The 50th Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour was brought to the CUB by the Outdoor Recreation Center on Jan. 27. Undergraduates, graduate students and community members alike came together in the CUB auditorium.
Jonathan Stahl, the associate director for programs and staff development with University Recreation, emceed the event, asking the audience how many times folks attended Banff. Some people cheered at it being their very first one, some their second, some their fifth, tenth, or even more.
Banff brings indie films created by athletes and adventurers as they take on challenges and explore the globe. The lineup included stories of overcoming injuries and getting back to what people love, connecting to their culture through mountain biking and a rock climber collaborating with their heroes.
The audience at the Banff Mountain Film Festival in the CUB auditorium, Jan. 27, 2026.
“You take all these people who are interested in the outdoors or the environment, travel, you know, and kind of get people together. So there’s a sense of community,” Stahl said. “I just think it’s inspiring. It’s neat to see what people are capable of doing.”
Paula Kimmerling, the coordinator for Outdoor Adventures, said she had been coming to Banff since she was an undergraduate student.
“I think one of the things that kept me coming back was just sitting in a theater with a bunch of other folks,” Kimmerling said. “Just cheering on and laughing, and just feeling the movies together.”
Kimmerling said the ORC is there for anyone inspired by the films, whether or not they have had experience with the outdoors.
“If any of these films made somebody curious and want to get into backpacking, kayaking, canoeing or any of those things, come check us out, we’ve got a bunch of rental gear and a bunch of introductory trips to help you get a foot outside,” Kimmerling said.
