The first ever Elora Adventure Film Festival debuts at the Gorge Cinema next month.
Festival founder Ian Evans is no stranger when it comes to both film and adventure and says that he hopes the festival, which will run from Nov. 3 -5th, will leave people not only entertained, but inspired.
“I have embraced adventure all my life and I’m passionate about adventure films,” Evans says.
“Having lived in Elora for 23 years, I cannot think of a better place in which to start a film festival!”
Evans, an accountant, business consultant, and motivational speaker, has always embraced his adventurous side, pushing himself to achieve extraordinary things, outside of his own comfort zone.
Among his adventures, Evans has climbed five of the Seven Summits, cycled 5,000 km solo across Australia, around the coastline of Iceland, and to the Arctic Ocean. He has also participated in 10 marathons.
Passionate to speak about his experiences with others, Evans often shares lessons learned from his adventures with audiences worldwide.
In the 2016 film Lunatic, Evans is on a mission to walk in the footsteps of his childhood heroes, including Antarctic explorer, Major Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton. The documentary shares Evans' own attempt to become the oldest Canadian to reach the South Pole.
“I’ve been very interested in film festivals for many years. I’ve been to the Banff Film Festival and others in Europe. But this whole idea really took off as a result of the film about my South Pole expedition,” Evans said.
“We travelled around and had such a wonderful time. I was introduced to films and the Q and A. It was such a lot of fun. I thought over the last few years, what a place like Elora could do with an adventure film festival. We have so many other things going on. This would just add to that whole smorgasbord of great events in the village.”
For the festival, Evans has divided the films into programs. The first program will be screened on Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. and on Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. The second program will screen on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. and again on Nov. 5 at 2 p.m.
Anyone interested can purchase tickets through the film festival website eloraadventurefilmfestival.ca or at ianevans.ca.
Films cover a variety of topics with titles that include: Physically Challenged? No Problem, Chasing Your Dreams in the Himalaya, Being Extreme When Over 80?, A desert Trek with Man's Best Friend, Ultimate Rock Climbing, Solo Greenland Expedition, and Extreme Kayak Expedition in Antarctica.
“It is quite the line-up. It is. We are very excited. The films are all wonderful. They are challenging, inspiring, and entertaining. I hope people have a good time, are smiling when they leave, and want to come back next year,” Evans said.
Evans says an Elora Adventure Film Festival just has a ‘wonderful ring to it’.
"Having been to a bunch of other film festivals, I think Elora is an ideal location. It is fantastically picturesque, it attracts a lot of tourists, it has a very vibrant cultural scene. This would only add to it,” Evans said.
“And also, I live here, so I really want it to be an Elora Film Festival.”
Evans has a goal to expand the initial event into a village-wide, multi location festival for 2024 and beyond.
“We want this to be a village wide event eventually, maybe even take this from one location, to two or three. Maybe we can have speakers and other events in pubs and restaurants. That’s where I see this going,” Evans said.
“So, this really can become a film festival, full of adventure. How much fun is that?"