Portrait Of a Climber

Gran Paraíso(es)

Vito-Man(en)

Vito is a sweet little boy with Down syndrome, and this short documentary puts his energetic, jolly personality on full display as he interacts with his loving family. By showing Vito’s dignity and inherent value, Vito-Man tackles the difficult conversation that is the eradication of people with Down syndrome, proving that an extra chromosome should not be a death sentence.

Miss Italia Mustn't Die(it)

Behind the glitz of Miss Italia, director Patrizia Mirigliani fights to save the iconic pageant, now wavering amid scandals and changing beauty standards.

Rotpunkt(en)

Rotpunkt documents the advent, the agony and the art of the redpoint through Alex Megos’s efforts to redefine the boundaries of the form. The film traces the redpoint—which transformed rock climbing from an engineering problem into a brilliant test of mental and physical strength—from its origins with a ragtag bunch of tights-wearing revolutionaries in rural Bavaria, to its golden era with Wolfgang Güllich, to its new ideal in the German phenom Megos as he battles to unlock new levels of human potential.

Forbidden Pilgrimage(fr)

In 1952, Marie-Louise Chapelle was the first French woman to reach an unclimbed peak in the Himalayas. Years later, filmmaker Ellen Vermeulen follows in her footsteps. An intimate journey through snow landscapes in which personal ambitions, social constraints, and the complexity of being a woman take center stage.

Masterclass Part 2: Skills and Tactics for Sport and Trad(en)

Are you tired of burning out on steep routes and unsure whether it’s due to lack of strength or poor technique? Do you still feel nervous about pushing above bolts or trusting your feet on slabs? If you’re fed-up with making the same old mistakes then why not settle the score using this two-part instructional video series, hosted by Britain’s leading climbing coach Neil Gresham. Whether you climb F5 or F7c, these films are packed with tips to help you improve every aspect of your climbing performance. Part 1 shows you how to develop your technique and how to train more productively and Part 2 shows you how to put it all together and get the most from yourself on the cliffs. There are right and wrong examples to help you identify your weaknesses and case studies from some of Britain’s best climbers. Those dream routes may be closer than you think and watching these films might be all you need to turn them into a reality.

Under the Weight of a Waking Dream(en)

‘Under the Weight of a Waking Dream’ is Zefier's debut swan song to the ending year. Comprised of poetry and endless enumerations is a diaristic film chronicling the lessons and contradictions found throughout the human experience.

Drugged and Abused: No More Shame(fr)

Caroline Darian, Gisèle Pelicot's daughter, looks back on the tragedy that shook her family: for ten years, her father drugged her mother to subject her to rapes committed by strangers recruited on the Internet. This case exposes the scandal of chemical submission, a practice where attackers, generally close to the victims, use prescription or over-the-counter medications to commit their crimes. This phenomenon, far from being marginal, affects victims with varied profiles...

El gran Coco Legrand(es)

More than a tribute, it is a celebration of the life, talent, and legacy of a man who turned humor into an art form and transformed the way Chileans see themselves.

Les gangsters de la finance(fr)

Holger und ich.(de)

Holger Diekmann was a singer, bass player, and drummer in multiple local bands throughout his short life. Filmmaker Jonas Helmerichs sets out to learn what kind of person his late uncle was. Intimate family portrait and exploration of grief, depression, and death.

To the Limit(de)

At the Limit is a documentary about extreme climbing. In this sports documentary, Pepe Danquart shows brothers Thomas and Alexander Huber climbing in Patagonia and on the granite rock "El Capitan" in Yosemite Valley (USA). A key part of the film is their attempt at a speed ascent of the 1,000-meter-high route "The Nose," in which the two athletes aim to break the then speed record of 2:48:30 hours, set by Hans Florine and Yuji Hirayama in September 2002.

Blood, Sweat and Bagels(en)

Two of Britain’s top free climbers decide to take on one of Yosemite’s most awesome lumps of granite: the thousand vertical metres of El Capitan – via it’s hardest line – with no experience of big walling whatsoever. Fired up on a diet of bagels, the climbers, Rich and Neil, set off to do battle with the dizzying exposure and raking crack lines of this historic face. The ensuing agony is captured in this spectacularly shot film, that exudes passion and humour and takes a refreshingly honest look at living 6 days in the vertical world.

UFO From Earth to the Moon(en)

Interviewing cast and crew behind the scenes on UFO, this documentary lifts the lid on Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's first venture into live action science fiction.

Only Ghosts in the Waves(it)

Enrico Naso is an undertaker in Lampedusa. Constantly confronted with the death that lurks everywhere on this remote rock in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, Enrico has chosen life, immersing us in what it means to be human.

Valley Uprising(en)

In the shady campgrounds of Yosemite valley, climbers carved out a counterculture lifestyle of dumpster-diving and wild parties that clashed with the conservative values of the National Park Service. And up on the walls, generation after generation has pushed the limits of climbing, vying amongst each other for supremacy on Yosemite's cliffs. "Valley Uprising" is the riveting, unforgettable tale of this bold rock climbing tradition in Yosemite National Park: half a century of struggle against the laws of gravity -- and the laws of the land.

Odyssey(en)

‘Odyssey’ is a road movie that celebrates the best of British trad climbing. From the bold Northumberland sandstone to the raging sea cliffs of Gogarth, four World-class climbers (James Pearson, Hazel Findlay, Hansjorg Auer and Caroline Ciavaldini) embark on a road-trip to attempt some of the most fierce and inspiring routes in the UK. Cinematic filmmaking, cutting edge traditional climbing and a 7.5 ton converted truck – the Odyssey begins!

Same Same but Different(en)

The movie "Same Same But Different" follows the transformative journey of Barbara Zangerl: For many years, Barbara was known as one of the best female boulderers in the world, being one of the first females to climb the grade of 8b. At the age of 19, and at the top of her game, a serious back injury meant that Barbara's success in bouldering would come to a abrupt close. Too eager and determined to leave her beloved sport behind, Barbara began to master rope climbing. With a whole new outlook on climbing, Barbara is repeating some of the hardest alpine routes around, including "Hotel Supramonte 8b" (Sardinia multipitch classic), "Super Cirill 8a" (Alpine crackclimbing Tessin) and "End of Silence" (Thomas Huber's 1994 classic at Feuerhörndl-Northface) "Same Same But Different" goes beyond the action, exploring Barbara's outlook, her past and her passion for climbing.

La Sorcière Blanche(fr)

In the austere "Horseshoe Cirque", attempts on ice are so impressive and require such a high degree of skill, that after a discrete beginning in 1976, there was a wait of twenty years before new pioneers dared the challenge. Each has returned, marked for life by the extraordinary experience. The opening of The White Witch in January, 2006 by Philippe Batoux, François Damilano and Benoît Robert was the occasion to revisit this emblematic site. Here is an exceptional panorama where incredible ice formations give way to challenging rocky climbs and vibrant testimonials...

Ice Up(fr)

Unique shapes, no two the same, formed by the action of water and frost. The water that once ran from the summits in torrents and waterfalls is immobilized for a few weeks. The thing is to be there, in time, just at the moment when they become solid, just before they return to water. A question of balance. Around seven top-level climbers who represent all the richness of the activity, these images will highlight different techniques and different approaches. Although the athletic performance is impressive, it is there only to emphasize the dazzling shapes, the warmth of friendships, the stories of teamwork.