By Abby Zieverink

2022 Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival

2022 Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival cancelled in Grande Prairie

Jan 10, 2022 | 1:19 PM

The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour has been cancelled in Grande Prairie because of COVID-19 concerns.

The annual festival is one of the largest and most prestigious film festivals in the world and showcases films throughout over 550 communities across 40 countries.

Grande Prairie was set to be one of the first stops for the film festival in 2022.

Co-host of the festival Geo Rawlings says this is disappointing news.

“I think over the last two years, every single one of us across Canada has been a disappointment and just because we are seeing the disappointment on a regular basis, doesn’t make it any easier,” he expressed.

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“We were very much hoping to go ahead (at a different time) with the Mountain Film Festival World Tour here at the GPRC Douglas J Cardinal Theatre.”

Due to the rapidly spreading Omicron variant, Rawlings explains the Douglas J Cardinal Theatre has been closed.

“This has, unfortunately, had a ripple effect, causing the cancellation of our event, at least for the foreseeable future at that particular venue.”

GPRC announced back in December that it will be shifting its students to online learning for the first couple of weeks in January because of pandemic concerns.

No suitable dates for an alternative at GPRC have been found, however, Rawlings says they are currently working with the Banff Centre to find another venue to reschedule the event for a live, in-person show in the spring of 2022.

“We should know in a few weeks what that venue will be and unfortunately it doesn’t seem the tickets will be transferable to the new venue as it involves two separate box offices,” he added.

“But we are not 100 per cent confirmed at this time so we are just going ahead and refunding everybody from the money of the current tickets.”

Those who have purchased tickets online in advance should see a refund of their money within two weeks.

For residents who purchased tickets in person at the box office, will also be refunded but must go to the Bonnetts Energy Centre for their refund.

A virtual festival is available here.