By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey
Reader Staff
In a time when everything seems to be changing, North Idahoans are glad that one thing hasn’t: The annual showing of the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour at the Panida Theater, this year slated for three showings Friday, Jan. 21-Sunday, Jan. 23.
A screenshot from the film Salomon Trail Runner FKT featuring Jeanelle Hazlett on Mount Brunswick, which was shown at the 2020 Banff Mountain Film Festival. Photo by Bruce Ferre.
Michael Boge, of Mountain Fever Productions, has brought the international film event to Sandpoint for 26 years.
“Banff inspires people,” Boge said. “It charges me up to be engaged in life and to not sit complacent. And it’s fun — hosting a winter party for the great city I live in. I love living here.”
Sandpoint is one of 550 communities across 40 countries who will enjoy the festival this year.
High diving, slacklining, skiing, mountaineering, hot air ballooning, snowboarding, base jumping, biking, kayaking and general dirtbaggery — all are featured in the varied and adventurous lineup of 2021-’22 Banff film fest productions, telling the stories of the people (and sled dogs and grizzly bears) who populate great stories of the great outdoors. To see a complete list of the films featured in this year’s tour, visit banffcentre.ca/banffmountainfestival/tour/21-22-films. Though not all films play at each showing, a typical Banff program features six to 10 films.
Each showing of this year’s Banff Centre Mountain Film Fest in Sandpoint will benefit a different local cause, Boge said. At the Friday, Jan. 21 showing, Sandpoint’s Independence Racing Team will host a raffle to support its youth ski racing programs, and the Saturday, Jan. 22 showing will include a raffle benefiting NIMSEF, the North Idaho Mountain Sports Education Fund, which makes winter sports more accessible for local children. Both the Friday and Saturday showings are scheduled for 7 p.m.
On Sunday, Jan. 23, Boge said organizers “will use part of the funds to support a group that is salvaging and restoring old lookouts towers, specifically the one on top of Lookout Mountain at the north end of Priest Lake.” The Sunday program starts at 6 p.m.
Doors to the theater open an hour before the showings on all three nights. Due to the popularity of this annual event and limited theater capacity, advance tickets are recommended.
“Different year, different world,” Boge said. “Banff went through a tough two years, but are still here bringing out films for our viewers. I’m grateful for that.”
Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour
Friday, Jan. 21, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 22, 7 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 23, 6 p.m. Doors open one hour before the show. $19 advance, $24 day of show. Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave., 208-263-9191, get tickets at panida.org. Theater capacity will be limited to 350 guests per show. Advance tickets are recommended, but not required. The Panida Theater strongly encourages all guests to wear a mask, regardless of vaccine status.
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