Got this in my inbox yesterday. The Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (which showed in January) will be back for 2 days this month for a Best of the Fest event. “These are basically some of our most successful films from the past VIMFF in January 2010, plus a repeat of a live presentation by Sarah Lusina and Tom Furst from their adventurous bike trip from Patagonia to Vancouver. Please check the program below for all details – all films are linked to our website for more detailed info and teasers. If you missed the festival or some of your favourite programs, or want to see them again, this is your only chance in Vancouver!”

VIMFF “BEST OF THE FEST” TOUR IN VANCOUVER

When: March 30 & 31, 2010 (two different shows); doors 7:00 pm, show 7:30 pm
Where: Pacific Cinematheque, 1311 Howe Street, Downtown Vancouver
Tickets: $13 advance and $15 at the door. Advance tickets are available on-line at vimff.org.

PROGRAM

Tuesday, March 30, 7:30 pm
* Rush Hour Dream (Germany, 2009, 5 min, dir. Karim Jaspersen, VIMFF 2010 Jury’s Award)
Dusseldorf, Germany. An office worker goes to work and falls asleep in the tramway. In his dream he wakes up in a beautiful mountain side and discovers that he is carrying a paraglider in his laptop bag.
* Sarah Lusina and Tom Furst: Gusts and Dulces – A Couple’s Tour of South America by Bicycle
Multi-media live presentation from Sarah’s and Tom adventurous bike trip from Patagonia all the way to Vancouver from February 2009 until January 2010.
* Terra Antarctica – Rediscovering the Seventh Continent (USA, 2009, 49 min, dir. Jon Bowermaster, VIMFF 2010 Grand Prize)
For six weeks Jon Bowermaster explored the Antarctic Peninsula by sea kayak, sailboat, foot and small plane, observing the fast changing evolution of this most remote place.
* Continuum Project – Zion (USA, 2009, 19 min, dir. Chris Alstrin)
Rob Pizem and Mike Anderson crush brawny off-widths and delicate face climbing in Zion.
* Hey Presto (UK, 2009, 10 min, dir. Paul Diffley)
World class climber Sonnie Trotter teams up with world class belayer Cory Richards to take on the Squamish classic, ‘Presto’.

Wednesday, March 31, 7:30pm
* Rush Hour Dream (Germany, 2009, 5 min, dir. Karim Jaspersen, VIMFF 2010 Jury’s Award)
Dusseldorf, Germany. An office worker goes to work and falls asleep in the tramway. In his dream he wakes up in a beautiful mountain side and discovers that he is carrying a paraglider in his laptop bag.
* Deep.Shinsetsu (Japan, 2008, 3 min, dir. Masaki Sekiguchi)
Short film capturing a typical ski day atmosphere in the mountains of Japan.
* Lost Tower (New Zealand, 2009, 50 min, dir. Wayne Johnson)
New Zealanders Jo Kippax and Sean Waters head to the Northern Patagonian Icecap to traverse it, climb the tower and explore their way back to civilization via the glaciers and rivers.
* Continuum Project – Nepal (USA, 2009, 18 min, dir.Chris Alstrin)
Ines Papert and Cory Richards as they blitz Kwangde Shar peak in Nepal.
* Welsh Connection – Pembroke (UK, 2009, 10 min, dir. Dave Brown, VIMFF 2010 Best Film on Rockclimbing)
British hot shot Timmy Emmett tries and climbs hair raising R routes on the Pembroke cliff in Wales.
* Samsara (USA, 2009, 19 min, dir. Renan Ozturk, VIMFF 2010 Best Film on Mountaineering)
Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk set out to attempt a first ascent of a 2200 m rock and ice route in the heart of the lofty, knife-sharp Vindhya Mountains in India.

Tags: VIMFF
Categories: Movies & Videos
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VIMFF is back this January 22 – 29. As always, there is a great schedule of films and speakers lined up, with showings at the Centennial Theater (2300 Londsdale Avenue, North Vancouver) and Pacific Cinémathčque (1131 Howe Street, Vancouver).

Vancouver – The Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival, now in its 13th year, is gearing up for another incredible showcase of the most exciting films and adventure seekers coming to Vancouver to once again thrill audiences. The mix of adventurers spans the spectrum of white knuckle excitement with tales from the far corners of the globe. There are paddlers on ocean currents, mountain bikers testing themselves on wild terrain, climbers risking their lives on solo ascents and big wall slugfests, and there’s even a team Baffin Babes exploring frost-choked corners of granite walls. This year’s festival has something for everyone, adrenaline, history, endurance and legacy.

