Share the magic of mountain places and the adrenaline of mountain adventure with an appreciative, international audience by entering your film in the 2001 Banff Mountain Film Festival.

The 26th annual festival is soliciting films and videos on mountain and adventure subjects to compete for screening at this year's event, held October 29 to November 4, 2001 at The Banff Centre. The deadline for entries is September 14, 2001.

An international jury will choose winners in eight categories including Grand Prize, Alpine Club of Canada Best Film on Climbing, Best Film on Mountain Sports, Best Film on Mountain Environment, Best Film on Mountain Culture, Best Short Mountain Film (15 minutes or less) and Best Feature-length Mountain Fiction Film (70 minutes or more). The festival audience selects the winner of the People's Choice Award. Over $20,000 CAN in prize money is on offer.

Filmmaker Says Banff Award More Important Than the Emmys

The Banff Mountain Film Festival offers filmmakers an opportunity to display their films before a worldwide audience. Selected films will tour internationally following the festival, reaching a live audience of more than 120,000 in over 20 countries.

Michael Brown of Boulder, Colorado has entered several films in the Banff Mountain Film Festival over the past few years. Last year, as co-producer, he won the award for Best Film on Mountain Sports for Shishapangma — A Celebration of Life.

"The 2000 Banff festival was one of the major highlights of my life. In fact this award is the most important I have ever been part of and I would have gladly traded all three Emmys for it." Michael Brown, co-producer, Shishapangma — A Celebration of Life. Michael Brown, co-producer, Shishapangma — A Celebration of Life.

Michael is back on Mount Everest filming Vision of Everest. He comes from a family of filmmakers; his father first entered a film in the Banff Mountain Film Festival in 1976 and won an award for the sport category in 1992.

Curtis Robinson is a young filmmaker from British Columbia who entered the film Posse of Women in last year's festival. He hopes to return to The Banff Mountain Film Festival in the future.

"The inspiration to make this film came from going to the Banff Mountain Film Festival over the last five years. The seed that the film festival planted … became a reality. Thank you to the film festival for having films that have inspired my creativity." Curtis Robinson, producer/director, POW — Posse of Women, Funkie Junkie Digital Productions, Canada

Held in the spectacular Canadian Rockies in the town of Banff, Alberta, the Banff Mountain Film Festival is one of the world's largest and most prestigious mountain film competitions. "Our vision is to bring the power of mountain experiences alive for audiences around the world," says Bernadette McDonald, director of The Banff Centre for Mountain Culture, which hosts the event.

In addition to continuous film and video screenings, the festival also features internationally renowned speakers, an adventure trade fair, a mountain art and craft sale, and a new climbing wall.

For entry forms or more information, please contact: