If you're wondering what BANFF is, start here.
BANFF is the name of a town in Alberta, Canada. It is home to the Banff Centre—an arts and culture residency facility that originated as an art college—and is known as a hub for Canadian arts and culture. What began as a mountain film festival organized by climbers has grown into an outdoor film and book festival boasting an archive of over 5,000 titles. Right now, on-site, they are holding a nine-day event featuring film screenings, group hikes, and more. The films that make it through the preliminary competition are then shown as part of a world tour traveling to 40 countries.
And the news here is that the JAPAN TOUR is coming to Nagoya. The date in Nagoya is October 17th—the exact same day as the MASH JAPAN PREMIERE.
For those of you who unfortunately didn't win the MASH lottery (lol), as well as outdoor enthusiasts or anyone with a sense of adventure, how does this sound?
All the movies being screened look interesting and I'd love to introduce them all, but it would get too long, so here are two trailers.
Danny MacAskill-The Ridge
A movie featuring the world-famous mountain bike rider Danny MacAskill as he takes on the ridge of the Isle of Skye in his native Scotland. It’s an MTB movie, but it's indulgent in the way it frames the action against such beautiful, grand natural scenery. It’s a 7-minute short film.
DamNation
And then there's "DamNation," produced with the support of Patagonia, a brand we also carry here at circles. It’s a documentary about the movement to remove unnecessary dams and restore free-flowing rivers.
It was shown in theaters, but the version being screened here is an edited 52-minute cut. In Japan, dams are considered indispensable for drinking water and power generation, but it's also said that they can ruin rivers. If you're interested in that topic, I recommend reading some essays by canoeist Tomosuke Noda. It’s a movie that has sparked both pros and cons, so I think it’s worth a look. Just to add a disclaimer, I’m not saying we should go destroy any dams (lol).
Other films being screened are introduced on the official website→http://www.banff.jp/
It’s on a Saturday, but I’m going to watch the first half of the program. As I write this, it looks like tickets are still available, so would anyone like to join me?
Of course, watching both the first and second halves is also an option! If you’re interested, please let me know at the shop or get in touch!!
Maybe I'll go by fixie... just kidding.