After a one-year COVID-caused hiatus, the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (VIMFF) returns to Hope tonight (March 16).
The event takes place at the Hope Cinema, with six films hitting the big screen between 6 and 10 p.m.
“We’re thrilled to be back, showing ‘the best of the best,’” said Hope Mountain Centre (HMC) for Outdoor Learning executive director Kristine Krynitzki.
HMC is holding the event and Krynitzki said they will have one or more films for each of rock climbing, mountain biking, skiing/snowboarding, paddlesports, and trail running/hiking.
“It’s the 25th anniversary of the VIMFF, a great year to be back!” she said.
The complete lineup of films hasn’t been set, but Krynitzki said they will be showing two for sure, Makatea Vertical Adventure and Mount Logan.
According to vimff.org/film/makatea-vertical-adventure/, the film takes place on a unique island of Polynesia. Erwan Le Lann and Marion Courtois discover this paradise and explore the possibilities of development of the site with the locals. It’s their story about developing it in a way which is respectful of the biodiversity of the atoll and its inhabitants through the practice of climbing.
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Guillaume Broust directs the film, which is 28 minutes long.
Mt. Logan is directed by Alexandre Marchesseau and is 13 minutes long. According to vimff.org/film/mount-logan/, it tells the tale of a team climbing the highest peak in Canada and the second highest peak in North America. To reach the summit, Marchesseau, Helias Millerioux and Thomas Delfino had a long journey. They started from the ocean to finish at the ocean, climbing Mount Logan self-supported.
It took them 48 days, 250 kilometres of touring, 3800 metres of ascent, a first ride of the east ridge, with skis, a monoski and snowboard, finishing with a 400km trip down the Copper River.
Krynitzki can’t wait to see the films that will be shown, but she said it was a tough decision on whether to go ahead this year.
“Thankfully with capacity restrictions having been lifted, we were able to confidently move forward to resuming this much-anticipated community event that so many look forward to each year,” she said. “And for the first time we will be having a silent auction, thanks to local businesses donating great items to support our activities.”
Hope Mountain Centre and local merchants will have merchandise for sale.
Tickets to the evening are $20. They can be grabbed online at hopemountain.org/programs/vancouver-mountain-film-festival-march-16-2022/ or visit Blue Moose Coffee House at 322 Wallace Street.
Blue Moose is an event sponsor along with Coquihalla Veterinary Services and all event profits will go to support HMC programs.
@ProgressSports
eric.welsh@hopestandard.com
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