David Parker Jr.

Don't Miss These Film Fests Fall and winter months in the Blue Ridge are warmed by the bright lights and camaraderie of dozens of adventure film festivals across the region. “Drones, GoPros, and other technologies have made mind-blowing footage more available than ever,” says Jim Baker, manager for the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour. “There is magic on the screen, but there is also magic in the aisles. There’s something special about doing it all together with your community,” he says. Andy Johns echoes that sentiment. “You could watch a lot of these films on your phone if you wanted to, but getting together with eight hundred people to laugh, cry, cheer and share the experience makes it a special weekend.” Johns is the founder of the Lookout Wild Film Festival in Chattanooga Tennessee, one of the most popular home-grown film festivals in the region. “We wanted to make sure there was a platform for films and stories from Appalachia and this part of the world,” he says. In his first year, 2013, they played to three hundred attendees. By 2017, more than 3,000 joined them. “At first, people thought it was going to be all mountain bikes and techno music,” he says. “But people have been pleased by the depth of story and character.” Adventure films aren't just for adrenaline junkies. Mountainfilm uses the power of film to inspire audiences to create a better world. They highlight Cuban activists and back-to-the-landers in Appalachia. Butch Allen has been on both sides of the lens. He is an Appalachian homesteader who raises chickens, kids, and the occasional ruckus. He knows a thing or two about adventure film festivals too after spending fourteen years in Alaska, where he built the Alaska Ocean Film Festival from the ground up. Allen recently partnered with Mountainfilm and local outdoor education organization Muddy Sneakers to host the first Asheville event in 2017. It was a huge success. “It’s an awesome party that happens to be showing films that happen to raise tons of money for an awesome nonprofit,” he says. “It’s a win-win-win.” Another local film festival organizer is Appalachian Trail thru-hiker Christine Williams, who co-hosts one of the local Banff film fests through her employer, Half Moon Outfitters in Athens, Georgia. "We’re not a big city, like Atlanta,” she says. “People find out about it and say ‘We host Banff here? That’s amazing.’” She loves how the event highlights the local scene and draws people together. A cold dark season can be challenging, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be inspiring too. As Andy Johns from Lookout Fest observed, “Whatever people do—cycling, climbing, paddling, or whatever—we all love gathering around the campfire to swap stories. At its core, that’s what these film festivals are.” Nov 2 REEL ROCK Film Tour Lees-McRae College-Evans Auditorium Banner Elk, NC Nov 5 REEL ROCK Film Tour Studio Movie Grill Charlotte, NC Nov 5 Wild & Scenic Film Festival Belcourt Theatre Nashville, TN Nov 7-8 REEL ROCK Film Tour Belcourt Theatre Nashville, TN Nov 8 REEL ROCK Film Tour Rock/Creek Paddlesports and Outlet Chatanooga, TN Nov 9 Wild & Scenic Film Festival Auburn University at Montgomery Montgomery, AL Nov 10 REEL ROCK Film Tour Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts Philadelphia, PA Nov 12-14 REEL ROCK Film Tour AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center Silver Spring, MD Nov 15 REEL ROCK Film Tour Heritage Sandy Springs Atlanta, GA Nov 15 Wild & Scenic Film Festival Seacrets Morley Hall Ocean City, MD Nov 16 Mountainfilm on Tour Highland Brewing Company Asheville, NC Nov 16 REEL ROCK Film Tour Onsight Rock Gym Knoxville, TN Nov 16 Wild & Scenic Film Festival Avalon Theatre Easton, MD Dec 15 REEL ROCK Film Tour Cliff Hangers Climbing & Fitness Mooresville, NC Jan 5 Mountainfilm on Tour Carrollton Cultural Arts Center Carrollton, GA Jan 11 Wild & Scenic Film Festival Straight to Ale Brewing Huntsville, AL Jan 18-21 Lookout Wild Film Festival Tivoli Theatre Chatanooga TN Jan 23-Feb 2 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour National Geographic LIVE! Washington, DC Jan 24-26 Mountainfilm on Tour Trustees Theater Savannah, GA Feb 1 REEL ROCK Film Tour Haymarket Theater at Squires Student Center Blacksburg, VA Feb 8 Mountainfilm on Tour Coligny Theatre Hilton Head, SC Feb 20 Mountainfilm on Tour McAllister Hall at Berry College Rome, GA Mar 1-2 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Philadelphia Rock Gyms Immaculata (Philadelphia), PA Mar 7-9 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour James River High School Midlothian, VA Mar 10-11 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour The Shenandoah National Park Trust Charlottesville, VA Mar 13 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour New River Land Trust Blacksburg, VA Mar 14-15 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Climb Nashville Nashville, TN Mar 15-17 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Brevard College Brevard, NC Mar 16 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour REI Atlanta, GA Mar 17-18 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Blumenthal Performing Arts - McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square Charlotte, NC Mar 19-20 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Half-Moon Outfitters Columbia, SC Mar 20 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Half-Moon Outfitters Athens, GA Mar 21 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Half-Moon Outfitters Augusta, GA Mar 22-23 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Appalachian State University Boone, NC Mar 22-24 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Half-Moon Outfitters Greenville, SC Mar 24 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour REI High Point, NC Mar 25 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour REI Durham, NC Mar 25-26 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Bijou Theatre Knoxville, TN

David Parker Jr.

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David Parker Jr.

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