So it's Banff time again. When everyone in the cinema is wearing labels such as Capestorm, First Ascent and North Face. It's a social event for outdoor enthusiasts as much as it is an evening at the movies. The audience "ooh's" and "aah's" in unison as great feats of physical strength and acts of insanity are played out in mountainous landscapes. I've been twice before, and both times I left the cinema with my adrenalin pumping and feeling inspired to immediately go climb a mountain, leap from a plane, or do something mad*. But this year was different and slightly disappointing. Or maybe I've changed that I experienced it differently.

The Banff Mountain Film Festival is an international film competition featuring the world’s best footage on mountain subjects. The festival began in 1976 and has been touring globally since 1986.

The whole evening started off a bit dodgy when it appeared that SterKinekor had messed up the tickets and we thought for a moment that we wouldn't get in. We finally managed to get seated just as the last commercial was playing. Each year there are a few short movies selected to be presented on the World Tour, making up a two hour production. Previously they have all been of a similar length, but this year it was all overshadowed by one documentary: "20 Seconds of Joy". Which lasted about an hour. It follows the life of Karina Hollekim, a top female BASE Jumper from Norway. You get totally sucked in at the beginning, but after a few too many discussions on the life expectancy of BASE Jumpers, why Karina seeks those 20 seconds of pure happiness over and over again and what might eventually end her jumping career, you start to feel the movie has gone on for too long. Some of the other shorts I found rather disappointing in comparison to what the advert made it out to be. "Ain’t Got No Friends on a Powder Day…" This film draws a parallel between two styles and two approaches to the same mountain, which are otherwise worlds apart. What I saw was 3 minutes of two guys skiing down a mountain, doing a few funky moves. The one guy, however, is in a wheelchair with skiis on it. But there's no narrative or anything that "draws parallels". In-Flux ...is about the true meaning of paddling - the perpetual need to go and travel the globe with your kayak in search of the magic something you can find only on the river. Badly narrated 'home video' of a bunch of guys paddling down some very technical and dangerous rivers. They pulled some awesome stunts, but half of them spoke French, without subtitles. So maybe they were discussing the true meaning of paddling, but only a few in the audience understood. Inner Balance showcased something I'd never seen before: Unicycling off road. Doing drops and trails that few would do on a normal mountain bike. It's this kind of stuff I was expecting to see, madness unleashed on the mountains, something new, funky and pushing the limits in various sports. To be honest, I was generally disappointed. I didn't walk out with sweaty palms and my heart rate nearing max. The quality of the video was bad and the sound very soft. Someone must have complained to management, because we were all handed free movie tickets as we left. Having drinks afterwards, there was little comment on the movie. Last year we sat about for hours discussing this scene, and 'oh my word, how about that', getting into each movie in detail, energy levels running high.

Banff is the largest town in Banff National Park, in Alberta's Rockies, Canada. The Banff Centre is an arts, cultural, and educational institution and conference facility.

It did, however, make me think. For me it explored why we push ourselves to reach a goal and, once we've got there, to then find a new challenge, often by increasing the risk. The affect our dedication to our sport has on those around us. And what we really get from it all. In the Karina Hollekim story, the pro BASE Jumper talked about facing life's biggest fears using sports, so that your daily "mundane" fears are lessened. For Karina, the 20 seconds of happiness "completed" her and she could not imagine surviving without that feeling. But, in the grand scheme of things, are those 20 seconds really worth it? Is she not living in some kind of dream world, detached from her friends and family that don't understand why or what it is she does. I identified as, to a much less extreme degree, I am wondering how long I'll last in competitive cycling. What will make me stop, or move on to something else? Is it worth giving up my weekends to cycle, instead of spending time walking through Kirstenbosch with friends? it also highlighted for me the 'double life' that we live. Those friends that we do sport with and those that we ahve known since childhood. Rarely do these two groups mix. Another thought provoking short was an animation about a climber who deals with his dark side, having a fight with his 'inner demon'. Something we all deal with, that inner voice that either says you can't carry on, that you should quit, or that you're the king of the world and of course you can make it! It's that internal battle with yourself that makes you mentally and physically stronger to push harder and go further. The last short is on rock climbing above deep water. Where they climb solo, no equipment, no ropes. If they fall, there's a long drop into the surging sea below. Chris Sharma tries over one hundred times to get past a particular difficulty on the ascent of the Es Pontas arch. Towards the end he talks about why we do it. Pushing ourselves further and harder. Although most of the pleasure has been had out of working one's way to the top, once we get there, we enjoy it for a moment and then look for the next challenge. I may not have got the adrenalin pumping action I was hoping to see, but there is much to think about. It's also nice to know you're not the only one with these thoughts. The Festival runs from the 29th August to 4th September 2008 and shows in 5 cinemas across South Africa For more information and to see the trailer go here. Bookings at SterKinekor *mad according to my parents and other stereotypically 'normal people'