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Release Date: Friday, April 8th 2011
Pop City: Pop Filter Hot Pick: Experience Radical Reels at the Banff Mountain Film Festival
Pop Filter Hot Pick: Experience Radical Reels at the Banff Mountain Film Festival
| Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Now that the daylight hours are getting longer and the daffodils are starting to peek through the soil, it's time to get out, get moving and take advantage of the city's countless world-class outdoor recreation activities.
But for the next three days, the place to take it to the absolute extreme is at Venture Outdoors' much anticipated Banff Mountain Film Festival, which will soar to new heights at Downtown's Byham Theater. Boasting a mix of action, environmental and adventure mountain flicks, the high-octane powerhouse will have you scaling mountains, braving waterfalls and testing your fears--all on the silver screen.
With Pittsburgh one of the festival's largest stops in North America, the series has been known to draw more than 1,300 movie-goers at each film--and that's a lot of gasps and cheers. A fundraiser for Venture Outdoors, the festival features 18 films representing some of the furthest reaches of outdoor adventure across the planet, from Nepal to New Zealand.
Sit tight as fishermen risk their lives and limbs in decommissioned Cold War helicopters to explore Russia's remote never-fished-before rivers in Eastern Rises, then bask in nature's sublime glory as adventure seeking athletes explore the raging waterfalls of Norway, Argentina and the US. in the People's Choice Award winner, Dream Result.
The powerful work The Fall Line chronicles the journey of 101st Airborne Ranger Heath Calhoun, who after losing his legs in a grenade blast in Iraq, goes on to carry the flag for the U.S. team at the Paralympics. Reflecting the festival's diverse range of subjects and settings, Stones into Schools provides a behind-the-scenes look at Greg Mortenson's inspiring work building schools in war-torn Afghanistan.
Ever heard of the bold new climbing innovation called Base Free Solo? You will after you see Fly or Die, which follows cutting-edge climber Dean Potter. You'll be holding your breath during Miracle in the Storm, which portrays the plight and heroism of German paraglider Ewa Wisnierska, who miraculously survived being sucked into a massive thunderstorm and pulled up into a 10,000-meter updraft.
What's new this year? A family-friendly matinee has been added to the roster on Sunday at 2 p.m. Also unique to the festival's Pittsburgh installment is the Venture Outdoors raffle, which features the chance to win bikes, kayaks and a year's worth of free indoor rock climbing.
So whether you're a mountain bike aficionado, an extreme sports freak, a long boarding addict, or simply a nature lover, these edge-of-your-seat flicks will be a feast for the senses.
