Yellowknife (Jan 07/05) - Fresh from the 2004 Banff Mountain Film Festival, held last November in the Alberta resort town, award-winning adventure films will soon be on the big screen at NACC.

Though the films may change yearly, the festival, which this year happens Friday and Saturday, Jan. 21 and 22, is guaranteed to be a mix of adrenaline sports, breathtaking vistas, travelogue and humour.

A scene from Soul Purpose, a special jury prize winner at the Banff Mountain Film Festival. The documentary explores the mindset of athletic competition in mountain sports. - photo courtesy of Jeremy Jones

Organizers used to show all the adrenaline adventure films at one screening and the cultural, family-oriented movies at the other, but now they mix it up.

"We found that most people want the variety," said Mike Freeland of Blachford Lake Lodge.

Blachford Lake Lodge and Overlander Sports are the two sponsors of the event.

The variety of material makes the evening both a thrill ride and a one-stop shop for weekend warriors plotting their next outdoor adventure. There festival even features a short comic film titled Weekend Warrior, from Canadian filmmaker Ace Mackay-Smith.

"It's about a male snowboarder who cruises the mountains for female companionship," Freeland said.

Usually Freeland and Bill Sterling of Overlander Sports select one or two of the festival's Canadian entries for the screenings here.

But this year there are four or five Canadian-made movies, Freeland said.

One of the other Canadian choices is Yukon Quest, a film by Whitehorse resident Martin Berkman about the dog sled race. Award winning films showing here will include Soul Purpose and Daughters of Everest.

Soul Purpose, which won a special jury award in the Mountain Sports category, takes a contemplative look at competition in the world of skiing and snowboarding.

"It's a deeper view into the minds of athletes," said Freeland.

Daughters of Everest by Sapana Sakya and Ramyata Limbu follows an expedition of Sherpa women bent on conquering the famous summit. The documentary won the award for Best Film on Climbing.

One thing always remains constant - the high demand for the Saturday screening.

"The tickets for Saturday are already getting a little thin," said Freeland.

For the second year in a row there will also be a Friday night show, with a completely different film lineup.

The festival will also add a touch of stage to the screenings.

In addition to the usual door prizes, staff at Overlander Sports and Blachford Lake Lodge will act out a short skit both nights.