, you form strong opinions." Now, as the festival celebrates its 25th anniversary and the world marks the beginning of a new century, more than 30 speakers and jury members from previous years are coming together to offer those opinions – in person and in print. The Banff Mountain Summit, taking place October 29 and 30, will feature presentations on climbing and its future by world famous adventurers. Hillary and Reinhold Messner headline the event, appearing along with Sir Christian Bonington, Riccardo Cassin, Yvon Chouinard, Catherine Destivelle, Anderl Heckmair, Lynn Hill, Leo Houlding, Jeff Lowe and others. A new book commemorating the anniversary is also being launched. Voices from the Summit: The World’s Great Mountaineers on the Future of Climbing, includes essays by each presenter, accompanied by black-and-white portraits taken by Craig Richards, head photographer at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. The book was edited by McDonald and one of the festival’s original founders, John Amatt, and is co-produced by the National Geographic Society. McDonald says it was difficult to narrow down the potential candidates, but they tried to provide a balance and include all disciplines of climbing – from ice climbers to filmmakers. The oldest contributor is in his 90s, while the youngest is still a teenager. Some of the climbers use the latest technology, while others are purists. The result is a range of perspectives from knowledgeable and valid sources on topics such as Himalayan climbing, the environment, unexplored frontiers, and role models. "One of the things I really wanted to do with the book was bring different opinions on the same subject," she explains. "That’s what makes it interesting." The book also draws attention to current controversies – the implications of commercial climbing and the amount of garbage being left by climbers on Everest have been hot topics in the media. "There have always been issues... but I think they’re emerging more now to the public because there’s more public focus on mountaineering," says McDonald. Those touchy issues are often the focus of the popular festival sessions, during which guest speakers are followed by open discussion. She adds that although the sessions are unlikely to resolve anything, they do generate new ideas and are covered by the media in great detail. But for McDonald, the highlight of the festival is watching the climbers, writers, photographers and filmmakers interact with each other and with the public. Whether it’s during a session or over a drink at the bar, she says the combination of creativity, physical fitness and adventurer’s spirit is exciting. "There’s an incredibly high level of energy." The festival has come a long way from its humble beginnings in 1975, when three mountain enthusiasts sat down together to discuss an afternoon of film entertainment – 450 people attended the first annual event in October, 1976. Over the years it evolved to include photography, books, a trade show, guest speakers, free lunch-hour seminars and more. Now dubbed the Banff Mountain Film Festival and the Banff Mountain Book Festival, it has become the high point in the slow season between summer and winter outdoor activities – an estimated 10,000 people attend the films, book readings, presentations and sessions, and this year they span seven days. McDonald joined the festival more than 10 years ago, and says its continued growth has been unbelievable. The festival received 213 film entries from more than 20 countries this year, a 50 per cent increase over 1999 "Some of this is obviously being driven by what’s out there – feature films on mountaineering and adventure are increasing," she says. She believes the popularity is partially due to increased awareness about mountaineering resulting from books like Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air – which still appears on the best-seller list after two years – and the IMAX film Everest by David Breashears. But she also attributes it to demographics and changing lifestyles. "There are a lot of people in North America who have reached a stage in their lives when they’re looking for something other than work," she explains. "There’s something there that really speaks to them." As the interest in mountaineering grows, the need to address the issues that surround it become even more crucial. But the passion of those who enjoy it provides hope. In Voices from the Summit, adventure climber and kayaker Royal Robbins – who McDonald calls a role model – offers some words of wisdom: "Yes, conflict and cross-purposes among climbers are a natural part of the human condition. But overall, and in the long run, the brotherhood of the rope has prevailed." (The Banff Mountain Summit is October 29 and 30, and the Banff Mountain Book and Films Festivals run from November 1 to 5.For tickets or information about all events, call 1-800-413-8368, or visit the Web at www.banffcentre.ab.ca/CMC.)

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