Sherpas - Die wahren Helden am Everest(2009)

The Endless Chain(en)

Since signing up for a paragliding course 14 years ago, Benjamin Jordan had dreamt of completing an unpowered aerial journey, straight up the spine of the Canadian Rockies. He imagined soaring over glaciers, landing high in the alpine, bathing in turquoise waters, then flying on as he made his way over 1200 km, from Montana to Prince George, BC But there was a catch. Nobody had ever done it before, and for one, very good, reason. Join this unprecedented, Aerial and Mountain Adventure as you soar across British Columbia & Alberta's most impressive mountains. And brace yourself for the darkness, as Jordan reveals the inner struggle, mindset and motivation, required to push forward in the face of such risk.

Climbing Everest with a Mountain on My Back: The Sherpa's Story(en)

Every year, over a thousand climbers try to reach the summit of Mount Everest, with the annual record for successful attempts currently standing at 633. But of that number, nearly half were Sherpas - the mountain's unsung heroes. Yet the Sherpa community has remained secretive about their nation, culture and experiences living in the shadow of the world's highest mountain. Now, for the first time, they open the door into their world. Without the expertise of the Sherpas, only the hardiest and most skilful climbers would succeed. Every day they risk their lives for the safety of others, yet they seek neither glory nor reward, preferring to stay in the background. Following the stories of four such Sherpas - Phurba, Ngima, Ngima Tenji and Gelu - this film reveals the reality of their daily lives, not just up the mountain, but with their families after they return home.

Patabang, una storia degli anni '70(it)

Mauna Kea: Temple Under Siege(en)

Although the mountain volcano Mauna Kea last erupted around 4,000 years ago, it is still hot today, the center of a burning controversy over whether its summit should be used for astronomical observatories or preserved as a cultural landscape sacred to the Hawaiian people. For five years the documentary production team Nā Maka o ka 'Āina ("the eyes of the land") captured on video the seasonal moods of Mauna Kea's unique 14,000-foot summit, the richly varied ecosystems that extend from sea level to alpine zone, the legends and stories that reveal the mountain's geologic and cultural history, and the political turbulence surrounding the efforts to protect the most significant temple in the islands: the mountain itself.

Verso L'Ignoto(it)

Máxima(es)

A multi-billion-dollar mining project is launched by the American Newmont Mining Corporation and lays claim to the land belonging to Preuvian highlander Máxima Acuña.

Flying over Everest(it)

The Mountain(es)

Portrays the adventure of the first Dominican expedition to reach the top of Mount Everest in Nepal. It contrasts the highest mount in the world with the low lands of the Caribbean, as the three climbers surpass the difficult track to the top. At the same time, three Dominican children, son of fishermen, start their own challenge in climbing the highest mountain in the island.

Connected(pl)

One day in the life of a 50-year-old couple. Blind Krzysztof goes skiing with Wiola, who is his wife and guide. They prepare for skiing in the early morning. Krzysztof mounts bluetooth kits on the helmets that will connect them to each other. They go to the top of the mountain in a chair lift, and the higher they go, the more we learn about their life. At the same time, weather conditions are changing, thickening mist falls on the mountain slopes. When Wiola and Krzysztof finally reach the summit, they must find each other and connect in the surrounding fog. A short documentary about love and passion.

Le Minimaliste – An Himalayan Adventure(fr)

The French adventurer Eliott Schonfeld crosses the Himalayas from west to east. Off the beaten track, his way leads him first through the wide valleys of Ladakh and over barren passes and glaciers to Nepal. There is always some seven-thousander in sight, but people and villages are the exception. Eliott's only companion on this lonely hike is his horse Robert. While the snowy and icy passages become a real challenge for the four-legged friend, Eliott feels in the bitterly cold nights on his own body that he may have saved too much on his equipment. Nevertheless, the minimalist adventurer explores his limits along the way and does without the last comforts of civilization: tent, sleeping bag and lighter. How little is just enough?

Bulahaw sa Banahaw(tl)

Ueli Steck – Auf schmalem Grat(de)

Deceased but not forgotten. In 2017, Switzerland's most famous mountaineer, "Swiss Machine" Ueli Steck, fell to his death in the Himalayas when he was just 40 years old. Three close friends travel again to the Everest region where he died. His family in Emmental has to deal with premature death.

Cervino - La montagna del mondo(it)

Les initiés(fr)

Stelvio: Crossroads of Peace(it)

Stars at Noon(fr)

Les Etoiles de Midi is an engaging docudrama about some of the more spectacular exploits of French mountain climbers over the last several decades. In one re-enacted story, there is a wartime escape through the mountains, and in another, a daring rescue of a pair of climbers who had been missing. The actors themselves are adept at the sport of climbing, and they give the scenes an immediacy and real daring that brings the stories alive. A combination of their acrobatics and skill and the outstanding episodes in the history of French climbing creates a winning 78 minutes.

Art of Freedom(en)

The documentary film Art of Freedom answers the most poignant questions on the phenomenon of Polish expeditions to the Himalayas. Poles have reigned the highest mountaintops of the world for more than 20 years. They not only set down new trails, but new rules of behavior. They set themselves apart with an original style of climbing, endurance, conscientiousness about the overall well-being of the team - and solidarity.

The Call Of The Peaks(fr)

L'Appel Des Cimes, directed by Alain Pol, is a documentary commissioned by the CAF and the various French ministries on the practice of post-war mountaineering. In 1946, climbers trained at the Fontainebleau Climbing School. Guy Poulet and Jacques Poincenot try to climb the Aiguilles de Chamonix but fail during the climbing phase. After a night in a refuge with Denise Rouzeau and the guide Pierre Allain, the mountaineers make a new attempt. Successful demonstration for those who continued the approach walk then the passage of the seracs of the glacier. On the rock, the roped party crosses a chimney and a crack to reach the summit and abseil down. Led by high mountain scouts, Guy and Jacques rediscover the glaciers and needles of the Mont-Blanc massif during the next lesson.

Lord of the Dance/Destroyer of Illusion(en)

The documentary focuses on the annual Mani Rimdu festival of Tibet and Nepal, an event which encapsulates the Himalayan Buddhist experience.

Athos(de)

The Athos peninsula in Greece is one of Europe's last secrets. Over 2000 monks live on Athos - cut off from the outside world. Access is denied to women, tourists are not welcome. Only workers and pilgrims can obtain a visa. The "Autonomous Monastic State of the Holy Mountain" attracts people who feel like they are missing something from their modern lives. With the help of three Athos monks, "Athos - A Taste of Heaven" tells the story of the island and its inhabitants in a unique filmed diary style. The film's guiding theme is the path we as people have to find and follow - each and everyone for themselves. "First we must heal our own souls, only then we can help others", is one of Father Galaktions core messages. He lives as a hermit on the holy mountain. Not all monks, however, live as secluded and demure as Father Galaktion. The film team is also received by Father Epiphanios - a gifted and poetic cook who certainly does not disdain the pleasures of life.