BANFF - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Union Mart's annual screening of the BANFF Mountain Film World Tour is generally accompanied by a host of questions from the public. The majority of these are to do with logistics - dates, times, bookings etc. The answers to all these questions can be found on www.banff.co.za.

Other Frequently Asked Questions include the following:

1. How do you choose which films screen at BANFF South Africa?

Every year, Cape Union Mart receives copies of about 50 short films from the BANFF headquarters in Canada. Over the next two months, this group of films is narrowed down to a final selection of eight or nine, which then get screened at Ster Kinkeor as part of the "official tour."

2. Why didn't you screen more snowboarding/climbing/kayaking videos?

Selecting eight outdoor films from a superb group of 50 may sound like a dream job, but it is actually incredibly difficult. Imagine visiting the local DVD hire shop with 20 of your best friends and discovering that they've elected you to choose a single film that none of them have seen, and that they're all going to enjoy.

Impossible? We'd say so. 

The same is unfortunately true for BANFF. Screen too many snowboarding videos, and the climbers are disappointed. Show too much climbing, and the mountain bikers feel left out. You simply cannot please everyone. On top of this is the issue of time - any videos over an hour in length are always going to be tricky to include.

To try and reduce any potential disappointment, Cape Union Mart has started hosting a once-off BANFF "sneak preview", in which 100 odd lucky customers get to watch a selection of potential films, and give their feedback. 

3. The tour poster / trailer contained images of scenes that were not included in any of the films screened at BANFF. Why?

Cape Union Mart receives the tour trailer and poster from BANFF in Canada. We are obligated to use the trailer and poster as we receive them, as they are an "official" part of the tour. This sometimes confuses our viewers, who are disappointed when none of the screened films include images and shorts from the poster and trailer respectively. 

It is also worth mentioning that the "BANFF Festival" in Canada includes a literary and photographic component, on top of the film festival. All three of these art categories celebrate mountain culture and, very often, the BANFF Film Tour poster will make use of an image taken from the photographic section of the festival.

4. Where can I buy the DVDs of films that were screened as part of the BANFF World Tour?

Cape Union Mart does not own the rights to distribute these films in any form. Should you be interested in purchasing the DVDs of your favourite films, try contacting BANFF Canada directly via their website - http://www.banffmountainfestivals.ca/

5. I belong to a hiking club. How do we organise a private screening of BANFF?

Cape Union Mart is not legally allowed to organise private screenings of BANFF.

If you have any further questions regarding BANFF South Africa, please contact us on nick@capeunionmart.co.za