2021/2022 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour
It's official! The 2021/2022 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is coming to Caltech's campus on April 27!
Overview of event schedule:
- 6:00pm: Beckman Auditorium doors open; box office in auditorium opens for phone ticket pickup and at-door sales.
- 6:15-7:00pm: Pre-show reception on Beckman Mall. Socialize with one another, meet local sponsors, and pick up your wristband (see details below)! Snacks and beverages will be provided.
- 7:00-7:15pm: Welcome remarks in Beckman Auditorium.
- 7:15-8:20pm: First half of show (film lineup at bottom of page).
- 8:20-8:50pm: Intermission with knot tying competition (on Beckman Mall), brief slideshow with sponsor information, and raffle.
- 8:50-9:50pm: Second half of show (film lineup at bottom of page).
- 9:50-10:00pm: Closing remarks.
- 10:00-11:00pm: Socialize on Beckman Mall (optional).
Please note that the following three items are required for entry into Beckman Auditorium:
- Event ticket.
- Wristband, obtained by showing one of the following (1) Caltech ID alone, (2) proof of vaccination against COVID-19 along with identification, or (3) negative COVID-19 test produced within 72 hours of event along with identification.
- A high-quality mask (surgical, N95, KN95, or KF94).
Details in full:
What is Banff Mountain Film Festival?
Since 2001, the Caltech Alpine Club has been a proud host of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour. Stopping at over 550 locations in 40 countries around the globe, the Tour celebrates the winning films shown at the annual Festival in Banff, Canada – one of the world's premier exhibitions of alpine culture films – and features epic films about adrenaline-fueled adventures, the intersectionality of culture and sports, explorations of remote landscapes, and more. This year, we will be showing the Maple Program (see details at bottom of page).
Where/when is this event?
The pre-show reception will start at 6:15pm on Beckman Mall and will be a chance for you to socialize with one another and meet our local sponsors. The main show will start at 7pm in Beckman Auditorium and will be 3 hours, including a 30 min. intermission with a raffle drawing, knot tying competition, and brief slideshow with information about our local sponsors.
During the pre-show reception, there will be two tables set out near Beckman Auditorium where Alpine Club officers will be handing out wristbands needed for entry into the Auditorium (see details in COVID-19 policy section below), so please arrive early to get your wristband and avoid long lines. The doors of Beckman Auditorium will open at 6pm.
Who can attend this event?
This event is open to the public, contingent upon adherence to Caltech's COVID-19 policy (see below).
What is the COVID-19 policy?
In accordance with Caltech policy, in order to enter Beckman Auditorium you must be wearing a high-quality mask (surgical, N95, KN95, or KF94) AND a wristband showing proof you are COVID-free.
Wristbands can be obtained at the pre-show reception (we will set out two tables in front of the Auditorium starting at 6pm) by showing one of the following: (1) Caltech ID alone, (2) proof of vaccination against COVID-19 along with identification, or (3) negative COVID-19 test produced within 72 hours of event along with identification. Please arrive early to obtain your wristband and avoid long lines!
Additionally, we will have some KN95 masks available to attendees who forgot their mask.
How can I purchase tickets?
Tickets can be purchased by phone through the Keith Spalding ticket office (626-395-4652, open Tues-Fri 10am-2pm), or at the event entrance for $10/student, $20/other. Students, with their Caltech ID, can purchase two tickets for $10 each. Tickets can alternatively be purchased online here (additional fees included).
What is the intermission competition?
This year, the super fun & friendly intermission competition will be a knot tying contest! This contest will be open to the first 30 people who jump in; we will supply a short piece of rope + carabiner to each participant and you will be tasked with tying each of the following knots/hitches in 15 seconds: overhand on a bight, figure eight, flemish bend (reverse figure eight to join two ropes), and your favorite friction hitch (of auto block, kleimheist, and prusik). Participants will be eliminated if knots are incorrect or not completed in the allocated time. There will also be two bonus rounds with secret knot tying prompts. These knots and hitches are extremely useful for outdoor adventures to know (not just limited to climbers) so this is a great way to practice these skills!
How does Banff benefit the Caltech Alpine Club?
100% of net event proceeds go directly to the Caltech Alpine Club. Club funding is used for a variety of purposes oriented around promoting safety and accessibility in the outdoors. These include organizing outdoor adventure trips for club members, hosting speakers, providing free outdoor gear and equipment for Caltech community use, subsidizing professional outdoor safety courses, and much more.
If you plan to attend Banff, let us know on Facebook!
Maple Program Lineup:
- A Dog's Tale (Tour Edit) | 5 mins. There's something primal about the feeling of the forest floor under your paws and smelling a thousand different smells all at once. The freedom of the trail is what we long for.
- Can't Beat This Place For Fun | 13 mins. This film is a small vignette of Fretwater Boatworks, a very unique boat crafting shop that keeps the tradition of wooden dory building alive whilst honoring the dreams of Grand Canyon pioneer Martin Litton. These beautiful boats still represent advocacy toward wild places compromised and/or lost.
- Precious Leader Woman | 47 mins. Hailing from the remote village of Alert Bay, British Columbia snowboarder Spencer O'Brien dedicated her life to becoming a world champion. But, being driven to win came at a cost. Snowboarding at the elite level was taking Spencer further from her Indigenous heritage than she realized. Precious Leader Woman tells Spencer's story from childhood to the world stage, to coming full circle to embrace her identity as she pushes forward bringing her heart and soul to her next challenge, the backcountry.
--Intermission--
- Jump To Zero | 8 mins. Jump To Zero is the story of 3 BASE jumpers changing the paradigm of human-powered access and female empowerment in action sports. Knowing that car and plane access have adverse environmental effects, they set out to discover how much they can reduce their impact while still enjoying the places they love and practicing the sports that bring them joy.
- INSIDE - A Hole New Ski Experience | 11 mins. After an amazing ski tour at the Grand Ferrand massive in France, where you can ski through stunning rock caves, a few skiers decide to take it to the next level in a huge cave in Slovenia.
- Reel Rock 15: Action Directe | 16 mins. French powerhouse Melissa Le Nevé spends seven years battling insane moves, inner doubt, and the burden of history to climb the most revered sport route on earth.
- Breaking Trail | 30 mins. As Covid-19 surges amidst ongoing civil unrest, Emily Ford sets out with a borrowed sled dog named Diggins to become the first woman and person of color to thru-hike the 1900 km Ice Age Trail in winter. As the 69-day journey through subzero temperatures tests her physical and mental endurance, Emily and her canine protector develop an unbreakable bond as they embrace the unexpected kindness of strangers.