Everyday Activist - 2017 Banff World Tour Short Film Selections - PART 2

Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2017 at 11:00 PM

"DreamRide"

2017 Banff World Tour Short Film Selections - PART 2

Movie Review by Everyday Activist X CalgaryMovies.com

It’s so hard to have so many great films available to be placed on a program. I’m glad I’m not the one who has to choose. These next three are available online, but won’t be shown in Calgary as part of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2016/17 #1 & #2. Luckily you can view all them from the comfort of your own home.

DreamRide

DreamRide encapsulates much of what I learned during the writer in residence program at the University of Calgary this September. In a lecture, Shane Book talked about the similarities between poetry and film. This short film captures the beauty of both forms with of course a dreamlike quality. The filmmakers worked hard to find landscapes all over the U.S to embody natural beauty not only for mountain bikers, but for anyone who dreams about the outdoors.

Fast Forward

Lael Wilcox loves life on a bike. Most of her experience was traveling to different countries; only recently has she taken up ultra-long distance bicycle racing. I seriously can’t imagine driving that far; forget riding a bike from Anchorage, Alaska to Banff, Alberta.  As if that wasn’t enough she then goes on to start the Tour Divide Race in Banff to New Mexico to not only win it, but also set a new world record. Interestingly, enough this short film doesn’t focus on her accomplishments, but on a race she didn’t end up finishing on the Arizona Trail. Anything to do with the desert is dicey at best, partly because of the extremes in temperatures. She doesn’t let that discourage her as she goes onto enter and win other ultra-long distance races across America.

The Great Siberian Traverse

One of the changes as a new generation of filmmakers take the stage is their attention to the world around them. Much like the A Skier’s Journey series, going to across the world (or Siberia) to ski means more than hunting for sick lines, it’s about interacting with the people and environment in a meaningful way. I loved the stylistic Russian Ballet and animated elements of the film, which added variety to the storyline. During the traverse they discover an ancient ski culture, where hunters still make wooden skis to track through the forests in a similar way to China: A Skiers Journey.

Everyday Activist Review: 2017 Banff World Tour Short Film Selections - Calgary Red Program >
Everyday Activist Review: 2017 Banff World Tour Short Film Selections - Calgary Blue Program >
Everyday Activist Review: 2017 Banff World Tour Short Film Selections - PART 1 >