CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) — The BANFF Film Festival is headed back to the Paramount Theater this spring, with three separate screenings from March 6-8.

The touring festival, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, holds its World Tour each year following its flagship festival in Banff, Alberta, in fall. The festival aims to share films showcasing the world’s mountains and mountain culture, with each location’s local organizers selecting what prepackaged lineups of films to show its audience.

In Charlottesville, the event is organized by the Shenandoah National Park Trust, the official philanthropic partner of Shenandoah National Park that has raised more $7 million to support the park’s endeavors. The trust has brought the BANFF Film Festival to the Paramount the past 11 years. The trust’s Event and Volunteer Manager Molly Strauchler told Cville Right Now the festival is the trust’s largest annual fundraiser.

“Every penny you spend on like raffle tickets, tickets to get in, when you buy merchandise, that all goes directly to support Shenandoah National Park, and the programs and projects within the park,” she said.

Last year, the event raised $150,000 for the park. Strauchler said the trust hopes to exceed that amount this year, as the park “needs us more now than ever.” She added that the experience of going to BANFF feels like becoming a part of a community, rather than simply attending a festival.

“When you come to BANFF, you join a community of people who love adventure, who love the outdoors, who care about the environment, and it’s not a solo experience,” she said. “It’s collaborative, and you really become part of a really special Charlottesville community.”

While the films for this year’s festival have yet to be picked, Strauchler said the trust tries to pick lineups for the three nights that show a diversity of mountain culture and sports, as well as films that emphasize the importance of conservation. The trust also designates Sunday as a matinee and tries to select films that are more family friendly.

“I think every package includes coarse language and every package can include some films that are a little scary, so I wouldn’t say it’s exactly kid-friendly,” she said, “but [for the] Sunday Matinee, we try curate the package so it’s as family friendly as possible.”

Historically, the Festival has drawn a sold-out crowd in Charlottesville for every night, with Strauchler saying many attendees look forward to the event every year.

“The energy is just wonderful,” she said, “and then you get into the films and you’re just on the edge of your seat the whole time. It’s really not a normal cinema experience between the crowd and the films.”

Tickets are on sale now for all three nights. General admission tickets are available through the Paramount, while the trust is also offering Banff Adventurer tickets, which includes an additional donation to the trust and lets attendees into the theater early for their choice of seat, as well as invitations to the Banff Kick-off party in February trust-run events all year long.