Sheffield Adventure Film Festival - This Weekend

The Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (ShAFF) is on this weekend (4-6 March) at The Showroom Cinema in Sheffield."The selection of films is without doubt the strongest ever." said event organiser Matt Heason. There are a total of sixty two films, of which twenty two feature climbing and mountaineering.But are films the only thing happening? Heason says not:"There's also a packed live music programme, an amazing second hand kit sale, free sports massage, a down hill mountain bike race, one of the world's foremost international bouldering masters (The CWIF), and loads, loads more."Appearing at the event are the likes of Andy Kirkpatrick, Kenton Cool, Niall Grimes, Jerry Moffatt, Ron Fawcett and Lucy CreamerThe Youtube trailer, edited by master filmmaker Alastair Lee, has had 13,000 views in one month.View it here:Websites, reviews and trailers to all the films at the festival can be found at www.shaff.co.ukHere Matt Heason takes us through the twenty two films featuring climbing and mountaineering:A Life Ascending (57 mins) USAA LIFE ASCENDING explores the highs and lows of living life on the edge as mountainski guide Ruedi Beglinger and his family deal with the ever-present dangersof their dad working in the avalanche prone Rocky Mountains. Filmed againstthe stunning backdrop of their home on a remote glacier in British Columbia,their story is heart-breaking, uplifting and thought-provoking. It examineswhat price is worth paying for living life to the full?Showing as part of Mountain Films (Sat 5 Mar - 13.30 - Screen 2 , Sun 6 Mar- 13.00 - Screen 2). Best Film On Mountain Culture - Banff; People's ChoiceAward - Banff; Best Mountain Culture Film - Kendal; Plus Many MoreMatt's comments: A really engaging and touching film about a wellrespected Swiss mountain guide living with his family in the Rockies. Beautifullyfilmed with story-telling second to none at the festival this year. It'swon countless awards at other festivals. Don't write it off because it'snot adrenaline fuelled.Annapurna in Light Style (25 mins) PolandPiotr Pustelnik is trying to climb his 14th 8000 m peak for the 4th time. Thistime together with his good friends Peter Hamor, Piotr Morawski and Darek Zaluski.This small expedition climbing in light style reaches the summit ridge at almost8000 m. There they have to decide if they dare the summit push of “only”150 m despite a storm coming up.Showing as part of Mountain Films (Sat 5 Mar - 13.30 - Screen 2 , Sun 6 Mar- 13.00 - Screen 2).Matt's comments: A typical Eastern European gritty film on high altitudemountaineering. Lots of beer drinking in a very laid back approach to what isclearly a gruelling climb.Down & Out & Under (17 mins) USAA once-in-a-lifetime adventure expedition for first ascents in Australia andon the wild sea cliffs of outer Tasmania.Showing as part of Climbing Films 2 (Sat 5 Mar - 21.00 - Screen 2 , Sun 6 Mar- 20.30 - Creative Lounge).Matt's comments: An unusual take on a climbing film actually featuringvery little climbing, but lots of strife, man-wrestling and wallaby bowling.Guaranteed to make you smile.Father of the Pride (3 mins) UKSimon Lee gets on the grit at age 5Showing as part of Young Adventurers Films (Sat 5 Mar - 11.00 - Screen 2 , Sun6 Mar - 11.00 - Screen 2). Matt's comments: A lovely little short, featured in the festival trailerand capturing those infamous words “come on, get your feet up”.

