Film program – 25 November, Sunday
25 Nov, Sunday
Big Hall, Culture center, “Nikola Vapcarov”
10:30 am – 10:56 am – “Evolution of Dreams”, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, 2018, Jackie Paaso, Eva Walkner, Carina Brunnauer, 26`
What happens when the passion fades for your dreams? Do you just stop? Or do you search for what’s missing and uncover new goals and dreams? Eva and Jackie’s journeys have taken them from regulated ski courses to big mountain skiing which allowed them more freedom. Throughout that journey, they’ve discovered another aspect of skiing, ski mountaineering. In this new discipline, they have to tackle new challenges and conquer new fears. It’s their evolution of dreams, watch how it all unfolds
10:56 am – 12:20 am – “Ama Dablam – the Holy Mountain”, Germany, Italy, 2018, Reinhold Messner, 81`
Nepal, 1979: a group of young New Zealanders led by Peter Hillary decide to climb the 6828 metre high mountain Ama Dablam. Reinhold Messner intends to do the same with his team. During the ascent the first group seems to be in serious danger and in an unprecedented demonstration of comradeship, Reinhold’s crew decides to rescue the climbers. The documentary takes us on an incredible journey mixing images of private archive material and the fascinating testimony of Reinhold Messner and his colleagues.
12:30 am – 13:00 pm – break
See presentations and additional program.
13:00 pm – 13:30 pm – Meeting with Alessandro Filippini and presentation of the book “Walter Bonatti. Il fratello che non sapevo di avere”
13:40 pm – 14:00 pm – Georgi Georgiev Presentation – 80 years since the 1st ascend of Eiger
14:00 pm – 14:52 pm – “In the Starlight”, France, 2018, Mathieu Le Lay, 52`
During the darkest hours of the night, while the rest of the world is sleeping, outdoor photographer Paul Zizka ventures out into the wilderness in search of the world’s starriest skies. His journey to photograph the celestial wonders takes him from his home amongst the peaks of the Canadian Rockies to the wild, desert dunes of Namibia and remote ice caps of Greenland. Ever the adventurer, he must balance his work and passion for photography with his equal devotion as a family man. In the Starlight is an intimate portrayal of Paul’s quest to capture the night skies, and what his time spent under the stars has taught him about life, love, adventure, and our place in the universe.
14:52 pm – 15:51 pm – “Russi – Collombin, un duel au sommet/Russi – Collombin, a duel at the top”, Switzerland, 2018, Pierre Morath, 59`
It is the story of two young Swiss that everything divide, and who are in competition on the tops of the world Alpine skiing.; Olympics of Sapporo, on 1972. Bernhard Russi, head of the Helvetian alpine delegation and the odds-on favorite of the races, sees coming a young passionate skier. Roland Collombin, impertinent talent, comes to challenge the one who is of two years his elder. Selected at the last minute, he pushes Russi in his last cuttings off to win the silver medal, from only six tenth of Russi. It is the beginning of the rivalry which will fascinate Switzerland and will last until December 6th, 1975, dates Roland Collombin’s fall in Val d’Isère, which will force him to put an end to its career.; The Helvetian public was very fast enthused over this rivalry between two tightrope walkers of the extreme, been born in the simplicity of mountains, which risk their life every winter weekend on the most demanding ski pistes of the world.; Russi the perfectionist, the accurate skier, the fine technician and angel’s face. Collombin the impulsive, the exceptional talent and the impertinent party animal. Between 1972 and 1975, from Wengen to Kitzbühel via Garmisch, both skiers are returning blow for blow. “In training or during the races, we got out both upward, remembers Bernhard Russi. The media often compared us and the public was passionate about our rivalry, also because we were two men seemingly very different.”; At the height of 1970s – following the example of the Formula 1 pilots – the skiers were rockstars: on tour during winter months, they embraced life at its fullest. The girls at their feet. Russi, ideal son-in-law, stick to his lifestyle of high-level sportsman ahead of his time. Collombin, flirty with his cheeky humour, at his arms the most beautiful girls, was not asked for shortening its nights. « When you are every day in the newspaper, of course it helps with the girls, even if I did not need it, explains gladly Collombin in a laugh. Sometimes I signed autographs on breasts or butts. »; While the first one, already avant-gardist, makes money on his positive image in advertising as one of the first Swiss sportsmen; the second prefers to live fully its fame, driving expensive cars, and feeding of the course the tabloids with his love affairs. ; On pistes, both men were as different as in life. The uncluttered precision of Russi VS the audacious ardour of Collombin. Between 1972 and 1974, Collombin makes it hard for Russi and stands out as the best skier of the world. The young man disgusts all his opponents, to begin with his first competitor, by winning a record number of championships. ; Collombin’s career will end in 1975, due to a bad fall, at the age of 24 years. ; In Val d’Isère, the famous bump of Collombin’s fall still wears the print of his broken vertebras. ” You cannot speak to me about it, curses the skier. At the beginning, I did not feel my legs. I was so afraid of remaining paralyzed that I did not care about my career. The most important was to be able to walk again. Anyway I had soon planned to stop, maybe I would have made a season more. “; But he will never own this Olympic golden medal which was promised to him a few weeks later in Innsbruck. From his hospital bed in Basel, ” The Dove ” comments live on the race which sees Bernhard Russi winning the silver medal, outstripped by the Austrian Franz Klammer, referee of the duel between the Swiss stars.; Today, both champions are friends, but still extremely different. Russi, advertising, consultant ambassador on SRF and renowned builder ski runways; Collombin, owner of his own bar, lives from his real estate and memories of his fame.
