Date:
The Banff Mountain Film Festival explodes into town for three nights of spine-tingling footage of extreme mountain sports, stunning visuals from some of the world's most beautiful and remote places and thought-provoking documentaries on wildlife and the environment. Proceeds benefit UCSC's Wilderness Orientation Scholarship Fund.
Watch a trailer from 'Ready to Fly,' starring champion ski jumper Lindsey Van.
On the first night, new short films with subjects ranging from skiing, toads, the Olympics, rock climbing and much more will be featured. The featured film is "Ready to Fly," which follows Lindsey Van and her colleagues on their arduous 15-year fight to achieve equality in the Olympic Winter Games. The 2014 Olympics in Sochi are the first to include women's ski jumping, so it's especially timely. Some lineup details below: for more visit the UCSC Recreation Department. Tickets $15 students/$18 general at santacruztickets.com or 831.459.5129. Friday-Sunday, 7pm at the Rio Theatre.
Photo from the film Ready to Fly © ReadyToFlyFilm.com/Dan Campbell
FRIDAY LINEUP
The Burn
This short 2012 film shows how fires can free up land for skiers.
Return to The Tepuis
A look at the famous tabletop mountains of South America and some of the unique flora and fauna that call them home.
Ready to Fly
Tonight's feature film tells the story of Lindsey Van, 2009 world ski jumping champion, and her quest to get the Olympics to include women's ski jumping. Van joined a lawsuit against the 2010 Olympic Committee when they wouldn't allow the sport, and unwillingly became the spokeswoman for the cause of equality. With pressure mounting, Van quit jumping and returned to Utah to ski in obscurity and recover from the media onslaught. When word comes that the 2014 Olympics will be different, her dream seems to be coming true, but when she discovers that she's a bone marrow match for someone she's never even met, her human compulsion to help those who need it kicks in.
Intermission
The Last Great Climb
The charismatic rock climbing star Leo Houlding stars in this film when he heads to Antarctica with Sean "Stanley" Leary and Jason Pickles to climb Ulvetanna Peak. Watch the trailer.
Sensory Overload
A blind man with a taste for adventure learns to whitewater kayak.
Stand
A look at the culture and people of Canada's Great Bear Rainforest, which are threatened by a tar sands pipeline.
Best Short Mountain Film — Sponsored by The North Face
In this 5-minute short, it's 35 routes in one day to celebrate 35 years of life.
