BANFF Mountain Film Festival, Kings Theatre, Southsea, REVIEW: ‘Inspires you to have so many adventures of your own’

Once again, the Kings Theatre, Southsea, was packed for the second instalment of BANFF Mountain Film Festival.
Picture from Surviving the Outback which was featured in the BANFF Film Festival at the Kings Theatre, Southsea.Picture from Surviving the Outback which was featured in the BANFF Film Festival at the Kings Theatre, Southsea.
Picture from Surviving the Outback which was featured in the BANFF Film Festival at the Kings Theatre, Southsea.

The blue film programme comprises six short films created by videographers who capture the best landscapes and adventures you will ever witness from the comfort of a theatre seat. 

For the Love of Mary is the first film on the agenda. This six-minute film tugged at everyone’s heart strings as it told the story of George Etzweiler – the 97-year-old American runner who is determined to keep moving. Recalling memories of his late wife, the audience reaches for their tissues before he cracked some jokes along his marathon run.  

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The best film of the evening was Surviving the Outback. For 44 minutes, the audience were transported to Kimberley, Australia, with Michael Atkinson – the Australian pilot, survival instructor and adventurer.  Completely alone, he trekked and sailed across hundreds of kilometres of Aboriginal land to replicate the journey of two German aviators in 1932. ‘Outback Mike’ had to gain permission from the Aboriginal people to film on their land, allowing us to witness never-seen-before views. 

After watching BANFF’s adventure films, it’s natural to question whether the people who feature in them are insane. But their sheer determination to complete a challenge simply inspires you to have so many adventures of your own.