15:51 pm – 16:41 pm – “Captain of utopia”, France, 2017, Sarah Del Ben, 52`
François “Ben” Bernard had explored the most remote places of the world for more than 30 years. Then, dreaming of bringing as many people as possible to discover the beauties and the lights of the Arctic, he invested his life savings in a polar sailboat and began an ambitious project, Atka. For 17 months, the boat travelled on the west coast of Greenland, carrying on board, in turn, personalities from all horizons: base jumpers, circus artists, teenagers, sick women, and children to discover the icecap.
International Film Fetsival, BANFF Mountain and Book Festival (CANADA), Vancouver Mountain Film Festival (CANADA), Zagreb DOX (CROATIA), Sedona Mountain Film Festival (USA), Adventure Travel Film Festival (UK, SCOTLAND,AUSTRALIE), Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival (USA), Frozen River Film Festival (USA), Pakistan International Mountain Film Festival (PAKISTAN), « Travel filmfest” International” film festival (CHYPRE), Sail’in Festival (ESPAGNE), Barcelone Planet Festival (ESPAGNE), Festival du film Vert (SUISSE), Festival du film d’aventure de La Rochelle (FRANCE), Festival de Nature de l’Ain (FRANCE), Festival des « Rendez-vous de l’aventure » de Lons le Saunier (FRANCE), Festival Regard d’Altitude de Bercelonnette (FRANCE), Festival Quai du départ (FRANCE)
Public Award : Festival des « Rendez-vous de l’aventure » de Lons le Saunier (FRANCE)
Visitor`s Information Center Hall
10:30 am – 11:40 am – ”Adventure Cyclo Balkanique”, Belgium, 2018, Jean-Hugues Gooris, 70`
In Bulgaria, Jean-Hugues illegally explores an abandoned Soviet vestige. His passage, filmed by a stranger, triggers an unexpected media reaction and provokes a debate at the European Parliament. Six months later, he travels the region by bike and plunges into the history of the Balkans that he’s been exploring since the age of 19. He discovers a land of hospitality full of surprises: he becomes friends with Kosovar divers, witnesses the consequences of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and takes a lost dog on board his bike. A human journey with an improvised itinerary, close to the mountains and nature that give meaning to modern adventure.
Belgium Adventure film Festival 12/17; ABM- Voyager autrement 03/18; Retour Du Monde 05/18; Bordeaux Adventure Film Festival 06/18
First competition at the french festival “Retour Du Monde”: winner or the Public Price and Jury Price
11:40 am – 13:05 pm – “Magnetic Mountains”, France, United Kingdom, 2017, Steve Wakeford, Menna Pritchard, 85`
Magnetic Mountains follows the story of an everyman who, after falling from an Alpine north face, is struggling to find a balance. Featuring some of the biggest names in mountain sports, it will explore the psychology of risk taking in the mountains, asking – is it really worth it?
