The festival was launched after the Banff Mountain Film Festival, whose annual national touring circuit of films about outdoor sport and adventure had included a stop at Laurentian University for many years, cancelled its 2020 tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.[3] In response, ADVL coordinator Jim Little contacted the Sudbury Indie Cinema Coop to collaborate on launching their own new festival; Sudbury Indie Cinema director Beth Mairs had also previously been the owner of Wild Women Expeditions, an operator of outdoor adventure tourism programs for women.[4]
The inaugural festival had originally been planned for early 2021,[4] although its launch was ultimately delayed until October.[1] Films screened at the inaugural edition included The Wall of Shadows, Home: The Outward Journey Inward, Cholitas, On Falling, North of Nightfall, Bear-Like and The Rescue, as well as a program of short films.[1]
