by Banff British films have done exceptionally well at the latest Banff Film Festival in Canada, with Hot Aches and Posing Productions both coming away with awards. Dave Brown and director Paul Diffley won both the award for Best Film on Climbing for Committed 2: Grit Kids, and the Best Short Mountain Film for If You´re Not Falling. Jury member Jim Donini says about Grit Kids: ?Even for a jaded climber like me, the film made my palms sweat. It´salways difficult for a filmmaker to make a climb look as difficult aswe know it is, but this film pulled it off.? Following Canadian climber Sonnie Trotter to Scotland, If You´re Not Falling traces his climb up the phenomenally difficult Dumbarton Rock northwestof Glasgow. Pared away to the essential elements of the climb, the filmmanages to tell a whole story of desire, failure, and ultimate triumphin eight minutes.For 2008, the jury also chose to give three Special Jury Awards: The third award went to mountaineering film Psyche: Patagonia Winter by director/producer Alastair Lee, for the sheer endurance needed tocomplete the film in what the jury describes as ?appalling conditions.?The Audio Post Production Award, chosen by Banff CentreAudio program alumnus and Academy Award-winning sound editor MarkWillsher, was given to Committed 2: Grit Kids, with special recognition to the soundtrack of The Meadow. The 2008 Banff Mountain Film Festival jury included Spanishsport climber Josune Bereziartu, climber and American Alpine Clubpresident Jim Donini, British climber, guide, and film productionmanager Brian Hall, Canmore, Alberta-based filmmaker Patrick McCloskey,and French mountaineer Christian Trommsdorff. You can read about all the award winners at the Banff Website
