Laura Lee Lienk has overseen all 20 years of the Canada-based Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival in Monterey. In that time, she has seen a lot of short films. This year’s lineup includes Of A Lifetime, a Swiss film by Jérôme Tanon that is one of the eight films to be shown at Golden State Theatre, the festival’s longtime venue.
“It’s so fun; I can’t believe these people are doing this,” Lienk says.
This 44-minute movie follows a family’s journey toward Antarctica across the Drake Passage, an unpredictable body of water between South America’s Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands. It’s an immense experience and a chance to see the icy continent in all its glory, as well as test the family’s snow sports skills.
The De Le Rue family is one of the most decorated in snowboarding history. The family name has been etched into Olympic medals, World Championship cups, Freeride World Tour trophies and other awards.
For 30 years, Lienk has been with the nonprofit Habitat Stewardship Project Monterey Bay, a nonprofit that deals mostly with nature and its restoration, but also organizes this yearly cultural event that is a staple in its calendar. It started with REI, which sells sporting goods and camping gear. The festival corporate sponsor asked Habitat to be a partner. Even after the agreement was over, Habitat continued with the one-night film festival.
“It’s like a party, people know each other,” Lienk says about this 134-minute-long experience, with an intermission. “We have quite a big following and a lot of people who want to come each year. The films are really exciting and many have a social justice element.”
The festival is also the most important annual fundraiser for the organization. It helps cover Habitat’s regular work: restoring native species and “bringing nature to people,” helping underserved communities in Monterey County encounter the natural miracles of the area, from the ocean to the forest.
Lienk and her crew picked a range of movies this year, including a cycling adventure film called The Streif; Undammed, devoted to environmental issues on the Klamath River; The Smoke that Thunders is about kayaking; Anytime is a portrait of a female mountain biker; and Canyon Chorus takes viewers into the world of rafting.
BANFF CENTRE MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL 7pm Saturday, March 8. Golden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado St., Monterey. $42. 649-1070, goldenstatetheatre.com.
(1) comment
As a regular attendee to the film festival I was disappointed in the short film of a group of men on a river trip. The emphasis of the film was not on adventure but rather subject matter that in my opinion should not be before children, many of which were in the auditorium. The main character admitted in the film that he was "mentoring" a 15 year old male. I have referred this admittance to the Canadian law enforcement as I believe there is probable cause to suspect pediophelia.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.