‘Bear 71′ an interactive enc...

Few movies you’re better off watching from home. A new film created by Jeremy Mendes and Leanne Allison premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to deprive big screen viewers a unique opportunity to interact online with a captivating central character. Bear 71 follows the tragic life of a female grizzly radio tagged and monitored electronically from 2001 to 2009 in the Canadian...

The Canterbury Trail

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:29 — 8.3MB) When it comes to adventure writing the sharpest literary minds draw on the subject matter they know best. Author Angie Abdou brings to her latest book themes from an ancient English text first made popular in the middle ages. “I was a medievalist in a past life, which is a weird thing to be,” Angie...

How to become a National Geographic Expl...

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:59 — 4.1MB) If you’ve ever wondered how you might become an explorer for National Geographic believe it or not it can be as simple as attending a seminar. During the Banff Mountain Film Festival in a conference room at the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada aspiring young explorers learn the ropes of turning their...

‘Cold’ an interview with cli...

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 14:30 — 9.3MB) Making the rounds at mountain film festivals all over the world is a new movie by Anson Fogel and Cory Richards. In the classic style of adventure storytelling Richards shares his tale of three climbers in his award-winning film ‘Cold’. “It’s a very raw real look into what’s kind of going on...

Freedom Climbers

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 14:21 — 19.4MB)   Writer and former director of the Banff Mountain Film Festival Bernadette McDonald has new book that offers a unique perspective on high altitude climbing in the Himalaya. As the author of several titles on the subject she’s well regarded in the international mountaineering community. And back in 2003...

On The Digital Dilemma – Accuracy ...

Alpinist Magazine editor Katie Ives sat on one of the many panel discussions during the 2011 Banff Mountain Film Festival. In a rousing discussion moderated by University of Calgary mountain literature specialist, Harry Vandervlist she and fellow panelists Anthony Whittome, Freddie Wilkinson, Dr. George Rodway, and David Roberts explored the role electronic media plays in reporting the...

‘Spoil’, on the path of the ...

Every initiative to protect the environment needs a charismatic poster species. When it comes to the controversial tar sands debate that endangered animal is the rare and genetically unique Spirit Bear. A black bear with a recessive gene that turns its fur white is the star of the award winning film Spoil. And with fewer than 400 remaining in the wild the Spirit Bear is at the heart of...

Cold sweeps Best of Banff awards

Adventure filmmakers Cory Richards and Anson Fogel took top honors in each relevant category at the 36th annual Banff Mountain Film Festival. Recognized for excellence in audio post-production and best climbing film Cold was also awarded the Grand Prize. “We never thought this raw, dark, R-rated movie would appeal to audiences. It was an experiment,” Fogel said. “Apparently the...

Banff Film Fest Fun Photos

Friday night is typically when the fun really begins at the Banff Mountain Film Festival. The day of book lectures and workshops conclude with a gala cocktail party for guests and presenters. Late in the evening ticket holders gathered at the Eric Harvie Theatre for a special screening of the film “Cold” by Corey Richards and Anson Fogel followed by a Q&A featuring...

Banff Snow Show inspires

  Seven sensational ski movies screened to a packed audience at the Banff Mountain Film Festival’s annual Snow Show. A pretty ambitious program spanning almost three hours delivered the season’s first big dose of white powder with steep downhill descents, inspiring stories of courage, a nod to environmental protection and a romance that alpine passion made possible....

Foodie on the Poutine Express

My wife Shamane, ace reporter and culinary connoisseur, asked while I was packing. “What kind of food will you eat in Banff?” Even after several visits to Canada I wasn’t really sure what kind of goodies I had to look forward to. So while I gave it some thought I stalled with the first thing that came to mind. “Canadian bacon,” I said as with chuckle.   A year ago I...

Banff Mountain Dream Festival

  I’ll probably never see the summit of Everest. I’ll likely not pilot a wingsuit from the snow-capped peak of the Eiger through the Swiss Alps. And even on my best day will I ever set a speed record climb to the top of Yosemite’s El Capitan. But I can dream, can’t I? The 2011 Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival has begun in Alberta, Canada to give vision to the dream of...