Medicine Hat's public library and the Esplanade are once again hosting the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour from Jan. 8-11. - NEWS FILE
kking@medicinehatnews.com
Medicine Hat’s public library and the Esplanade are once again hosting the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour from Jan. 8-11.
Featuring an array of Canadian and internationally-produced documentaries about mountain culture, the festival tour has made a stop in Medicine Hat annually for the past 23 years.
“This is a fundraiser for the library,” chief librarian Ken Feser told the News. “We used to have it in our theatre, but it outgrew our theatre. So, we needed a larger space and coordinated with the Esplanade. And the Esplanade has been a great partner for us (since).
“The Esplanade theatre is such a nice space and it’s such a wonderful thing to sit in a room with a lot of other people and enjoy something like this. So, there’s a real social element to it. But the other huge attraction of the film festival is, in the depths of winter, it’s exciting to see these inspirational films about being outside.”
This year’s tour includes a total of 16 films divided between two screenings.
The first screening – Screening A – will be shown Jan. 8 and 10, and will include the films Colors of Mexico; The Process; Eco-Hack!; Free to Run; FLOW with Same Favret; Kumari: A Father’s Dream; Continuum; Reel Rock 16: Cenote; and Lapporten Skyline.
While the second screening – Screening B – will run Jan. 9 and 11, and will feature the films Danny MacAskill’s Do a Wheelie; Nuisance Bear; Wild Waters; North Shore Betty; Clean Mountains; Wood Hood and A Baffin Vacation.
All screenings begin at 7 p.m. on scheduled dates.
While the film festival is popular with all ages, some films include content more suitable for mature audiences, and organizers recommend a minimum viewing age of roughly 14-plus.
As the festival is a popular attraction for many local film-buffs, Feser encourages anyone hoping to attend to purchase their tickets now, before they sell out.
Tickets can be purchased online at tixx.ca.
