Outdoor adventure will be brought to life on screen at The State Theater, 130 W. College Ave., when the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour makes a two-day stop in State College on April 10 and 11.
“From adrenaline-fueled action sports, to an exploration of wild landscapes and remote mountain cultures, film in this year’s tour are sure to captivate the explorer within you,” says the Moshannon Group website, the Pennsylvania chapter of the Sierra Club environmental organization that is hosting the festival in State College for the 12th year.
After the nine-day annual Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival at the Banff Centre in Canada, which begins toward the end October, an international jury selects films to tour 40 countries in the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, says Louise Healy, spokesperson for Banff Centre.
About 800 films are shown throughout the entire tour reaching more than 390,000 people at over 840 screenings.
A film selection committee picks films that may appeal to the audience of that region, says both Healy and Ron Johnson, the treasurer of the Moshannon Group. Johnson has helped out with the Banff Festival in State College for many years.
From three minutes to 53 minutes, 21 films — 10 on Friday and 11 on Sunday — will delve into the stories of outdoor athletes or capture the most adrenaline provoking moments on screen.
From outright extreme to more modest tales of outdoor adventure, Johnson says, “There is such a wide range of film topics that will appeal to a wide range of people” — even for those not passionate about the most extreme sports.
“Vasu Sojitra: Out on a Limb,” a seven minute movie which will be shown on Saturday, tells the story of Vasu Sojitra who skis through the backcountry despite having lost his right leg at nine months old.
The list of all scheduled films for both Friday and Saturday can be found on the Moshannon Group website or the State Theater website.
Kayaking, skydiving, speed gliding and mountaineering are just a few more of the adventure sports explored in films shown during the festival.
But in State College the festival is more than just a series of film screenings. It is also an opportunity for attendees to win prizes and learn about local outing and environmental clubs and groups.
At no extra cost, anyone who attends the event can enter a drawing for prizes that the national and local groups sponsors, including Appalachian Outdoors, offer, Johnson says.
From 6 p.m., when doors open, until 7 p.m., when screenings begin, attendees are encouraged to stop by the tables that feature sponsors and another 10 to 20 community groups that will share information about their activities.
The event generally runs until 10:30 p.m. each night.
