Note:The 2011 finalists will be uploaded about June 15 |
Finalists of 2010:
Screened during the 2010 festival. Click on a film for the descriptions below.
Award Winning Films of 2010:
Grand Prize: Mount St.Elias.
Best NZ made Film; The Hiddleston/ MacQueen Award: Into the Perpetual Ice
Best Film on Climbing: The Asgard Project
Best Film on Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles: Take a Seat
Best Film on Mountain Culture and Environment: Nature Propelled
Bet Short Film: Snow Tramp.
Best Snow Sports Film: REV: A Buried Treasure
A Country Mile
New Zealand, 2010, 5 minutes
Directed and Produced by Nicholas Tunnell
Category; NZ Made, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles, Short Film
Session #3
This is the story of a couple as they spend almost 5 months walking 3000km from Cape Reinga to Bluff on the Te Araroa Trail.
Albatrocity
New Zealand, 2009, 26 minutes
Directed and Produced by Iain Frengley and Edward Saltau
Category; NZ Made, Environment
Session #5
A dramatic tale about the Albatross, king of the sea. Colleridge's 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner' forms the backbone of this story. Stunning footage of this beautiful bird, shot in New Zealand's Sub-Antarctic Islands, is woven with the harsh realities of the impact of commercial fishing. This is a film that features some of the most innovative visual effects used in modern day documentary.
A Life Ascending
USA/Canada, 2010, 57 minutes
Directed and Produced by Stephen Grynberg
Category; Mountain Culture and Environment, Snow Sports
Session #3
A Life Ascending chronicles the life of acclaimed ski mountaineer and mountain guide Ruedi Beglinger. Living with his wife and two young daughters on a remote glacier in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, Beglinger has built a reputation as one of the top mountaineering guides in the world. The film follows his family’s unique life in the mountains and their journey in the years following a massive avalanche that killed seven people. Documenting the sublime beauty and ever-present risk of a life lived on the edge, the film ultimately explores the power of nature as both an unforgiving host and profound teacher.
A Little Bit Mongolian
Australia, 2009, 55 minutes
Directed and produced by Michael Dillon
Category; Mountain Culture and Environment
Session #2
Angus, 12, is from Australia. On a visit to Mongolia, he saw children his age racing cross-country in long distance horse races. He vowed he would one day join them. In this heartwarming film, Angus returns to Mongolia, intent on training so that he too can compete in the big Naadam Festival horse races. Best Film on Mountain Culture at BANFF
Andy Parkin — A Life in Adaptation
UK, 2008, 28 minutes
Directed by David Fair
Produced by Pip Piper and Dominic Green
Category; Mountain Culture and Environment, Climbing
Session #2
Regarded as one of the world’s finest alpine climbers, Andy Parkin suffered a major climbing accident in 1984. His slow rehabilitation involved painting and sculpting the mountains that had almost claimed his life. Now Parkin is known as much for his art as his climbing. Incredibly, he also returned to climb again, adapting his approach to his damaged body. The film follows Parkin 25 years after his accident as he works on an autobiographical piece of art.
The Asgard Project 
UK, 2009, 68 minutes
Directed and produced by Alastair Lee
Category; Climbing, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #7
The Asgard Project is a film which follows top climber Leo Houlding’s ambitious expedition to make the first free ascent of Mt Asgard’s daunting north face, regarded as one of the most difficult big walls in the world.
For most of the year the fjords on Baffin Island are filled with frozen sea ice, but for a short period in the summer the ice melts and with 24 hours of daylight the area becomes a climbers paradise with mile high granite walls and amazing scenery.
To reach Mount Asgard top climbers Leo Houlding, Sean 'Stanley' Leary and Carlos Suarez sky dive into the heart of Baffin Island, in the Arctic Circle, whilst the film and rigging crew take on the grueling 5 day trek carrying 30kg packs. The story gets off to a spectacular start as the plot twists and unforeseen problems come thick and fast in this unrelenting epic. Once the team commit to the wall the drama only increases.....
