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 A still from the documentary Daughters of Everest, one of the films to be screened at Saturday's Banff Mountain Film Festival gala in Iqaluit. - photo courtesy of the Banff Mountain film festival |
This will be the fourth time movies from the festival have screened in the Nunavut capital.
"We hope it becomes an annual event," said Pauline Scott, chair of the Banff Mountain Film Festival Iqaluit world tour committee.
"There's a real thirst in town to see the festival."
The festival screenings are Saturday, March 19 and Sunday, March 20 at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday's show is followed by a gala reception at the Frobisher Inn, sponsored by NorthwesTel.
Saturday's highlight will be Daughters of Everest, a documentary about the first expedition of female sherpas to the top of the legendary mountain, along with a selection of short films. There will be a different program on Sunday.
"We think it will be a really great lineup," said Scott.
Tickets are always a hot commodity. In 2003, they sold out in 30 minutes.
Scott attributes the popularity of the festival to the fact that many people in town have seen the festival elsewhere and know what to expect.
There's also the small matter of the theatre only seating 128 people, in a city of more than 6,000.
Money raised above expenses, such as the rental of the theatre and the fees to the Banff festival, go to charity. There's also a raffle.
Two years ago, the two-night event raised nearly $10,000 for the food bank. This year's charity is the Kamatsiaqtut help line.
Canadian North has donated the tickets to fly up the Banff festival's host.
