A report from the 2026 Banff Mountain Film Festival

Fremont Theater, January 23 and 24

Festival Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcfryXWXuEg

Here are my favorites:

Emil & Karl – Little Wheels, Big Mountains

Jakob and Konne, two adventurous fathers, bring their two year old sons on a six-day mountain bike tour through the Swiss Alps. The little tykes eventually get “hangry”. They need croissants. 

Old Man Lightning (2025 Best Film: Climbing)

“The Verm” is fat and out of shape. All he does is drink beer and look at birds. Can he make a comeback and regain his throne as the best at “bouldering”? 

The Hive Architect

For the last 14 years Matt Somerville has spent the winters creating his log hives before driving around all of England in the summer, erecting them as non-intervention habitats for wild honey bees.

Best Day Ever (2025 Best Film: Mountain Sports 2025 Audience Choice Award)

Best Day Ever follows the stories of adaptive mountain bikers Greg Durso and Allie Bianchi as they navigate the relentless challenges of their disabilities with humour and attitude. Along the way, they embrace the tremendous support, friendship, and joy they find in their rural Vermont riding community.

Dissidence

Two unexpected names are emerging on the stage of the climbing World Championships: Ravianto and Raviandi Ramadhan, twin brothers from Indonesia. With nothing but their own resources, Dissidence retraces their extraordinary journey. The 8c (5.14b) climbing route Dissidence is located at La Balme in Savoie, France. It is a renowned, challenging sport route featured in climbing media, often highlighted for its technical, wet, and demanding nature. 

A Baffin Vacation, Love on Ice

Join adventurers Erik and Sarah on yet another outrageous Baffin Vacation as they kiteski north along the remote coastline of Baffin. Over their 69-day holiday, they ski mountains, climb an epic big wall, and cross a glacier in search of new rivers to whitewater kayak. Will she say yes?