Some course language
A Tale of Two Rivers
New Zealand, 2010, 30 minutes
Directed and Produced by Dave Kwant/ Bill Parks
Category; NZ Made, Environment, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #6
A doco looking at the struggle for power on NZ's beautiful West Coast. The Coast is desperate for power; it has huge hydro potential and consequently there are a large number of schemes seeking consent. We look at two very different schemes that are currently consented but awaiting appeal. The Mokihinui proposal involves a huge dam on a pristine wild river; the HDL Stockton proposal involves a small dam capturing polluted minewater and generating power from it. It sounds like a no-brainer doesn't it?
Australis: An Antarctic Ski Odyssey
USA, 2010, 25 minutes
Directed by Jim Surette
Produced by Jim Surette and Chris Davenport
Category; Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles, Snow Sports
Session #12
Australis: An Antarctic Ski Odyssey is an adventure film about a small group of skiers who sail the infamous Drake Passage from Argentina to Antarctica in search of unclimbed summits and first ski descents. Australis tells the story of Chris Davenport, Stian Hagen, and Andrea Binning: free-ski mountaineers, pushing the boundaries of the sport into one of the world’s last great pristine mountain ranges: the Antarctic Peninsula.
Antarctica’s frozen continent has haunted the dreams of adventurers for centuries. It defines what is remote, stark, untouched. Its land belongs to no one, and thus everyone. Australis: An Antarctic Ski Odyssey tugs on this collective imagination of our southern pole and thrusts it into the modern day. This is not Shackleton’s Antarctica. In breathtaking HD, the film captures a 21st-century expedition: three cutting-edge skiers climbing up and then charging down three-thousand-foot mountain faces that deliver them straight to the icebergs and penguin rookeries of the Southern Ocean’s shore. The skiers hop in a zodiac and motor across icy, indigo waters to a 75-foot sailboat, and then get up the next day and try it all again.
But no matter how modern the adventure, or how equipped the expedition, the mountains are still the mountains. With no chance of a rescue should something go wrong, Chris, Stian, and Andrea test how far they can push the stakes to ski the lines of their dreams. How far is too far?
BaseJump
New Zealand, 2010, 9 minutes
Directed and Produced by Steve McGillen
Category; NZ Made, Short Film
Session #1
Dale, a failing accounting student with big dreams, has employed a base jumping expert to help him make up for his shortfalls and become Wellington’s first base jumper. Unfortunately the base jump expert is youtube trained and Wellington is not known for adequate highrises.
Beyond the Plains: Twin Stream
New Zealand, 2010, 12 minutes
Directed and Produced by Brett Williams
Category; NZ Made, Climbing
Session #6
Zac Orme and Alex Hartshorne head into Twin Stream for the first time to climb a few kiwi classic long rock routes.
Birdman of the Karakoram
UK, 2009, 65 minutes
Directed and produced by Alun Hughes
Category; Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #11
Experience the world of extreme-altitude paragliding, which few humans will ever experience, when high-altitude paragliding pioneer John Silvester takes Alun Hughes on the tandem flight to end all tandem flights. Committed deep into a remote and hypoxic world of snow, ice, and previously unexplored terrain, they find that flying to survive becomes the name of the game. The film demolishes any ideas you may have had of paragliding being about serenely floating around the sky.
Carving the Future
New Zealand, 2009, 25 minutes
Directed and Produced by Guy Ryan and Nick Holmes
Category; NZ Made, Environment
Session #5
Grass roots, youth driven community action provided the inspiration for this film. Experience a vision of vibrant future communities through the eyes of three passionate young New Zealanders as they lead inspirational projects to drive positive social change in their regions. What might a 350 future look like? How do we get there? An inspirational account of how one person can make a difference!
Conquering the Unclaimed Coast
New Zealand, 2009, 50 minutes
Directed by Ross Beck and Adventure Philosophy
Produced by Orly and Adventure Philosophy
Category; NZ Made, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #12
An enthralling tale of triumph, told by three men passionate about the environment and challenging themselves to the extent of their abilities. The story covers each leg of their journey and dives into the South Georgia’s fascinating history, wildlife and environment, Shackleton's legacy and previous attempts at circumnavigation. Circumnavigating South Georgia Island by kayak was attempted twice before the' successful expedition. Both attempts failed, thwarted by bad weather, lack of rations and exhaustion. South Georgia Island is an enigma. Technically an Antarctic island, it accommodates wildlife in stupendous numbers and is famously the island Shackleton and five men heroically sailed to in 1916 to send word of his men marooned on Elephant Island.
