An Extreme Sportsman’s Dream: Banff Film Festival World Tour Stops at The State Theatre in Portland, Maine

Entertainment in Portland, Maine

There’s a reason I work in media and radio; I love entertainment. My grandmother was my best friend growing up and she brought me to all sorts of shows, from circuses to dance performances, plays at Merrill Auditorium, and concerts at our local Portland venues. Hand me a program, dim the lights, and I will genuinely enjoy whatever performance presents itself in front of me.

The other night a dear friend texted me these exact words:

“So I think I’m going to go to the Banff Film Festival at the State Theatre for the next two nights. It's like short very interesting videos that people make about badass stuff if that interests ya.”

I immediately told him not to share any more details and to get the tickets for me so I wouldn’t see or learn anything about the festival. I was giddy at the thought of walking in completely clueless and blind, unaware of what I was about to experience.

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour at State Theatre

I could not have been more pleasantly surprised at the event I found myself at the next night. Last night, Tuesday, March 24, and tonight, Wednesday, March 25, Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival is being held at the State Theatre right here in Portland for their 2022 World Tour.

As their website shares, this is the largest adventure film tour on the planet, with stops throughout Canada, the US, and more than 40 other countries on seven continents. And after my personal viewing, I understand why these films need to be shared with the world.

The festival is comprised of short films about the environment, extreme sports, and outdoor adventures with a mission to celebrate mountain culture. Their website explains:

“We promote understanding and appreciation of the world’s mountain places by creating opportunities for people to share and find inspiration in mountain experiences, ideas, and visions.”

To get a better idea of what I’m talking about, you can check out this montage of what types of films are presented:

I was blown away and just sat there looking around the gorgeous theatre thinking about how grateful I am for life. It seems dramatic, but it was just one of those moments you’re thankful to be experiencing. The cinematography in every video was outstanding and intoxicating, you couldn’t look away from the screen if you wanted to.

While I wasn’t able to stay for the entire night, I saw short films that ranged from 4-minutes long to 55-minutes long with various topics, from mountain biking in Turkey under hot air balloons to a man building relationships with bears in Alaska.

They were incredible! The scenery looked fake as if it was a desktop background on a Macbook and not a real-life experience someone was capturing and sharing with us.

There are still tickets available and if you’re able to go, I would highly suggest it. It was remarkable!