Banff film festival returning to Princeton April 22

   Experience the courage, the passion and the inspiration of mountain stories and the thrill of high adrenaline vertical sports when this year’s Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour comes to Princeton on April 22 at 7 p.m., thanks to Blue Ridge Mountain Sports of Princeton and Princeton Outdoor Action.
   Films in this year’s tour will take viewers to the ends of the earth and to adventures to be found in their own backyard. Featuring a wide variety of stories — ranging from mountain sports, to mountain culture and environment — the festival explores virtually every corner of the globe.
   The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is produced by Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada. The tour includes award-winning films from the Banff Mountain Film Festival, an annual event held in early November. This year, more than 300 films were entered in competition.
   The world tour spans the globe, making its way from Belgium to Brazil and from Iceland to India, including over 250 screenings across North America. Princeton’s screening will take place at McCosh 10 on the Princeton University campus.
   According to Sean Grace of Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, all proceeds of the Princeton screening will benefit the Princeton-Blairstown Mission, which enables youth and families to discover the resources they have within themselves and in their communities through special programs of outdoor experiential education.
   "We empower youth and adults by involving them in processes of integrated learning through creative problem-solving exercises, high ropes courses, rappelling, canoeing, backpacking, camping, nature walks, and classroom work. Goals include developing self-confidence, self-direction and trust, and learning interpersonal, leadership, critical thinking and conflict resolution skills," mission literature states.
   Mr. Grace said that from six to eight films are shown over two hours of viewing. During intermission there will be a fund-raising raffle of outdoor gear.
   For tickets and information, call Blue Ridge Mountain Sports at (609) 921-6078 or the Frist Ticketing office at (609) 258-1742.