Core
USA, 2010, 30 minutes
Directed and Directed by Chuck Fryberger
Category; Climbing
Session #6
Get to the heart of rock climbing. An international cast of the sport's most dedicated athletes as they stick it when it matters most. Shot in 35mm Ultra High Definition, get ready to see every detail of some of the nastiest pieces of rock ever climbed
Entre Nós - Between Us
Brazil, 2010, 15 minutes
Directed & Produced by Erick Grigorovski
Category; Short Film, Climbing
Session #6
The animation tells the drama lived by a teenager, Luisa, during a camping trip with her father, Aurélio. Despite his extensive experience as a climber, he makes a mistake while climbing a big mountain and fall hundreds of metres down, disappearing into mist and trees. Isolated, alone and in a chilly rainstorm, Luisa needs to gather all her strength and skills to escape safely. The narrative also develops the delicate relationship between a strict father and a cheerful girl, spreading a message of comprehension, determination and love. The story is told in a universal way, only with images and music, setting aside dialogs and language barriers. It will captivate parents, children and fans of sports and nature.
http://luisaentrenos.blogspot.com
First Ascent - Point of no Return
USA, 2010, 30 minutes
Directed and produced by Peter Mortimer & Nick Rosen
Category; Climbing
Session #7
Point of No Return,” which follows Jonny, Micah and Wade on their expedition to an unclimbed peak in China. A great film with amazing footage and not the ending you are expecting......
For Alan
New Zealand, 2010, 15 minutes
Directed by Dimi Nakov
Produced by Olivia Woodroffe and Paul Shale
Category; NZ Made, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #1
In 2009 New Zealander Mal Law made history by becoming the first person ever to run NZ’s 7 mainland Great Walks in just 7 days – a total distance of 360 kms in the longest week of his life. It was an adventure to honor the memory of his brother Alan, who died as a teenager from leukemia. In completing the 7in7 Mal raised more than $85,000 for the Leukemia & Blood Foundation of NZ and so helped make a huge difference to people suffering from this cruel illness.
Freediving with Killer Whales
Denmark, 2007, 26 minutes
Directed and Produced by Eskil Hardt
Category; Mountain Culture and Environment
Session #5
This documentary follows Stig Aavall Severinsen, current World Champion in freediving, as he lives out his dream to interact with killer whales and explore their memorizing underwater world, diving only with a mask and snorkel. The film takes viewers on an unforgettable journey north of the Polar Circle, to Tysfjorden, Norway, where killer whales come each year to hunt and eat herring.
Killer Whales are extraordinary and beautiful animals. Graceful to watch and fun-loving in their behavior, they are among the most intelligent creatures on earth. They are also social and loving, living together as families and communities for all of their lives. Many humans are drawn towards these qualities, and killer whales often show humans affection in return.
Within the stunning natural landscape of the whales, Stig displays his extreme skill as a freediver, holding his breath for long periods of time as he dives into the sea. One of the advantages of this method is that freedivers can dive up and down as they wish, with no risk of decompression sickness and no risk of producing bubbles in the water which might frighten the marine animals. In the course of his travels on land and under water, Stig communicates both his scientific background as a marine biologist and his infectious eagerness to get close to these fascinating creatures.
Audience favorite winner at the Moondance International Film Festival.
Hack Your Shackles
Canada, 2009, 7 minutes
Directed by Dave Mossop
Produced by Cholo Burns
Category; Short Film, Snow Sports
Session #10
In this second installment of the noboard movement, the bindingless revolution continues.
Hunlen
Canada, 2009, 12 minutes
Directed and produced by Will Gadd
Category; Short Film, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #1
What happens if you show up to climb one of the biggest frozen waterfalls in Canada, but it isn’t completely frozen? Our 2010 keynote speaker, Will Gadd does battle to do the first ascent of B.C.’s remote Hunlen Falls. Falling ice, crashing water, fear, big fun!
