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For Immediate Release: March 4, 2026
Rapid City Arts Council Announces 22nd Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour in Rapid City

RAPID CITY, SD – The Rapid City Arts Council is proud to present the BANFF Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour, returning to the Elks Theatre for two exhilarating nights of adventure films on Monday, April 20, and Tuesday, April 21. But before the adrenaline rush begins, the festival opens with an evening of local storytelling, a free screening of the SDPB Documentary, “The Ups and Downs of Herb and Jan Conn” on Saturday, April 18 at the Dahl Arts Center. Find all information and tickets at rapidcityartscouncil.org/banff

Exploring Locally: Herb and Jan Conn’s Legacy – Saturday, April 18
Opening the Rapid City Festival on Saturday, April 18, the Rapid City Arts Council is thrilled to showcase a local film produced by South Dakota Public Broadcasting, “The Ups and Downs of Herb and Jan Conn.” Together, Herb and Jan Conn opened people’s eyes to new worlds of exploration through their hundreds of first ascents in the Needles and their discovery of a vast underworld of the Black Hills. Herb and Jan Conn inspired many climbers, cartographers, and artists to explore the hills and find their own inspiration.
After the SDPB film screening, you’ll hear from a panel of local explorers, Rene Ohms, Lindsay Stephens, Bridget Machacek, Chris Pelczarski, Daryl Stisser, Cheryl Mayer-Stisser, and Libby Oney. Mike Ray will moderate this panel. Mike Ray has spent more than 30 years working as both a journalist and science communicator. He is a graduate of South Dakota Mines who grew up in the Black Hills, where he has spent the better part of his life.
This free event on April 18 is designed to bring our community together, to showcase local art while encouraging our neighbors to get out in our community and explore. First stop, the Dahl Arts Center. Learn more and reserve your seat at rapidcityartscouncil.org/banff. 

Night One – Monday, April 20
The Moraine program kicks off the festival with a dynamic lineup of six films. These stories highlight athletes and explorers pushing the limits of human potential:

• Cold Calls - Japan – Cold Calls is a ski film pieced together through conversations, memories, and whatever the season decided to offer!
• The Hive Architect – For the last 14 years, Matt Somerville has spent the winters creating his log hives before driving around all of England in the summer, erecting them as non-intervention habitats for wild honey bees.
• Best Day Ever – Best Day Ever follows the stories of adaptive mountain bikers Greg Durso and Allie Bianchi as they navigate the relentless challenges of their disabilities with humour and attitude. Along the way, they embrace the tremendous support, friendship, and joy they find in their rural Vermont riding community.
  *2025 Best Film: Mountain Sports
  ​*2025 Audience Choice Award
• Deluge – Georgia Astle, Casey Brown, Carson Storch, and Tom van Steenbergen battle the elements.
• Dissidence – Two unexpected names are emerging on the stage of the climbing World Championships: Ravianto and Raviandi Ramadhan, twin brothers from Indonesia. With nothing but their own resources, Dissidence retraces their extraordinary journey, from the training walls of Jakarta to a climbing route in Savoie, France.
• A Baffin Vacation, Love on Ice – Join adventurers Erik and Sarah on yet another outrageous Baffin Vacation as they kiteski north along the remote coastline of Baffin. Over their 69-day holiday, they ski mountains, climb an epic big wall, and cross a glacier in search of new rivers to whitewater kayak.

Night Two – Tuesday, April 21
The excitement continues on Tuesday with the Icefall program, featuring six films that blend adventure, culture, and storytelling:

• Rogatkin – From the highs to lows, Nicholi Rogatkin has changed the sport of slopestyle mountain biking with countless world-first tricks. Through a 20-year career of pushing the sport, he has been a positive inspiration for his community.
• A Sense of Fight – Callan Blanchknox reflects on the deeper meaning of climbing—beyond strength, it’s about movement, connection, and the sense of fight it brings—all while tackling the first ascent of an epic upside-down cave traverse.
• ​The Finisher: Jasmin Paris and the Barkley Marathons – The Finisher follows ultrarunner Jasmin Paris as she takes on the notorious Barkley Marathons, attempting to become the first woman to ever complete the race in its 38-year history. Through past failures and relentless perseverance, Paris pushes the limits of endurance and possibility.
• That One Friend – Professional backcountry skier Sierra Schlag has built a career around focus, grit, and always chasing the next big line. She takes her job and her skiing seriously. But when Waverly Chin—aka Waves—her funky, free-spirited best friend, shows up with snacks and silliness, it’s a reminder not to take life (or skiing) too seriously.
• The Book of George – From Brooklyn’s concrete jungle to the heart of the Everglades, meet George McKenzie Jr., a Black photographer transforming his lens into a beacon of change. Swapping the weight of a gun for the promise of a camera, George found his calling amid nature’s raw grandeur, capturing everything from city pigeons and rats to elusive panthers.
• Arctic Alchemy – Traveling by packraft and foot through Alaska’s mighty Brooks Range, Roman Dial and his team have a goal of finding the source of a mysterious phenomenon poisoning watersheds in the Arctic. Along the journey, Roman reckons with fatherhood, personal tragedy, and the power of wilderness to both break us and bring us fully alive.

World adventurers, photographers, and filmmakers Bruce B. Junek and Tass Thacker will serve as the emcees for both nights at the Elks Theatre.
"The films highlight the thrills and rewards of an active outdoor lifestyle," says Junek. They remind us that people are capable of far more than we often imagine."
"Banff films always inspire and challenge us to learn about the world," adds Thacker, "and about the people who make our planet such an incredible place to live."
The BANFF Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour brings together breathtaking cinematography, inspiring narratives, and the world’s most daring athletes and explorers. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the thrill of adventure on the big screen.

Tickets and trailers are available at: rapidcityartscouncil.org/banff

The BANFF Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour in Rapid City is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors: L.B. Lane Family Foundation, Constance Lane & David Cameron, Dr. Fromm, Paha Sapa Grotto, Bankwest, Black Hills Core Collective, and South Dakota Public Broadcasting. Their support brings world-class films, thrilling outdoor stories, and a community-driven experience to the Black Hills. Thank you for making this festival an unforgettable event! Sponsorship opportunities are available until April 1.
For more information about these events and to purchase tickets, please visit rapidcityartscouncil.org/banff. Don't miss your chance to be part of this unforgettable celebration of creativity, nature, and community spirit.

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For More Information:
Maggie Lepa-Wince
Rapid City Arts Council
605.394.4101
[email protected]

The purpose of the Rapid City Arts Council (RCAC) is to champion the power of art to bring all kinds of people together, making art more accessible, more integral and more inspiring for the communities we serve.​ RCAC was established by community leaders in 1968 and officially partnered with the city in 1974 to manage the Dahl Arts Center and expand arts and cultural resources. RCAC creates and supports diverse programming in exhibitions, performances, and educational classes. Supported by individual donors and organizations such as the Black Hills Area Community Foundation, John T. Vucurevich Foundation, the South Dakota Arts Council through the South Dakota Department of Tourism and the National Endowment for the Arts, and others, RCAC is committed to enriching the community's artistic and cultural experiences. Located at 713 7th St in Downtown Rapid City, the center offers free admission and is open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm. Discover more at rapidcityartscouncil.org.

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