FILMS packed with adrenaline-charged sports will make up the Banff Mountain Film Festival, which returns to Dorset this week.

Tour director Nell Teasdale says the Poole showing, at the Lighthouse this week, has been the fastest selling in the country - with the town’s residents eager to watch scenes of climbing, kayaking, skiing and mountain biking to a backdrop of beautiful scenery.

Such is the popularity of the sell-out show in the area; the Tivoli in Wimborne will also be hosting a screening – one of 40 venues chosen for the UK and Ireland.

The festival was founded in Canada in 1975 to celebrate the great outdoors, particularly in its mountainous form, as well as the exploits of the thrill-seekers and athletes who take on its challenges, and has been held every November in Banff before setting out to tour theatres worldwide.

Nell, who became involved in the festival after stints working as an emergency planner for the fire brigade in London and as an ambulance officer in her native Australia, says she hopes the films will encourage budding adventurers.

“I just want people to be inspired to do something adventurous. It doesn’t have to be some crazy dangerous activity, just whatever is adventurous for them – that might be going climbing the next day or mountain biking.”

The diverse film programme is selected from the 360 films, including award-winners and audience favourites, entered into the prestigious Banff Mountain Film Festival held in the Canadian Rockies in November 2013.

Nell adds that the tour is much more than a series of incredible film nights.

“It brings together people with all kinds of outdoor passions who come back every year to enjoy the fantastic community feeling and leave with new enthusiasm and inspiration for their own next adventure.”

The films vary greatly in length, with the longest, North of the Sun, running for 43 minutes.

Having won the Grand Prize and People’s Choice Award, it follows two young Norwegian adventurers tucked between the cold Atlantic Ocean and the rocky slopes of a remote, arctic island.

They build themselves a cabin out of flotsam while clearing the beach of debris, then spend the long winter skiing and surfing in the haunting low light.

“It gives you a real appreciation that life doesn’t have to be complicated. You can take pleasure from just having the sun on your face and being in a beautiful location,” says Nell.

There are activities new to this year’s line-up too, with wingsuit flying and surfing making an appearance, but with the traditional theme of stunning photography and breathtaking scenery a constant.

Nell speaks with pride about what the festival has produced, with each film a work of art in its own right.

“Some of the films are with stories but some just have fantastic visuals of the mountains and things like biking, climbing and kayaking.”

For those lusting for thrills and the sight of alpine beauty, that is all that is needed.