With provincial health restrictions due to increasing COVID-19 cases in BC limiting the number of people who can be in a public assembly, the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour will feature a matinee performance during its qathet region stopover.
Organizer Jim Palm said the film festival, which runs on Friday and Saturday, January 14 and 15, will have to go to a 50 per cent capacity in Max Cameron Theatre. He said there are a few tickets still for sale for the January 14 showing, with tickets available at TAWS (4597 Marine Avenue).
Palm said a matinee has been added for January 15 because ticket sales have exceeded the 50 per cent capacity of the theatre. On this occasion, doors will open at 1:30 pm, with the show beginning at 2 pm.
“Since I’ve sold more than 200 tickets to the Saturday event, I’m hoping that 40 or 50 people are going to give me a phone call and switch their tickets to the matinee,” said Palm. “We need to keep a balance and not go over the 200 limit. I need people to give me a call if they would like to attend the matinee, where there will be fewer people than there will be during the evening.”
Palm said regulations from the health officer, for indoor events, state that patrons have to enter and sit down with their masks on. He said he has had to scrap the food and beverages that were scheduled to be available in the Brooks Secondary School gymnasium before the festival showings.
Palm said even with the addition of the matinee, the same number of door prizes will be given away for all three events.
“We’ll make sure that everybody gets a full complement of door prizes,” said Palm.
He added that safety is paramount at the screenings so all people entering will have to show a valid COVID-19 vaccine card and picture identification, such as a driver’s licence.
“We want everybody who is attending to know that they have to be vaccinated,” said Palm.
For the two evening performances, the doors will open at 6 pm, with the screening to begin at 7 pm. While the original plans for the festival included patrons entering the Brooks gym, and having the opportunity to mingle with food and beverages, patrons will now enter through the school’s main entrance.
Palm said if people want to mill around and have conversations in the Great Hall before entering the theatre, there will be the opportunity to do so.
“The doors for the theatre will be wide open when people get there so there’s no holding back,” he added.
People wanting to attend the Saturday matinee can contact Palm directly to let him know their intention. He can be phoned at 604.414.5960, or emailed at james.palm@sd47.bc.ca.
