These film festivals bring thrilling outdoor adventure to the big screen.
Expand your horizons, get inspired.
By Virginia Marshall
Virginia Marshall is a writer, photographer and editor with roots in Muskoka and Lake Superior.
April 12, 2023
Ever wondered what it’s like to solo a remote river? Climb a big wall in Yosemite? Huck a double-backflip on skis? Or maybe your outdoor dreams are of the more accessible variety: like taking your first wilderness canoe trip, or competing in a local adventure race. These film festivals now screening across Ontario feature stories that will resonate with adventurers of all stripes—grab the popcorn and prepare to be inspired!
Get the stories behind the shots at the Banff Mountain Film Festival. Photo: @coreyrichproductions
Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour
The Banff Mountain Film Festival is an international film competition and annual presentation of short films and documentaries about mountain culture, sports, and the environment. The World Tour brings all the excitement of the festival to audiences around the globe.
A whitewater kayaker and bush pilot team-up to venture down an unknown river in Frontier of Firsts, which won the Best Whitewater Film award at the 2019 Paddling Film Festival. Photo: Frontier of Firsts
Paddling Film Festival World Tour
Since 2006, the Paddling Film Festival World Tour has been showcasing the very best paddling films to audiences around the world. The festival aims to inspire more people to explore rivers, lakes, and oceans, push physical and emotional extremes, embrace the paddling lifestyle, and appreciate the heritage of the wild places we paddle.
Julie won the Prestige Award at the 2019 Ottawa Adventure Film Festival. Photo: @juliegautier.nery
Ottawa Adventure Film Festival
The Ottawa Adventure Film Festival is a nine-day festival located in the National Capital Region of Canada. This is the fourth year of the OAFF, which has already grown to be the largest festival of its kind in eastern North America. Screenings are hosted at the historic Mayfair Theatre in the heart of Ottawa’s core as well as the University of Ottawa.
Fix And Release is just one of dozens of powerful films available through the Water Docs Film Library. Photo: Fix and Release
Water Docs Film Festival
Water Docs is an environmental documentary film festival celebrating all things water. Take part in lively discussions with filmmakers and guest speakers, learn about water issues and discover featured community partners. The high-impact films are also available for community screenings to promote learning and local opportunities to protect our waters.
Winner of the VIMFF 2019 photography competition. Photo: @paulzizkaphoto
Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival World Tour
The Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (VIMFF) is an annual international 10-day community festival featuring mountain film screenings, live multimedia presentations, photography exhibitions, workshops, seminars, and other special events. Each year, the VIMFF World Tour takes award-winning and other selected films on tour across Canada and beyond.
Wild Temagami won Best Environmental Film at Waterwalker 2019. Photo: @wildtemagami
Waterwalker Paddling Film Festival
The Waterwalker Film Festival, begun by the legendary Bill Mason in 1987, is Canada’s longest-running paddling film festival. It is now organized by Paddle Canada and continues to feature the best paddling films, from extreme waterfalls to epic canoe voyages across the continent.
Motherload screened at the 2019 Planet in Focus Film Festival. Photo: @motherloadmovie
Planet in Focus International Environmental Film Festival
Canada’s largest environmental film festival, Planet in Focus celebrates 21 years in 2020. The six-day festival showcases engaging and artistic films that question, explore and tell stories about the world in which we live—using film as a catalyst for public awareness, discussion, and engagement on a broad range of environmental issues.
Watch Pretty Strong—the first feature-length climbing movie starring all women and made by women—at Reel Rock 14. Photo: @nevernotcollective
Reel Rock Film Tour
The Reel Rock Film Tour brings the best climbing and adventure films of the year to audiences throughout the world. This year’s Reel Rock 14-film tour is the definitive annual event for climbing communities globally.
Ever wondered what it’s like to solo a remote river? Climb a big wall in Yosemite? Huck a double-backflip on skis? Or maybe your outdoor dreams are of the more accessible variety: like taking your first wilderness canoe trip, or competing in a local adventure race. These film festivals now screening across Ontario feature stories that will resonate with adventurers of all stripes—grab the popcorn and prepare to be inspired!
Get the stories behind the shots at the Banff Mountain Film Festival. Photo: @coreyrichproductions
Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour
The Banff Mountain Film Festival is an international film competition and annual presentation of short films and documentaries about mountain culture, sports, and the environment. The World Tour brings all the excitement of the festival to audiences around the globe.
A whitewater kayaker and bush pilot team-up to venture down an unknown river in Frontier of Firsts, which won the Best Whitewater Film award at the 2019 Paddling Film Festival. Photo: Frontier of Firsts
Paddling Film Festival World Tour
Since 2006, the Paddling Film Festival World Tour has been showcasing the very best paddling films to audiences around the world. The festival aims to inspire more people to explore rivers, lakes, and oceans, push physical and emotional extremes, embrace the paddling lifestyle, and appreciate the heritage of the wild places we paddle.
Julie won the Prestige Award at the 2019 Ottawa Adventure Film Festival. Photo: @juliegautier.nery
Ottawa Adventure Film Festival
The Ottawa Adventure Film Festival is a nine-day festival located in the National Capital Region of Canada. This is the fourth year of the OAFF, which has already grown to be the largest festival of its kind in eastern North America. Screenings are hosted at the historic Mayfair Theatre in the heart of Ottawa’s core as well as the University of Ottawa.
Fix And Release is just one of dozens of powerful films available through the Water Docs Film Library. Photo: Fix and Release
Water Docs Film Festival
Water Docs is an environmental documentary film festival celebrating all things water. Take part in lively discussions with filmmakers and guest speakers, learn about water issues and discover featured community partners. The high-impact films are also available for community screenings to promote learning and local opportunities to protect our waters.
Winner of the VIMFF 2019 photography competition. Photo: @paulzizkaphoto
Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival World Tour
The Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (VIMFF) is an annual international 10-day community festival featuring mountain film screenings, live multimedia presentations, photography exhibitions, workshops, seminars, and other special events. Each year, the VIMFF World Tour takes award-winning and other selected films on tour across Canada and beyond.
Wild Temagami won Best Environmental Film at Waterwalker 2019. Photo: @wildtemagami
Waterwalker Paddling Film Festival
The Waterwalker Film Festival, begun by the legendary Bill Mason in 1987, is Canada’s longest-running paddling film festival. It is now organized by Paddle Canada and continues to feature the best paddling films, from extreme waterfalls to epic canoe voyages across the continent.
Motherload screened at the 2019 Planet in Focus Film Festival. Photo: @motherloadmovie
Planet in Focus International Environmental Film Festival
Canada’s largest environmental film festival, Planet in Focus celebrates 21 years in 2020. The six-day festival showcases engaging and artistic films that question, explore and tell stories about the world in which we live—using film as a catalyst for public awareness, discussion, and engagement on a broad range of environmental issues.
Watch Pretty Strong—the first feature-length climbing movie starring all women and made by women—at Reel Rock 14. Photo: @nevernotcollective
Reel Rock Film Tour
The Reel Rock Film Tour brings the best climbing and adventure films of the year to audiences throughout the world. This year’s Reel Rock 14-film tour is the definitive annual event for climbing communities globally.
Make it a night at the movies—catch award-winning outdoor adventure films at a festival near you!
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About Virginia Marshall
Virginia Marshall is a freelance outdoor adventure writer, photographer and editor with roots in Muskoka and Lake Superior. Read her work in Adventure Kayak, Canoeroots, Rapid, Paddling Magazine and Backroad Mapbooks.