Insomnia
(Austria, 2009, 6 minutes)
Directed and Produced by Christoph J. Heinzel Jens Riedesser
Category; Short Film, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #1
Filmed at the famous Outdoor Games in Chamonix, the team Insomnia produced the synonym documentary film to present the beauty of extreme sports. Within one week the athletes and filmmakers covered a series of different adrenaline sports: skiing, snowboarding, paragliding, ice climbing, speedriding and all forms of BASE jumping - classic, ski-BASE and wingsuit-BASE.
In addition to the convincing action presentation the film features original visual effects,
which does not only present the individual athletes, but also work as clever transitions inbetween the separate sport segments.
Into Darkness
USA, 2010, 15 minutes
Directed and Produced by John Waller
Category; Short Film, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #4
A short adventure essay about the experience of exploring a secrete underworld of caves. Take a journey with a group of cavers who push through impossibly small passages to access some of the final frontiers on earth. The images and sounds of spectacular and remote wilderness caves will reveal a fantastic world unlike anything we will experience on the surface.
Into Perpetual Ice
New Zealand, 2009, 21 min
Directed by Olaf Obsommer & Jared Meehan
Produced by Jared Meehan
Category; NZ Made, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #1
For five international kayakers, this is a journey to the birthplace of their sport; an expedition to explore and paddle some whitewater rivers in Greenland. Into Perpetual Ice film gives a brief insight into Greenland's culture and the nature while following these paddlers on their somewhat difficult mission. The obstacles faced make for an exciting trip and eventually all the hard work pays off with rewards of white gold.
Lift
USA, 2008, 30 minutes
Directed by Timothy & Anthony Green
Produced by David Kaplan
Category; Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #3
LIFT is an award-winning extreme paragliding documentary following twin brothers, Timothy and Anthony Green, around the world as they challenge themselves to new heights. The Film showcases their continuous attempts to revolutionize the sport of paragliding and lift each other to new heights. Breathtaking scenery of their travels through Europe and the USA form the backdrop to hearth stopping, death defying acrobatic feats.
Lightning Strike – Arwa Tower
Italy, 2008, 50 minutes
Directed by Christoph Frutiger, Christine Kopp and Stephan Siegrist
Produced by CFFILM and Stephan Siegrist
Category; Climbing
Session #8
This mountain film tells the story of two teams of climbers, who in the early summer of 2007 take to the Arwa Tower, a wonderful six-thousand-meter peak in the northern Indian Garhwal-Himalaya. One team – comprising of world re-knowned Swiss mountaineer Stephan Siegrist, along with Thomas Senf (D) and Denis Burdet (CH) – has the almost 1000 meter high, as yet unclimbed Northface as their goal. The men are successful: On the 7th of June, after 12 days of climbing on the wall, and overcoming extremely difficult passages using both free and artificial climbing, they stand on the summit. They name their first ascent “Lightning Strike“ (900 m, VI, M5, 5.9, A3).
The name is derived from the distinctive pattern which runs through the lower part of the wall like the remaining traces of a lightning strike. The other team is made up of two women: Ines Papert (D) and Anita Kolar (CH). They want to repeat a route on the West pillar. Unfortunately, however, the two strong alpinists – Ines Papert is the leading female ice and mixed climber in the world – have to abandon their attempt due to bad weather just 200 meters below the summit. A calm yet dynamic film with fantastic pictures and a good portion of humour to go with it.... In the film, Stephan Siegrist tells us the story of this expedition as the first-person narrator.
