Radical Reels celebrate outdoor action, adventure

The best high adrenaline films from the Banff Mountain Film Festival are coming to Sandpoint’s Panida Theater on Friday, Oct. 7.

Showtime is 7:30 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available in advance at Eichardts, The Alpine Shop, The Outdoor Experience and Burger Express in Sandpoint. In Bonners Ferry, tickets are available at Zip’s Drive-in. Any tickets left will be sold at the door the night of the show.

“There is no better way to get stoked about skiing, biking, climbing or paddling than by watching the 2016 edition of the Banff Radical Reels Tour,” said organizer Michael Boge. “Eleven new films this year. We’re talking jaw-dropping bike jumps, nail-biting kayak drops, and mind-blowing powder. The Radical Reels Tour, presented by The Banff Centre, continues to push boundaries with the best action sports films from the annual Banff Mountain Film Festival.”

In its 13th year in Sandpoint, show participants will experience eleven wild action sports as seen through the eyes of some of today’s top athletes and most talented adventure sport filmmakers. This year’s selections will ski you through “Japan By Van” or styling it on Mexico’s big waterfalls in “Rey del Rio” as well the blue sky, hot sun and slick rock of mountain biking in Africa with the film “Burning Mountains — Spitzkoppe”. “Trad” climb in Yosemite with Emily Harrington or catch the story of the elusive photos of adventure photographer Krystle Wright in “The Mysteries” as well as scouting for big snowboard lines via paragliders in “Degrees North”. For certain it will be a full night of action packed sports.

Held annually each fall, the Banff Mountain Film Festival has included the Radical Reels night which is a special screening of the wildest high adrenaline films entered in the Banff Mountain Film Festival. With so many action films being submitted to the film festival each year that could not be fit into the regular World Tour this resulted in the creation of the hugely successful Radical Reels evening presentation and road tour. That first year send-off was also a kudos to North Idaho audiences as the Banff Centre ran a pilot program of which Sandpoint was chosen as one of the six sites worldwide to run the initial Radical Reels program.

Radical Reels films:

• “Balloonsking - Heimschnee” — general (no advisory).

What if there was no gondola or helicopter? Just the wind and a hot air balloon to lead you and your friends to undiscovered powder and untouched turns.

• “Beat Down” — parental guidance (coarse language, nudity).

Two bikers, one steep trail. It’s a race straight to the bottom in Moab. A Slayerheavy short from Camp4 Collective.

• “Burning Mountains - Spitzkoppe” — general (no advisory).

When you’ve got blue sky, hot sun and slick rock, looking for some new spots to ride in Africa becomes more of a quest than an adventure. Three mountain bikers seek perfection and find it in the red rocks of Namibia.

• “Degrees North” (special edit) — parental guidance (coarse language)

Snowboarding is more than a sport to world-renowned freerider Xavier De Le Rue. It’s a quest for adventure. De Le Rue and Samuel Anthamatten use paragliders to scout and access the biggest lines in the Northern Hemisphere, and film it all from the air.

• “Golden Gate” — general (no advisory).

She’s been trad climbing for only three years, but Emily Harrington didn’t let that sway her from the magnetic pull of El Capitan’s “Golden Gate” (5.13 VI). Six days and 40 pitches later, she stood on the summit with broken skin, aching muscles and a smile that stretched across Yosemite Valley.

• “Japan By Van” — general (no advisory).

There are no ski areas on the peaks above the historic village of Shirakawa-go, but it’s surrounded by great skiing—as long as you’re willing to hike for it. Join Carston Oliver, Eliel Hindert, Pep Fujas and Makoto Takeishi as they discover the meaning of “deep” in the Japanese backcountry.

• “The Mysteries” — parental guidance (coarse language)

What began as a dream one night led adventure photographer Krystle Wright down an unexpected four-and-a-half year journey to capture the most elusive photograph she’d ever taken.

• “REEL ROCK 10: Showdown at Horseshoe Hell” — parental guidance (coarse language, drug use); winner of Radical Reels People’s Choice Award.

How hard can it be? 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell is a climbing competition that has you climbing day and night and racking up points for your climbs as you go. You just have to beat Alex Honnold.

• “Rey del Rio” — general (no advisory).

An old river hosts a new kind of kayaking competition. The world’s best kayakers meet in Mexico to see who can huck some big waterfalls with the most style. Come on in. The water’s nice.

• “VIA FERRATA on a Mountainbike” — general (no advisory).

Don’t look down! A mountain biker attempts some gnarly downhill lines in the Dolomites that only normal people using fixed lines and a harness would go up.

• “Will Sutton: Homefree “ — general (no advisory).

Top freerunner and parkour athlete, Will Sutton, in a unique journey across his homeland of the Isle of Man.

Information: www.mountain-fever.com