The Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (VIMFF) returns to the Rio Theatre from February 26 – March 3.

Ride & Climb: Six films showcase adventure stories from climbers and bikers around the world, featuring tales from Chamonix, Tanzania, and a 4000 km ride from Mexico to Canada.

CHASING KASPER (Canada / 11 min / English): A bicycle, in its essence, is a way from one place to another. But sometimes it’s also a way through something. For Tessa Treadway and her nine-year-old son, Kasper, mountain biking has soothed the grief from losing husband and father, professional skier Dave Treadway, to a 2019 backcountry-skiing accident. For Kasper, it’s a hyper focused outlet for his errant energy. For Tessa it’s an escape from the chaos of single motherhood, as she discovers the surprise gift of joy that flows from chasing him.

MOYO (Tanzania / 14 min / Swahili with English subtitles): “Moyo” is a raw and poetic portrait of the children that call the Jipe Moyo and Musoma home. Painting a playful and colourful picture of the people and culture – the film highlights the rhythm of this special region of Tanzania. Surrounded by exotic wildlife and extraordinary landscapes, the people of Musoma have achieved a distinct harmony with the environment around them which flows through everything. The Jipe Moyo centre is loved and supported by all of the community – their mission is simple, to give every child the foundation they need to build the life they deserve. Boulders and rocks are scattered all over the town, overlooking the homes and shops – in backyards, on mountain tops and on the edges of lakes and ponds. “They form the foundations of our houses, dry the fish we eat”, you could say, the rocks support the very way of life in Musoma. Despite difficult beginnings, with the help of the sisters, the children have alchemised their hardship into bravery and now stand unfazed in the face of any challenge. Their strength is perhaps best demonstrated by their ability to and love of climbing.

RIDING HAN (한) (USA / 25 min / English): In the summer of 2021, Pak (박) Eugene journeyed on bicycle with his 17-year-old brother and childhood best friend along the Great Divide Bike Route, a 2400+ mile route from the border of Mexico to Canada. Neither have biked for more than 5 miles or spent much time in the outdoors prior to this trip. Riding Han is an adventure cycling film, with its foundational essence based on the Korean word, “Han” (한). Han is an inherent part of being Korean. It is internalized intergenerational trauma from war, colonialism, and  imperialism. Han manifests itself in creation. Riding Han captures their journey as three Korean-Americans, while exploring their identities through Han as Asian Americans, in a divisive time during the COVID-19 pandemic with anti-Asian hate on the rise. Han brought clarity that this is his time to create. Pak (박) Eugene is a first-time filmmaker.

THE BALKANS MIRAGE: A JOURNEY ON WHEELS (Canada / 12 min / English): Felix and Nicolas, armed with their cameras, will stop at nothing to immortalize every moment of their bikepacking adventure. Alongside them is Annie, a determined scientist on a quest to uncover the secrets of a most enigmatic species of bats. And then there’s Mathieu, who quite frankly, hasn’t a clue what he’s gotten himself into…

TRANSCENDENCE (USA / 30 min / English): After walking away from professional cycling to pursue climbing, Adrien Costa suffered a devastating accident that began his journey as an adaptive athlete. This film follows his path from recovery to the cutting edge of adaptive climbing, working his way up to an epic first ascent in Washington’s North Cascades with Pacific Northwest legend, Mark Allen.

WOMEN AND BLADES (Canada / 8min / French with English subtitles): Winter is a great playground for Nathalie, a renowned climber and mountaineer. For more than 20 years, she has been ice climbing and wants to see more women on the mountains. Through the clinics she gives to women, this weekend warrior creates a safe space for the next generation of female climbers.

Sunday, March 3 – Matinee
Doors 1:30 pm | First movie at 2:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Complete details and ticketing info can be found at www.vimff.org Please direct any questions or concerns about events or tickets to them.

This year’s festival is sharing over 70 curated mountain and adventure stories with the VIMFF community February 23 – March 3. The festival features special guest speakers, filmmaker intros, and expert-led workshops on photography, storytelling, and mountain safety skills.

*Minors permitted. Must be 19+ w/ID for bar service.
*All seating is General Admission. Please arrive early to ensure time for great seats, and to purchase treats at concession.
*Unless noted otherwise, tickets will be available for purchase at the Rio Theatre’s box office at showtime. Please direct all queries regarding ticketing to www.vimff.org
*Sorry, Rio Theatre Groupons and passes are n/a for this event.