The festival takes place primarily at the Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver with special presentations at the Pacific Cinémathèque and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre in Vancouver. Guest speakers include Colin and Julie Angus, world-class travelers and explorers, with their Rowed Trip show from Scotland to Syria; Vancouver-based legendary backcountry skier John Baldwin in a show on ski-mountaineering in the West Coast; and Alpinist Dave Dornian from Calgary with a show on the history of the crazy Euro ski mountaineering races.

Angela Bueckert presents a program from her dream-like paddling trip from Galiano Island to Alaska. Chris Cooper talks about taking his BC native canoe around the British Isles with a crew of 800 Brits and 80 Canadians. Chic Stott presents a multi-media presentation on the filming of the Eiger Sanction with Clint Eastwood. Vancouver-based climber Anders Ourom recalls funny stories from Squamish in the 1970s and Pat Morrow goes back even deeper in retracing the life of Conrad Kain, the “Prince of Canadian Mountain Guides”. Adventurer Jon Bowermaster will present his films and images from the Antarctic continent. Climber and author Gordon White recounts stories and lessons from BC’s Stein Valley along with the Vancouver Waldorf School students.

Canadian paragliding champion Alex Raymont comments on the X-Alps paragliding race, Maxime Turgeon, top level alpinist from Montreal, describes his quest to solo-climb 8 big walls in Europe and cycle from one to the other. Bike travelers Sarah Lusina and Tom Furst portray the gripping stories from their trip across parts of South America. Mountain bikers Bjorn Enga and Ryan Leech promise to thrill the audience, Ryan in a stage show, and Bjorn delving into the art of making biking flicks. The Baffin Babes, a crazy Norwegian and Swedish all-female quartetto will explore various corners of the Baffin Island. Big Wall climber Cedar Wright tells tales from his travels around the world in search of new hard lines, and three outstanding young Canadian rock climbers – Sonnie Trotter, Will Stanhope and Sean McColl explain the motivations, inspirations and goals of the young climbers at the peak of their game.

Ticket Information:

VIMFF Tickets will be $17 in advance and $19 at the door for each event, unless otherwise posted.

Advanced tickets will be available below, please note show codes when ordering VIMFF Packages.
Tickets are also available at the Centennial Theatre, 2300 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, tel (604) 984-4484.

VIMFF Packages:
Ticket voucher for 2 separate shows: $27
Ticket voucher for 3 separate shows: $37

Tags: VIMFF
Categories: Events, Movies & Videos
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VIMFF is back this February 20 – 28. There is a great program of films and speakers lined up this year, with showings at the Centennial Theater (2300 Londsdale Avenue, North Vancouver) and Pacific Cinémathčque (1131 Howe Street, Vancouver).

Ticket Information
VIMFF Tickets will be $17 in advance and $19 at the door for each event, unless otherwise posted.

Advanced tickets will be available below, please note show codes when ordering VIMFF Packages.
Tickets are also available at the Centennial Theatre, 2300 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, tel (604) 984-4484.

VIMFF Packages: (order at bottom of this page)
Ticket voucher for 2 separate shows: $27
Ticket voucher for 3 separate shows: $37

Tags: Climbing,Mountain Film Festival,Travel,Vancouver,VIMFF
Categories: Events, Movies & Videos
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This Friday, Dec 12, the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival is screening JOHN DUNN’S WILD CANADA: CROSSING BC’S CORDILLERA + A HIGH ARCTIC ISLAND ADVENTURE in North Vancouver.

This special double bill features two of John Dunn’s favourite adventures: a 1000 km hiking and canoeing traverse of the untracked ranges of northern BC from Stewart to Fort Nelson, and a ski expedition to remote and beautiful Coburg Island in Canada’s high arctic.

John rates the Cordillera Crossing as the toughest of his career: the 54 days of struggle through the wildest part of British Columbia turned out to be a great weight loss program. John and colleague Bob Saunders both shed 30 lbs on this expedition. Starting in September was fine for fall colours and cool, bug-free travelling. But by the time John and Bob were thrashing through the snow-covered Kwadacha wilderness, the late start seemed to be not such a great idea. But the challenge was accepted none-the-less!

Coburg Island is a gorgeous glacier-draped hunk of Canadian shield that is anchored 30 km out in northern Baffin Bay. Getting there is half the journey: firstly around the wind-ravaged tip of Ellesmere Island, then across the seasonal ice bridge over Glacier Strait. Coburg is a National Wildlife Area: home to countless seabirds that put its location to good use. The island’s mountainous spine boasts a wealth of skiable summits, while the coast line has more than its share of tidewater glaciers. Plenty of inspiration for big panoramic images.

When: Friday, December 12, 7pm (doors and reception at 6 pm)
Where: Centennial Theatre, 2300 Lonsdale Avenue
Tickets: $15 in advance; $17 at the door

Tags: Speaker Series,VIMFF
Categories: Events
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