Seven fabulous films, showcasing the very best of the Kendal Mountain Film Festival. This year‘s films are;
Slaydies dir. Colette McInerney
In 2017, two filmmakers travelled to Mallorca to film and climb with professional rock climbers; Margo Hayes, Emily Harrington, and Paige Claassen. They began the trip as five vastly different women with just a shared passion for climbing. They left as 'Slaydies'.
Aziza dir. Coldhouse
The call to prayer is a familiar sound in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Five times a day the minaret sounds, and people across the Moroccan valleys pause to say their prayers. The people of these villages are proud of their traditions, and many are subsistence farmers who work hard to make a living and maintain their families. This is no different for Aziza Raji, it’s just that despite the daily tasks that are expected of her, she manages to find time to train to be one of the rising stars of Moroccan ultra-running.
R J Ripper dir. Joey Schusler
Kids and bikes; wherever you are in the world, they go together. The chaotic streets of Kathmandu may not seem like a typical breeding ground for world-class mountain bikers, but then again nothing is typical about Rajesh (RJ) Magar. Since learning to ride on a beat-up clunker, to becoming the four-time National Champion at age 21, RJ’s story is one of boundless childhood dreaming and unstoppable determination, forged from junkyard scraps and tested on the rugged trails of the mighty Himalaya.
Chasing Monsters dir. Krystle Wright, Toby Pike
For the past 20 years, Australian photographer Nick Moir has been chasing weather systems throughout the world. Nick journeys through the famous Tornado alley that stretches through the American midwest that produces catastrophic yet beautiful storms that earn the appropriate nickname; monsters on the plains.
The Swimmer dir. Thomas Beug
Stephen Redmond from West Cork was the first person ever to complete the world famous 'Ocean’s Seven' challenge. This film looks at the beauty and the poetry of Stephen’s passion and touches on the lives of the people he loves and those he has lost. It delves into the peculiar, solitary psyche of an open-water swimmer who spends much of his time immersed in a world underwater.
Liv Along the Way dir. Anthony Bonello, Mike Douglas
Since she first summited Mont Blanc as a teen, Liv Sansoz knew she would make her life in the mountains. She was twice crowned World Champion in sport climbing, and eventually expanded her professional horizons to mixed climbing, ski mountaineering, and base jumping. In 2017, at 40 years old, Liv set out from her base in Chamonix, France to attempt to climb all 82 4000m peaks in the European Alps in a single year. As she’s learned several times throughout her life, things don’t always go as planned.
Every Few Winters
From the misty peaks of Glen Shiel with seasoned steep skiers Pete Mackenzie, Dave Searle and Hamish Frost, to the Back Corries and scoured slopes of Aonach Mor with 4-year-old Murray, 'Every Few Winters' explores the quirky, unique community of Scottish skiers who epitomise dedication to their sport and an unrivalled tenacity. The entry requirements? Patience and resilience in abundance.
Overground Underground is the festival of the Ingleborough Dales, and runs 4 May- 27 September 2019. Their full programme can be seen at ogug.co.uk.
£10