The Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival might be turning 19, but it’s no awkward teenager. Matter of fact the ten day festival – an ambitious undertaking — especially in a city where people wait until the last minute before they make a decision — is charging towards maturity with a program that just might be its strongest ever. Indeed, thanks to the efforts of Alan Formanek and his strong volunteer crew, VIMFF can rightfully take its place among the very best mountain film festivals anywhere in the world, including festivals in Banff, Telluride, Kendall (UK), and event Trento (ITA).

Raising the curtain with a major fundraiser for North Shore Rescue starting on Friday, Feb. 13, VIMFF features twenty speakers, 3 world premieres, fourteen North American premiers, twenty guest speakers, and no fewer than 90 individual films will be up and running. Tickets can be bought in advance and the full lineup can be seen here.

A half-dozen highlights include:

The Hand of Franklin (premiere) — Four men try to be the first people to row self-propelled through the Northwest Passage. Their struggle against the odds provides an intimate and entertaining view of the region while issues associated with climate change in the Arctic are given context by local people they meet along the route. Features North Vancouver architect of adventure Kevin Vallely.

INFO: Fri Feb 13 @7:30pm (doors 6:30pm); Centennial Theatre North Vancouver

• VIMFF Alpine Adventures — Legendary American climber Michael Kennedy traces a personal journey through the great ranges Alaska, Pakistan, Nepal, and India from 1977 to 1994. Finding the Balance is an exploration of the intuitive side of alpine climbing and the need to balance family and work with climbing, and a celebration of the internal knowledge gained from living fully in the present.

INFO: Sat Feb 14 @7:30pm (doors 6:30pm); Centennial Theatre North Vancouver

• VIMFF Spiritual Journeys — Adventure photographer team Pat and Baiba Morrow of Invermere, BC have been attracted to the spiritual, physical and aesthetic draw of the snow capped Himalaya, fluted canyons of the American southwest, and the mountains and glaciers of western Canada for the past three decades, and their presentation reflects this. In their A/V presentation, they share stories about the convergence of belief systems that range from that of modern day adherents to the ancient Shinto faith on the slopes of Japan's holy peaks to Buddhist farmers and nomads on pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in central Tibet.

INFO: Mon Feb 16 @7:30pm (doors 7pm) The Cinematheque

• Stories of BC’s Species at Risk is a series of eight short films produced by the Western Canada Wilderness Committee and directed by Mike McKinlay and Isabelle Groc. The films follow the biologists who study these species in their habitats in BC, wetlands, desert, Garry Oak meadows, open areas, and seek to protect them. Habitat loss is by far the greatest threat to BC's biodiversity, affecting over 84 percent of species at risk in the province. Hosted by renowned BC nature/ski writer Leslie Anthony.

INFO: Tuesday Feb 17, 7:30pm (doors 7:00), The Cinematheque

• VIMFF Canadian Mountain Adventures - Unknown Unknowns - True Adventure WILL GADD Crazy man (well, he is sponsored by Red Bull) athlete Will Gadd just climbed a frozen Niagara Falls, but he’s coming to VIMFF to screen Gadd's presentations on "Risk and Reward." Gadd is the National Geographic "2014 Adventurer of the year" for his paragliding adventure in the Rockies. INFO: Fri Feb 20 @7:30pm (doors 6:30pm) Centennial Theatre

• VIMFF Trail Running A diverse mix of short presentations and films from the trails around the world. In "Running From Rhinos" Gary Robbins will talk about his recent exploits in South Africa where he finished 2nd at the notoriously difficult Salomon Skyrun. Other films inculde Liz Decario: Running The Kokopelli, Nicola Gildersleeve: How I Earned a FKT (Fastest Known Time)

INFO: Thursday Feb 19, 7:30pm (doors 6:30) Centennial Theatre, North Vancouver

To get a three minute capsule of what VIMFF is all about, watch the trailer.

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