Unique to the West Coast, Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (VIMFF) is known for screening inspiring, and often harrowing, outdoor- and adventure-themed films. But the nine-day event encompasses much more than on-screen viewings: VIMFF also stages inspiring presentations, photography exhibits, film and photo competitions, and live music – all centred around topics like environmental sustainability, adventure travel and mountain culture.
VIMFF is running now ‘til March 3, and there’s plenty left to see and do. Here are five highlights we can’t wait to check out at this year’s festival:
ARC’TERYX Alpine Night Mountain climbers will flock to this memorable show featuring two film premieres and an intimate conversation with Brette Harrington, whose inspiring story of returning to the Alaskan ice fields after the death of her partner will leave attendees on the edge of their seats. Harrington’s presentation is paired with Cerro Kishtwar – An Ice Cold Story, which follows an alpine adventure that doesn’t go to plan; and La Congenilità – The Attitude of Gratitude, whose protagonists share a mentor-mentee relationship that begins to shift when they attempt Kanchenjunga’s highest peaks.
An Uncommon Journey to Everest with Jamey Glasnovic An established travel writer, Glasnovic reflects on his three-month journey to the Himalayan Mountains and Everest in 2016. His riveting talk is paired with Big World, which follows Eddie Bauer athlete David Morton and his son Thorne on a week-long stand-up paddleboarding journey in Western Nepal; My Dear Kyrgyzstan, which centres on a Kyrgyz man who attempts to transform his abandoned Soviet village into an international tourism destination; and Surviving the Outback, whose protagonist shares his tale of surviving alone while crossing hundreds of kilometres of remote outback for an entire month.
Beyond Climate with David Suzuki Famed environmentalist Suzuki shares the documentary he narrated, Beyond Climate, then takes to the stage to discuss climate change and what we can do to protect the planet and ourselves. The event also features speaker Dr. Ian Mauro, principal of the Richardson College for the Environment, co-director of the Prairie Climate Centre and filmmaker at the University of Winnipeg, who launched Beyond Climate; and a screening of Derrick Pottle, Keeper of the Flame, which explores the cultural and emotional impact of climate change on remote Inuit communities.
UBC Climbing Night Why do people climb mountains? We can’t wait to find out during this event featuring Doug Robinson, a professional mountaineer who also writes poetry about mountains and why we climb them. His presentation is paired with the film Blood Moon, which follows three climbers as they attempt the 700-metre Tsaranora Atsimo wall in Madagascar; and Women Are Mountains, a short film that shares the lives of two climbers in Brazil who tackle their passion – the mountains – while taking care of their families at the same time.
VIMFF Finale with Sasha DiGiulian The festival closes with a bang: a presentation by Sasha DiGiulian, the second person in history to have climbed the Canadian Trilogy, a series of three Big Walls in the Canadian Rockies. DiGiulian will share never-before-seen footage from the upcoming documentary following her adventure, and speak about climbing alone, enduring injury and pushing through self-doubt. Her talk is followed by a showing of Spectre, the haunting tale of Leo Houlding’s journey to the summit of the most remote mountain on Earth.
To view the full schedule at VIMFF, click here – then, explore more of Vancouver’s film scene here.