Magic Moments
USA, 2009, 58 minutes
Directed and Produced by Darrell Miller
Category; Snow Sports
Session #11
The howl of the wind, the sun on your face, the sound of snowflakes as they pile to head-high depths… The feel of a turn, the shadow of a powder spray, the humm of the air as it flies by you off a 60 footer… These are the magical moments we speak of…
Indulge in the face shots of the Storm Show crew as they bask in the heavenly depths of endless powder days, waist deep for weeks on end. Follow stuntman/speed-flier Matt Combs as he skis and soars off of previously untamed lines that end in massive cliffs and certain death. Death-defying skier Mike Tierney continues to stack up first descents on the exposed faces of Cody Peak, skiing the “Talk Is Cheap” face and launching into “Central Couloir”, a feat only previously accomplished with a rope rappel. Seasoned veterans Andrew Whiteford and Ryan Vanlanen show why they’ve devoted their lives to the eternal powder search. These moments are magical, they belong to us all…
Man vs. Eiger
USA, 2010, 25 minutes
Directed and produced by Peter Mortimer & Nick Rosen
Category; Climbing
Session #1
The famous North Face of the Eiger is revered among climbers, not only for the quality of its rock but also for its intimidating dimensions and technical challenges. This lethal exposure has tested the limits of climbing for the past century. Now, climbing pioneer Dean Potter pushes another boundary for himself and the Eiger by scaling the North Face with no rope, just a backpack containing a carefully folded parachute. “Adrenaline makes me feel calm,” says Potter in this film that is part of the First Ascent series by Sender Films.
Mount St.Elias
Austria, 2009, 101 minutes
Directed and Produced by Gerald Salmina
Category; Climbing, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles, Snow Sports
Session #4 & 8
A story about four very different characters – three of them men, one a mountain.
A dramatic and awe-inspiring feature documentary following three of the world’s greatest ski mountaineers to the Mount St. Elias in their attempt to realise the longest ski descent of the world.
Set against the backdrop of Alaska’s dangerous beauty, Mount St. Elias is about a visionary borderline experience where unparalleled physical and mental pressure pushes them to the absolute limit. They find themselves in puristic situations, in which heroism cannot easily be distinguished from folly. Situations which can only be mastered if rationality is abandoned and in which courage as well as trust in their own abilities and last but not least luck are used as guidelines.
Two Austrian ski alpinists Axel Naglich and Peter Ressmann as well as the American freeski pro Jon Jonhston are facing this breathtaking challenge! A team with individual abilities, but also a team of leaders, knowing they literally cannot survive without teamwork and cooperation. Especially Axel Naglich, he unconsciously takes the role of the protagonist due to his authentic personality and, within the permanent struggle not against nature but against himself, polarizes as a strong character. A movie that finally shows why it is the mountains which unite lethal danger and delirious happiness.
Some language may offend.
Mustang — Journey of Transformation
USA, 2009, 28 minutes
Directed and produced by Will Parrinello
Category; Mountain Culture and Environment
Session #2
Lost in time, the Himalayan kingdom of Mustang is one of the last sanctuaries of authentic Tibetan Buddhist culture. However, long isolated by geography and politics, the people struggle to survive, and the centre of their culture — the 15th-century monasteries and the art within — is dangerously close to collapse. Narrated by Richard Gere and featuring the Dalai Lama, the film tells the compelling story of the efforts to rescue this ancient place from the brink of extinction and to help spark a cultural renaissance.
Nature Propelled
USA, 2010, 43 minutes
Directed and Produced by Seth Warren
Category; Mountain Culture and Environment, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyle
Session #5
Following the historic petroleum-free journey captured in his previous film, Seth Warren embarks on a new adventure with his nature powered fire truck named Baby, this time tracking the life cycle of water through the seasons. Featuring stunning and often daring footage, Nature Propelled demonstrates the connection between the elements, renewable energy, adventure sports, and practical ways that individuals can use these elements to power their lifestyles. Through its themes of adventure, education, and conservation, Nature Propelled aims to motivate and inspire the next generation of environmental activists and stewards.
Project X
USA, 2010, 50 minutes
Directed by Sean Aaron
Produced by Claude Merkel and Joe Prebich
Category; Snow Sports
Session #10
Last year Shaun White disappeared from the snowboard scene, holding up in the wilds of Colorado, USA, training for what would be the biggest winter of his life. This is the story of his year, the private half-pipe and one of the most progressive sessions in history. No less than 30 avalanches were set off by dynamite when building Shaun White's new half pipe in Silverton, Colorado. This is Red Bull Project X!
