The Aviemore Mountain Film Festival kicks off today (17th May) with four days of events guaranteed to bring mind-blowing mountain mayhem to the Highland town.

Already having gained a reputation for innovative sport events and high quality presentation, the Aviemore Mountain Film Festival continues to push the boundaries that its counterparts set.

Where else can you spend the weekend rubbing shoulders with a range of extreme sports men and women from the UK and beyond? This year sees international mountain hero, Blythe Wright revealing some of his amazing insights to the top end of mountaineering; members of RAF Grantown reliving their genuinely terrifying account of their trip to Greenland, where they were left with just one oxo cube between eight of them after bad weather prevented their return helicopter from landing for three days.

Name another mountain film festival that brings you the best up and coming rock bands the UK has to offer, while simultaneously featuring some of Europe's most extreme films streamed on a giant outdoor film screen.

And on top of all this the AMFF will be bringing local and national mountain bikers together for an awe-inspiring show of skills and dexterity on Aviemore's high street and, of course, there's the all important film competition, which will bring inspiring and innovative films on snowsports, climbing, mountain biking, para-skiing, para-gliding, mountain wildlife, BASE jumping, paddling to the big screen.

Best of all – the majority of events are free, but visitors are encouraged to dig deep into their pockets and donate to the festival's designated charity Disability Snowsport UK.

Festival Director, Dave Felce, said: "Preparations for this year's festival have been a long time in the making and we are really looking forward to welcoming a range of folk to the town this weekend to celebrate all things extreme. This year's line-up is our biggest and best yet – with the films, lectures, bands and DIY Sunday – there's something for everyone to enjoy."

For more information visit www.amff.co.uk or contact Charlotte Kissack 0783 4871707 or email charlottekissack@hotmail.com  or Dave Felce on dave@sportextrem.com 

Photocall: Thursday 17 th May at 11am - MTB X local and National Mountain bikers perform spectacular tricks in the Highland town of Aviemore to celebrate the opening of this year's Aviemore Mountain Film Festival