MountainFilm International Film Festival Graz, Austria; Kendal Mountain Film Festival Kendal; World Premiere Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France; Krakowski Festiwal Górski Krakow ; Bilbao Mendi Film Festival Bilbao ; PIMFF Pakistan International Mountain Film Festival Islamabad ; Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival Vancouver; Sheffield Adventure Film Festival Sheffield ; Festival Gorniskega Filma, SloveniaMountainFilm International Film Festival Graz, Austria, *Grand Prize; Krakowski Festiwal Górski Krakow, *Special Prize; Sheffield Adventure Film Festival Sheffield, *Silver – Best Climbing Film; Festival Gorniskega Filma, Slovenia, *RTV Slovenia – Best Film, *Honorary Mention – Mountains, Sports and Adventure
13:05 pm – 13:30 pm – break
13:30 pm – 14:56 pm – “Dreamland. A documentary about Maciej Berbeka”, Poland 2018, Stanisław Berbeka, 86’
In his documentary, Stanisław Berbeka revives the memory of his father, Maciej Berbeka. Thanks to the accounts of expedition participants, the reminiscences of his family members and archival recordings (film and sound), we can gain a better insight into the way of thinking of this eminent Polish mountaineer and traveller. Among the stories about the family, the values embraced by Berbeka and the most important expeditions, there is one related to the winter expedition to Broad Peak. On 5 March 2013, the protagonist reached the summit, making his dream come true, but and died on his way down to the base.
KRAKOW FILM FESTIWAL 2018 – official selection
14:56 pm – 15:50 pm – ”Via Alpina – L’Envers du Chemin/”Via Alpina – Beyond the trail”, France, 2017, 55`
An adventure, an investigation, a quest ?Matthieu, mountain leader, continues his trekking experience with the Via Alpina, an 8 countries-crossing of the Alps from Trieste to Monaco. One thing in mind : What influence does hiking in the mountains have on us ? Between Matthieu’s personal journey and the testimonials of hikers met on the way, a whole new world is unveiled. Far from being just an outdoor activity in a dream-like scenery, trekking becomes an awareness tool driving us to rethink our way of living.
Festival International du Film d’Aventure (La Rochelle France nov 2017) – Champéry Film Festival (Switzerland dec 2017) – Festival Globe Trotters (Paris sept 2017) – Festival Partances (Toulouse France march 2018) – Festival Curieux Voyageurs (St Etienne – France march 2018) – Festival RDV de l’Aventure (Lons-le-Saunier France march 2018) – Festival Regards d’Altitude (Barcelonette France april 2018) – Festival Regards de Voyage (Suisse mai 2018)…
15:50 pm – 16:15 pm – “Boyan Petrov. 12 interviews by Julia Hristova”, Bulgaria, 2018, Stefan Milov, 26`
Boyan Petrov is one of the most successful Bulgarian alpinists. The film is a complication of 12 interviews that the journalist Julia Hristova made with Boyan in the period between September 2014 – April 2018. The last interview was taken just days before he went to Shisha Pangma for an expedition from which unfortunately he never came back.
16:15 pm – 16:50 pm – ”The Lorax project”, Australia, 2018, Pete Wyllie, 35`
Six friends embark on a determined quest to climb, and then BASE jump The Lorax, a formidable climb on Frenchman’s Cap in remote western Tasmania. Surrounded by some of the most pristine wilderness in all of Australia, they contend with extreme weather and rugged terrain, relying on each other’s skills and humour to reach their goal.
CRADLE MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL, TASMANIA, APRIL 2018
16:50 pm – 17:34 pm – “Notes From The Wall”, Belgium, 2017, Siebe Vanhee, Guillaume Lion, Nicolas Favresse, Sean Villanueva O’riscoll, 34`
In February 2017 three of world’s best and Belgian climbers, Sean Villanueva O’Driscoll, Nicolas Favresse and Siebe Vanhee again made it to the press by free-climbing successfully one of the hardest routes of Patagonia, “El Regalo de Mwono”, a 1200-meter-high route on the east side of Torre Central, Torres del Paine. Back home, they asked filmmaker Guillaume Lion to edit the footage of their 19-day-long vertical journey. The result is a powerful and entertaining film that tells a profound story of companionship.
Montagne en Scène (France, Belgium, Switzerland, UK), April-May 2018; Trento (Italy) May 2018; Festival Gorniskega Filma (Slovenia), February 2018; Retours du Monde (France), May 2018
Audience Award at Montagne en Scène