Realm
New Zealand, 2010, 35 minutes
Directed and Produced by Josh Neilson
Category; NZ Made, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #11
A kayak film that follows four Kiwi kayakers around the world in search of new rivers and podium placings in some of the toughest Extreme Races in the World. It is an insight into the lifestyles of traveling kayakers and what makes them tick.
Red Bull X Alps 2009
Austria, 2009, 55 minutes
Directed by Mario Kreuzer, Produced by Hannes Arch
Category; Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #6
Thirty athletes from 23 different nations race through the Alps from Salzburg, Austria to 
Monaco on the Mediterranean coast, traveling by foot or flying with a paraglider alone. The documentary expertly shows the athletes at their highest moments, soaring beautifully several thousand metres in the air through awe-inspiring mountains, and also at their deepest lows, as they trudged through heavy rain. In view of an athletes’ average sleeping time of three hours per day and loss in body weight of up to 10 kg during the race, it becomes clear what it takes to be a Red Bull X-Alps athlete. Motorized transport is not permitted but each athlete is allowed one supporter who provides tactical advice, weather reports food and shelter. Outstanding camera work captured all the action from this incredible race that left the participants exhausted, battered but just one victorious
Re:Session
USA, 2009, 65 minutes
Directed and produced by Todd Jones, Steve Jones, Corey Gavitt
Category; Snow Sports
Session #11
Re:Session documents the true wealth of the mountain experience. Follow the crew as they score in one of Alagna, Italy’s, deepest seasons on record. Check out forbidden powder in Poland, massive wedges in Colorado, new gap jumps in Utah, and seven weeks of epic riding conditions in Alaska. Re:Session brings the most talented athletes in the sport together into one must-see film. Contains some coarse language.
REV: A Buried Treasure
Canada, 2010, 40 minutes
Directed and Produced by Vance Shaw
Category; Snow Sports, Mountain Culture
Session #10
A unique documentary about “a town that skis.” A heartfelt and raw story about people who ski, live and visit the place of their dreams, now in transition from a historic quiet mountain town to a world-class ski area. Locals, visitors and athletes tell of a snow seekers’ gem made by passionate visionaries, lifestyle addicts and vast terrain.
REV is the successful blend of mind-blowing ski porn, engaging storytelling, and timely journalism . A film about a ski town caught in transition from a small mountain town that relied on industry to a town quickly on its way to becoming one of North America’s top ski destinations.
Rush Hour Dream
Germany, 2009, 5 minutes
Directed & Produced by Karim Jaspersen
Category; Short Film, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #4
Dusseldorf, Germany. An office worker goes to work and falls asleep in the tramway. In his dream he wakes up in a beautiful mountain side and discovers that he is carrying a paraglider in his laptop bag.
Shortcut
UK, 2010, 10 minutes
Director: Dave Brown
Producer: Lynwen Brown
Category; Short Film, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #1
Trail biking Welsh style. A journey from work past castles, mountains and more....
Ski the 14ers
USA, 2010, 45 minutes
Directed and produced by Ben Galland
Category; Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles, Snow Sports
Session #9
Ski the 14ers is the story of one man's dream to accomplish the impossible. Chris Davenport sets out to climb and ski all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks in a single winter. The quest begins with history-making speed and skill as Davenport crosses off 30 peaks in a single month. When Mother Nature intervenes, we follow Davenport on a riveting journey through a little-understood piece of the American landscape as he raises the bar for his sport and inspires a new generation of ski mountaineers to become stewards for the environment.
Snow Tramp
Canada, 2009, 6 minutes
Directed by Bryan Nykon
Produced by Johanne Gregory
Category; Short Film, Snow Sports
Session #1 &10
The lure of the mountains is powerful indeed so when our modern day ‘Tramp’ chances upon a newspaper photo of a ski resort, he knows in his heart what he must do..... The obstacles are many. Will he do it? Can he do it? And, most importantly, will he get the girl?
