Films about skiing, mountaineering, dirt biking, and other outdoor adventures will all be part of this two-day screening event
BANGOR —The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour is coming to Husson University’s Gracie Theatre on Tuesday, Feb. 7 and Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. The motion pictures to be screened at The Gracie include some of the best motion pictures about outdoor adventures completed during the past year.
The Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival is one of the largest and most prestigious motion picture festivals in the world. This is the first year the festival is being hosted by the Gracie Theatre with each of the two nights featuring different films.
“While the Banff Film Festival has been shown at the Gracie Theatre in prior years, it used to be hosted by Epic Sports in downtown Bangor,” said Jeri Misler, managing artistic director of the theatre. “When the store announced its closing last year, the owner recommended that the Gracie become the new host for the film festival here in Bangor. We’re happy to carry on this local tradition and invite everyone who loves motion pictures about the outdoors to come out and enjoy this event.”
“As first-year hosts, we hope to see both new and returning fans on Tuesday and Wednesday. We’ve invited a variety of vendors to display their goods and services in our lobby and there will be a raffle at intermission – both of which will enhance this two-day film festival event,” Misler added.
Jeffrey Hope, the program coordinator for the journalism and sports journalism programs at Husson University’s New England School of Communications will serve as the master of ceremonies for Tuesday evening’s event. Outdoor freelance writer Aislinn Sarnaki, a regular contributor to the Bangor Daily News, will serve as the MC on Wednesday evening. Each will introduce the films and provide commentary for the audience. They will also facilitate the evening’s raffle. Each patron who attends the event is automatically entered into the drawing.
The Banff Film Festival is held every fall in beautiful Banff, Alberta, Canada. It draws crowds of outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world. Hot on the heels of that festival, the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour hits the road. With stops planned in roughly 550 communities and more than 40 countries across the globe, the tour celebrates a range of amazing achievements in outdoor storytelling and filmmaking worldwide.
A selection of the best award-winning films and audience favorites, pulled from the over 400 entries submitted into the festival, will be included in the Gracie Theatre’s two-day screening event. These same films will play in theatres around the world as part of the tour. Traveling to remote vistas, analyzing topical environmental issues, and bringing audiences up-close and personal with adrenaline-packed action sports, the 2022/2023 World Tour is an exhilarating and provocative exploration of the mountain world.
Tickets are available online, through the Gracie Theatre website at https;//www.gracietheatre.com, the theatre’s Facebook event page, or by calling the box office at 207-941-7888. All tickets are $15, plus a $2.50 ticketing fee for general seating. There will be no reserved seating. Seats will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis on the days of the screenings.
The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour sprang from the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival, which began in Banff, Alberta, Canada. It all began in 1976 when a tight-knit group of climbers and outdoor enthusiasts conceived The Banff Festival of Mountaineering Films. This one-day gathering was the beginning of what became today’s internationally respected film festival.
Over 30 years ago, the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival began an outreach program to bring the best of its motion pictures to other communities. This became known as Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour. Like the first festival in Banff, the tour began small. It started with screenings in just three Canadian cities. Today, the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour reaches over 40 countries and brings mountain films to an audience of over 550,000 worldwide in approximately 550 locations.
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity is a learning organization built on an extraordinary legacy of excellence in artistic and creative development. What started as a single course in drama has grown to become a global organization that influences art, culture and creativity in dozens of disciplines. From our home in the stunning Canadian Rocky Mountains, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity aims to inspire everyone who attends our campus – artists, leaders, and thinkers – to unleash their creative potential.
Screenings of the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour in Canada and the USA are presented by: Rab, BUFF®, Banff & Lake Louise Tourism, The tour is sponsored by Lowe Alpine, Oboz Footwear, YETI Coolers, Kicking Horse Coffee and the Lake Louise Ski Resort & Summer Gondola.
Patrons who enjoy great music and theatre still have time to put together a customized package of multiple shows at the Gracie Theatre. The Gracie’s “You Pick 4” season tickets include premium seats for at least four shows of the purchaser’s choice at a special discounted price. The premium seats located in the orchestra section are available for a limited time. Time is running out! Patrons can purchase tickets for the “You Pick 4” plan now through Feb. 23. After February 23, patrons will need to pay the full price for show tickets.
Single tickets range from $20-$47.50 over the course of the season, depending on the show and the seat. Ticket prices vary depending on the performer. Multiple show purchases using the “You Pick 4” discount will reduce the overall cost by 20 percent.
The Gracie Theatre, in a collaboration between artists, students, and university constituents, is an intimate and inviting performing arts facility that provides hands-on experiential learning and technical support services for the Husson University community through a combination of diverse cultural programming and community engagement. Learn more about the Gracie Theatre and upcoming shows at GracieTheatre.com.
For more than 120 years, Husson University has shown its adaptability and strength in delivering educational programs that prepare future leaders to handle the challenges of tomorrow through innovative undergraduate and graduate degrees. With a commitment to delivering affordable classroom, online and experiential learning opportunities, HussonUniversity has come to represent a superior value in higher education. The hallmarks of a Husson education include advanced knowledge delivered through quality educational programs in business; health and education; pharmacy studies; science and humanities; as well as communication. According to an analysis of tuition and fees by U.S. News & World Report, Husson University is one of the most affordable private colleges in New England. For more information about educational opportunities that can lead to personal and professional success, visit Husson.edu.
