Banff Mountain Film Festival hosts adventure-themed short films
The "Banff Mountain Film Festival," an annual celebration of mountaineering and adventure-themed short films from across the globe, recently made its return to Dhaka.
On Friday (December 6), audiences were treated to nine engaging films as part of the festival. This year marked the 11th edition of the event in Bangladesh, drawing an enthusiastic crowd.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The two-hour screening commenced yesterday at 4:30 PM at the Bishwo Shahitto Kendro in Banglamotor, where four films were screened during the first segment.
The event kicked off with "Fuego," a seven-minute film showcasing the excitement of mountain biking. This was followed by "Internal Flame," a 26-minute exploration of the adventurous pursuits of mountaineering and BASE jumping.
The first segment concluded with "How Did We Get Here," a reflective nine-minute story, and "No Way," a brief yet powerful four-minute feature.
After a 10-minute intermission, the second segment of the one-day festival resumed with "Reel Rock: DNA," a 23-minute documentary on one of the most challenging mountaineering routes in the world.
Next, the documentary "Two Point Four" was screened, featuring Leo Houlding, his wife, and their two children on an expedition to Norway's national mountain.
The festival continued with screenings of "Soundscape" and "The Ascension Series: Morag Skelton."
The latter, a five-minute feature, highlighted the inspiring journey of Morag Skelton, a deaf adventurer who defied challenges to embark on an expedition across frozen landscapes.
The second segment concluded with the film "Driving Sweep."
Muntasir Mamun, the Bangladesh coordinator for the Banff Mountain Film Festival, shared with Glitz that despite being organised on a modest scale, the event received overwhelming enthusiasm. He noted that this year's audience surpassed previous records, stating, "Without extensive promotion, we still attracted more attendees than the venue could accommodate."
Highlighting the purpose of organising the festival to spark interest in adventure films, Mamun remarked, "These days, even traveliing itself is an adventure. Everyone should explore, go on different trails, and create such films. We don't have a ticketing system for watching the films. The primary aim of this festival is to generate interest in activities like mountaineering, rock climbing, skiing, kayaking, snowboarding, and more."
Since its inception in 1976, the festival has been held in around 800 cities across 40 countries. It has gained significant popularity as an adventure film festival.
The festival, organised by the Canada-based Banff Centre, showcases award-winning films on thrilling subjects such as mountaineering, cycling, rock climbing, and skiing.
The event in Dhaka was organised by the volunteer group Keokradong Bangladesh, with support from Unilever Bangladesh's brand, Clear, as the primary sponsor.
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