Speedflying - Local Peaks
New Zealand, 2010, 5 minutes
Directed and Produced by Mal Haskins
Category; NZ Made, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles, Short Film
Session #1
A fast and furious flight down the Central Otago landscapes.
Take a Seat
UK, 2009, 48 minutes
Directed by Ed Stobart, Dominic Gill
Produced by Lucy Wilcox
Category; Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #3
Dominic Gill’s mission is to cycle the 32,000 kilometres from the north coast of Alaska to the southern tip of South America, on a tandem push bike, picking up strangers on the way. His journey will take him through some of the toughest landscapes on Earth, with unpredictability and danger always lurking. The film is a gripping worm’s-eye view of two years and two continents, full of extraordinary characters and incidents. Has Gill got what it takes to go all the way? Special Jury Mention at BANFF
Temples in the Clouds
India, 2009, 58 minutes
Directed by Jim Mallinson and Chicoo Patuzzi
Produced by Iqbal Malhotra
Category; Mountain Culture and Environment, adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #9
Temples in the Clouds is a story of a challenging paragliding safari by Sir James Mallinson and Enrico Patuzzi in the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas. Both these friends, one from the UK and the other from Italy, are lovers of India and are fascinated by Hindu Mythology. The Dhauladhar range of mountains within the foothills of the Himalayas, are home to many centers of Mother Goddess worship situated in different temples. One such ancient temple is the temple of the Goddess Himani Chamunda Devi situated at a height of 2500 meters and requiring a full days climb to reach it from the bottom of the Kangra valley.
Terra Antarctica – Rediscovering the Seventh Continent 
USA, 2009, 49 minute
Directed & Produced by Jon Bowermaster
Category; Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #2
For six weeks adventurer Jon Bowermaster and his team explore the Antarctic Peninsula by sea kayak, sailboat, foot and small plane, observing the fast changing evolution of this most remote place. Impacted by climate change / temperatures have warmed along the Peninsula faster than anywhere on the planet during the past 50 years – this part of Antarctica is also experiencing a boom in tourism and nations fighting over who owns what as its ice slowly disappears. This National Geographic sponsored exploration is one-of-a-kind look at Antarctica from a unique perspective – sea level. Festival Grand Prize at the Vancouver MFF.
The Argentine Project
USA, 2009, 7 minutes
Directed and Produced by Jeremy Grant, Mike Kinrade and John Wellburn
Category; Short Film, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #7
3 friends taking a trip and hoping to create a mountain bike flick with one bike, 2 cameras… and a little Spanish.
The Remarkables: 146 years of Climbing
New Zealand, 2010, 16 minutes
Directed and Produced by Guillaume Charton
Category; NZ Made, Climbing
Session #12
A Mountain and its mountaineers. Towering 2000m above Lake Wakatipu in Central Otago the Remarkables conjure visions of sheer awe and beauty. Containing some recently uncovered film of the original ascent in 1864 by T.N. Hackett and party. The nineteenth century mountaineers struggled against the bitter cold, steepness of the climb and lack of (safe) gear to eventually reach the summit. A century and half later two local climbers revisit the mountain by scaling the modern classic “Indian Summer” on the West Face of the mountain but this time in 2010 style of climbing.
Far more than a film about climbing, this movie looks at the evolution of the sport in New Zealand and the relationship between a mountain and its protagonists thanks to interviews, archives and some genuine re-enactment.
The Urals
Germany, 2009, 45 minutes
Directed by Oliver Goetzl
Produced by Tom Synnatzschke
Category; Mountain Culture and Environment
Session #5
Mysterious stone monuments mark the border between Europe and Asia: On a plateau in the northern Ural Mountains the “Seven Strong Men” loom 50 metres high into the sky. The indigenous people regard “Manpupuner” as a place where ghosts gather. Extending over 2,000 kilometres from the coast of the Arctic Ocean to the Kazakh border, the foothills of the Ural Mountains are covered in coniferous forests and softly blend into the adjacent steppe landscape. Hungry wolves roam the forests in search of prey, always wary of the larger solitary bears. For the first time it was filmed how herds of elk swim through broad rivers in late winter to find new feeding grounds. Hollow tree trunks are the preferred nesting places of the Ural Owl. On the banks of the Ural River the animals gather not only for a drink: the water loving European minks are skilled fishers that have become rare elsewhere, while the Russian desman, a relative of the mole, dives for snails, using its long nose as a snorkel. This film shows the unique landscapes and species richness of the largest state in the world in breathtaking HD-quality.
