From Arctic love stories to death-defying climbs: inside this year’s Banff Mountain Film Festival

ADVENTURE seekers and film lovers are in for a thrill this May, with the return of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour – bringing a pulse-raising showcase of human endurance and wild landscapes to Geelong.

This year’s program features six films, each offering a window into some of the planet’s most remote and awe-inspiring environments – from the icy reaches of Alaska and Baffin Island to the jagged peaks of Patagonia and the vast landscapes of Mongolia.

Australian festival director Jemima Robinson said the 2026 lineup is one of the strongest yet, blending high-octane adventure with deeply human storytelling.

“We are absolutely thrilled to bring this year’s tour to Australia,” she said. “One film I am particularly excited about is Black Eyes, a visually stunning piece by a Melbourne-based filmmaker.

It takes audiences into Mongolia’s Altai Mountains and explores tradition, courage and the evolving role of young women – it’s exactly the kind of story that stays with you.”

Other highlights include Riders on the Storm, which follows an ambitious attempt to conquer a long-unclimbed 1,300m route in Patagonia, and Arctic Alchemy – a powerful journey through Alaska’s Brooks Range that weaves together science, wilderness and personal reflection.

For those drawn to stories of grit and connection, A Baffin Vacation: Love on Ice charts a 69-day expedition across Arctic terrain, blending romance with extreme endurance. Meanwhile, Rogatkin dives into the career of a boundary-pushing mountain biking icon, and Cold Calls delivers a nostalgic, free-flowing take on ski culture.

The Banff Mountain Film Festival is the world’s most prestigious mountain film festival, held annually at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Alberta, Canada.

Each year, the world tour brings the festival’s best films to audiences in more than 40 countries across the globe, celebrating the spirit of adventure, exploration and the human connection to wild places.

The Banff Film Festival is at Village Cinemas in Geelong on Wednesday 20 May.

For more information and tickets, head to banffaustralia.com.au