REVIEW

BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL TOUR 2016

LIGHTHOUSE, POOLE

The biggest outdoor and mountain sport film tour in the world returned to the Lighthouse for this year’s second instalment of stunning scenery, steep slopes and suffering, all in the name of adventure.

For me, the standout film of the night was the inspirational story of Britain’s first female mountain guide, Gwen Moffat, now 90-years-old. Operation Moffat charts Gwen’s winding, bohemian trail through life, from deserting the Army as a conscientious objector to pursue her new-found passion, climbing, to scaling many of our isles’ toughest peaks barefoot. Her free-spirited outlook and liberating pursuit of happiness left me uplifted and inspired. Unable to climb rock at 90 years young, she celebrated her most recent birthday with a hike that would put off many a third of her age.

Eclipse is a visually stunning slice of cinematography following eccentric photographer Reuben Krabbe and the band of skiers he has brought along to chase his dream of capturing the thrice in a lifetime opportunity to photograph a skier passing through a solar eclipse. Limited by location, Svalbard - a Norwegian territory deep inside the Arctic Circle - is almost the only choice, but does not come without risks. The weather, snow conditions and climate change all seem to conspire against them until, on the day of the celestial event, the world aligned and Reuben got his shot. The landscape is one of the most beautiful I have seen, despite its monochrome appearance, and the mountains were made for skiing.

The night ended with Showdown at Horseshoe Hell, charting the exploits of the two top competing teams at possibly the wildest climbing competition in the world. 24 hours of Horseshoe Hell is, you guessed it, a 24-hour contest to see who can amass the most points for the most climbed routes – the harder the grade, the higher the score. Two unlikely tough-guys, Mason Earle and Nic Berry take on world-famous, all-powerful Alex Honnold. In an all-night feat of endurance, blistered feet and bleeding hands – and a fair bit of partying – the pair pull off the impossible and beat the superstar of sheer rock in the heat of the Deep South.

The Banff tour never fails to provide the premiere picks of the adventure sport film world and I will no doubt be back when the festival returns to Dorset next year.

TOM DALE