Competitions, Awards & Workshops | Banff Centre

Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival features numerous competitions for creatives of all types. Filmmakers, photographers, writers, or even just mountain people that give back.

Photo by Jessica Wittman

Mountain Film Competition

The 2023 Banff Mountain Film Competition opens April 4.

Banff Mountain Book Competition 2022 Finalists

Mountain Book Competition

The 2023 Book Competition will open February 14th!

2022 Banff Mountain Photo Essay Competition Grand Prize, Zagros, Emily Garthwaite

Mountain Photo Essay Competition

The 2023 Photo Essay Competition is now open!

Ashlee Hendy and Elizabeth Chong, Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park, Australia © Simon Carter

Signature Image Search

We are now looking for the 2023 Signature Image, which will represent the Festival and World Tour in over 40 countries!

Maya Carr

Mountain Spirit Award

Learn about the Mountain Spirit Award nomination process and past winners.

Grant Statham

Summit of Excellence Award

Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival is proud to announce Grant Statham as the 2022 recipient of the Summit of Excellence Award.

Workshops & Programs

Person wearing a blue jacket and striped hat points video camera at man in red jacket, seated

Adventure Filmmakers Workshop

Yearly

This workshop is an exceptional chance for independant and emerging filmmakers to turn their project into reality, under...

Mountain and Wilderness Writing

Yearly

This intensive writing program, open to all genres, is focused on mountain narratives, environmental journalism, wilderness...

Photography Practicum

Yearly

Advance your skills in a professional photography environment that includes complex systems, logistical and technical...

Partners + Sponsors

View detailed information on festival partners.

Festival Archive

Click here to access our festival archive. Historical festival information available.

Partners

We recognize, with deep respect and gratitude, our home on the side of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain. In the spirit of respect and truth, we honour and acknowledge the Banff area, known as “Minhrpa” (translated in Stoney Nakoda as “the waterfalls”) and the Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) – comprised of the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Goodstoney Nations – as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, Kainai. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Shuswap Nations, Ktunaxa Nations, and Metis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. We acknowledge all Nations who live, work, and play here, help us steward this land, and honour and celebrate this place.

©2023 Banff Centre