To the Rainbow
UK, 2009, 15 minutes
Directed by Dave Brown
Produced by Lynwen Griffiths
Category; Climbing, Mountain Culture
Session #5
Paul Pritchard was one of Britain’s most talented and outrageous climbers in the late 1980s. A head injury received while climbing the Totem Pole in Tasmania left Paul with hemiplegia. Now, 13 years on, he makes an emotional return to climbing – on The Rainbow in North Wales. Teaming up with his old climbing partner, the legendary Johnny Dawes, he takes on a 5.10 route. Inspirational.
Trad - Playing with the Elements
France, 2010, 9 minutes
Directed by Phil Parker
Produced by www.TRADfilms.com
Category; Short Film, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #4
Laurent Niol is arguably one of the world’s finest and craziest base jumpers. With highly illegal and terrifying jumps, his film gives an insight in to how far a person can go in the search for adventure.
Trad - Under the Eye of the Jackdaw
UK, 2010, 13 minutes
Directed by Charlie Chambers
Produced by www.TRADfilms.com
Category; Short Film, Climbing
Session #7
Tim Emmett is a British climbing hero who rarely gets beaten by a challenge. His film is no exception; as he and a fellow climber make a desperate first free ascent of a thousand foot, overhanging ice wall in the French Alps.
Unfinished Business
South Africa, 2009, 23 minutes
Directed by Graham Shillington
Produced by Refresh Creative Media
Category; Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles
Session #1
Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, is an unfinished mountain. Flat foundations for the peak that could have been have haunted Cape Town for a long time.
Follow Jeremy Samson, Chief Mountain Architect, as he consults with Cape Town’s extreme athletes in action who use and are affected by the mountain in a quest to build a peak on Table Mountain.
Waikaia - Life Blood
New Zealand, 2010, 12 minutes
Directed by Keith Riley
Produced by Wayne Johnston
Category; NZ Made, Adventurous Sports and Lifestyles, Short Film
Session #3
A grass roots NZ adventure against the stunning and unusual backdrop of high country Southland. Three kayakers attempt a first descent of the East Waikaia River over an epic three days facing the hardest and most sustained rapids any of them have ever encountered.
Welsh Connection - Pembroke
UK, 2009, 12 minutes
Directed and Produced by Dave Brown
Category; Short Film, Climbing
Session #1
British hot shot Timmy Emmett tries and climbs hair raising routes on the Pembroke cliff in Wales.
Best Film on Rock Climbing at the Vancouver MFF
What Would Darwin Think? Man vs. Nature in Galapagos
USA, 2009, 25 min
Directed & Produced by Jon Bowermaster
Category; Mountain Culture and Environment
Session #2
The impact on the most unique collection of endemic wildlife in the world has been heavy; too many people from the outside world threatening the future of this one-of-a-kind place. Best Environmental Film at Vancouver MFF
After Charles Darwin first visited the island archipelago of Galapagos in 1839, it took him another twenty years to decipher the scene he’d witnessed, the most perfectly preserved biodiversity on the planet. His theory of evolution – published 150 years ago – pulled back the curtain on a debate that had been simmering for years, and still percolates. Today Darwin would be surprised by the tourist Mecca Galapagos has become; 200,000 visitors a year, 40,000 permanent residents. The impact on the most unique collection of endemic wildlife in the world has been heavy; too many people bringing too many of their ways (and invasive species) from the outside world threatening the future of this one-of-a-kind place. What would Darwin think of how Galapagos has evolved in the twenty/first century?
NZ Mountain Film Festival Office
P.O.Box 563, Wanaka 9192, New ZealandTel +64 3 443 1609 • Mob 0274 909 003 • nzmff@xtra.co.nz • www.mountainfilm.net.nz