Rock 'n' Roll

Movies meant for the big screen.

by Dominic Mercier

wills young CLIFFHANGER: Lisa Rands takes on one of the toughest rock faces in the world in The Sharp End. (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION)

So, you don't think twice about donning a parachute and wing suit and flinging yourself off the nearest fjord, right? Maybe only in your desk jockey daydreams. You can still absorb hair-raising sports with a Coke in one hand and a tub of popcorn in the other.

The Banff Mountain Film Festival — a product of our friendly Canadian neighbors at the Banff Centre — brings with it a dozen films over two nights that survey every offbeat sport there is, from rock and ice climbing and high altitude skiing, to BASE jumping and extreme unicycling. All of them are definitely worth seeing on the big screen. The fest is sponsored by the Philadelphia Rock Gym, and a portion of its proceeds will go to the Schuylkill Canal Association.

Each night, five truncated or short films bookend a feature: Journey to the Center and The Sharp End, shown Friday and Saturday, respectively. Journey to the Center, which won Best Film on Mountain Sport at this year's festival, centers on three world-class BASE jumpers who travel 10,000 miles to toss themselves into the misty, gaping maw of China's Tian Keng. And while Tian Keng translates to "heavenly pit," the ancient, half-mile-deep cave is anything but soothing. On the rim, the jumpers (American Jeb Corliss, Australian Chris McDougall and Norwegian Paul Fortun) are forced to come to grips with their personal demons and those waiting for them at the bottom of the immense hole.

The Sharp End follows today's top climbers — and catches up with a couple of legends — up the world's most challenging walls and alpine routes as they push the boundaries of the sport. The film is half a study of the climbers' psyche and half comedy review, with characters like Hank Caylor providing a hilarious recounting of his numerous injuries. But it's twentysomething phenom Alex Honnold who steals the show with his ascent of an incredibly difficult route in the Czech Republic. Written off as being on a suicide mission by his climbing compatriots, Honnold makes it look easy as he relies on knotted pieces of rope and webbing for protection since modern gear is prohibited at the crag.

Inspired? Keep your fingers crossed that you walk away with one of the nights' raffle prizes, like a membership at the Rock Gym. You're going to need to burn off that popcorn somehow.

(editorial@citypaper.net)

Banff Mountain Film Festival | Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville, Fri.-Sat., March 6-7, 7:30-11 p.m., $16-$18, 610-666-7673, philarockgym.com.