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June 29, 1999 "I Made It" Climber Göran Kropp to open 1999 Banff Mountain Film Festival Swedish adventurer Göran Kropp, whose unique story of travel from his home doorstep to the top of Everest ¾ self-contained and under his own power ¾ is depicted in the film I Made It, will share his inspiring tale of determination and achievement at this year's Banff Mountain Film Festival as special guest on opening night. "Many people believe that I am a crazy guy....Nothing could be more wrong," said Kropp, whose presentation will kick off the 24th annual three-day event which runs November 5-7. The festival features the world's best mountain films, speakers, lunch-hour seminars, an adventure trade show, a craft sale and a climbing wall. Tickets go on sale July 5. "Mountains are great teachers and have powerful stories to tell us. This festival presents an opportunity to experience them through the world's best mountain films and videos," said Bernadette McDonald, Director of The Banff Centre for Mountain Culture, which organizes the event. This year's program highlights include: Saturday Night Feature: Volcan et contrebasse: Powerful Images, Powerful Sounds Set against the background of Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, Volcan et contrebasse documents the March 1998 eruption of le Piton de la Fournaise. Over a period of several months, French filmmaker Remy Tezier, whose previous films have won 20 international awards, captured some of the most spectacular eruptions ever documented. The festival will present Tezier's remarkable film accompanied by musician Bernard Abeille who will perform his compelling musical score live on stage. This unique performance will be followed by a selection of films in competition. Retro Reels The cathedral-like clusters of a thousand soft sandstone towers fill the wooded, rolling countryside around Dresden, Germany. In the '70s, little news escaped through the Iron Curtain from Dresden, and what did created a picture of an established climbing tradition that was pure, simple and utterly uncompromising. Instead of the metal protection universal elsewhere, Dresden climbers used knots that they cunningly jammed into cracks or pockets. This year's Retro Reels guest, Henry Barber, was one of a very few Westerners to experience the minimalist world of the East German rock climbers. His presentation features footage of such pioneers as Fritz Wiessner, Perry Smith, Harry and Herbert Rost, Herbert Richter, and Dietrich Hasse. Awards Night The weekend reaches its peak on Sunday night when the international jury announces the Best of the Festival winners and presents the awards. Winning films are screened, and the Bill March Summit of Excellence Award is presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the mountain world. The Banff Mountain Film Festival, Banff Mountain Book Festival and Banff Mountain Photograph Competition are all hosted by The Banff Centre for Mountain Culture which promotes understanding and appreciation of the world's mountain places by creating opportunities for the international mountain community to share experiences, ideas and visions.
Debra Hornsby, Marketing and Communications Manager, sponsored by Moonstone/Gore, the National Geographic Society, Polartec, Salomon Footwear, Sierra Designs Outerwear, and Air Canada, with assistance from Ski Lake Louise and Electrohome.
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