Crackoholic (29 mins) Sweden / (British Premiere)CRACKOHOLIC is the story of the history of Europe's best kept climbing secret- the trad climbing paradise of Bohuslän in Sweden. Featuring archive footageof Leo Houlding and Neil Gresham's early climbs, the film tells the full storyabout this climber's paradise and portrays these granite afficionados, theseCrackoholics. BRITISH PREMIERE.Showing as part of Climbing Films 1 (Sat 5 Mar - 17.00 - Screen 1 , Sun 6 Mar- 15.30 - Screen 2).Matt's comments: This is a short edit of a longer feature length film.If you like trad climbing and have not hear of Bohuslan then I guarantee thatit will be high on your list of places to visit as soon as you have watchedit. The filmmaker will be at the festival to answer any questions you have aboutthe place! He's over with a mate to sample some gritstone cracks...First Ascent - Brothers Wild (24 mins) USAIn BROTHERS WILD pro-climber Timmy O'Neill and his brother Sean - who is paralysedfrom the waist down - push the limits of adaptive climbing. Together they conquerthe 3,000 foot face of California's El Capitan, then face the challenge of thetreacherous glacier and remote rock wall of Alaska's storm-stricken Ruth Gorge.This short film includes interviews with the O'Neill family about how they andSean have come to terms with disability since a bridge-jumping accident aged18.Showing as part of Climbing Films 1 (Sat 5 Mar - 17.00 - Screen 1 , Sun 6 Mar- 15.30 - Screen 2).Matt's comments: A really well made short film about the O'Neillfamily. Funny, engaging, heart warming. It has the lot.First Ascent - Fly Or Die (24 mins) USACutting-edge climber Dean Potter is creating a new climbing frontier: the BaseFree Solo. By combining free-solo climbing and base jumping, Dean is on a questto master disciplines that will lead to a bold evolution of the sport. Is thisthe same as first ascent?Showing as part of Adrenaline Films (Sat 5 Mar - 18.30 - Screen 2 , Sun 5 Mar- 18.00 - Screen 2). SPECIAL JURY MENTION - BanffMatt's comments: A few years ago when Tim Emmett and Leo Houldingstarted BASE jumping it was clear what their goal was – to climb big wallswith nothing but a chalk bag, a pair of boots and a parachute. Dean Potter hastaken this incredibly pure 'sport' further than anybody else.First Ascent - Point Of No Return (24 mins) USAPOINT OF NO RETURN charts the story of Jonny Copp and Micah Dash's attempt tomake a first ascent of China's Mt Edgar via the east side during warm weatherthat makes the route prone to avalanches. "It's scary," Jonny tellscameraman Wade Johnson. "I've been on a lot of expeditions with Jonny,"says Micah, "and that's the first time I've ever heard him refer to somethingas 'scary.'" They were right to be unnerved.Showing as part of Mountain Films (Sat 5 Mar - 13.30 - Screen 2 , Sun 6 Mar- 13.00 - Screen 2). Judges Special Prize - KendalMatt's comments: This film really highlights the camaraderie thatexists within the climbing community, their friends quite literally droppingeverything to fly out to China when help is needed. It made me glad that I choseto be a climber.

The Swiss Machine (19 mins) USAStunning aerial footage of Ueli Steck's record-breaking speed ascents in theAlps. THE SWISS MACHINE charts the amazing feats of perhaps the greatest speedalpinist the world has ever seen. Ueli literally races up 8,000 foot mountainsdoing in hours what other mountaineers take days to achieve. He even pushesrenowned climber Alex Honnold to his limits on the big rock faces of Yosemite.Showing as part of Climbing Films 2 (Sat 5 Mar - 21.00 - Screen 2 , Sun 6 Mar- 20.30 - Creative Lounge). Best Mountaineering Film - KendalMatt's comments: The final few minutes of this short film is probablythe finest and most hair raising bit of adventure-sport footage I have everseen. The rest of the film is pretty good too! Definitely one of my favouritesand also features my favourite music track of 2010 (Welcome Home Son by RadicalFace)Nouvelle Vague (31 mins) Switzerland / (British Premiere)NOUVELLE VAGUE is an energetic and unusual film entirely dedicated to urbanStreet Climbing. Filmed in Geneva, top climbers scale buildings and bridgesshowing that with a bit of imagination adventure can be found on the cornerof your street. Featuring Spiderman aka Alain Robert. BRITISH PREMIERE.Showing as part of Climbing Films 1 (Sat 5 Mar - 17.00 - Screen 1 , Sun 6 Mar- 15.30 - Screen 2). Matt's comments: Probably the best film to date on urban climbing.Filmed exclusively in Geneva it shows the city off incredibly well via a seriesof well filmed climbing japes on amazing architecture. Perhaps the local touristboard should use it as a promotional video!The Architect (16 mins) UKA tribute to Robin Smith and Jimmy Marshall's famous week on Ben Nevis in 1960.Showing as part of Climbing Films 2 (Sat 5 Mar - 21.00 - Screen 2 , Sun 6 Mar- 20.30 - Creative Lounge). People's Choice at Kendal, Edinburgh & DundeeMatt's comments: Paul Diffley's award winning documentary aboutan amazing week of Scottish mountaineering. This is a short edit of the fullfeature and works very nicely on its own.The Hardest Move (17 mins) USADaniel Woods and Paul Robinson compete to climb the hardest boulders ever scaled.An inside look at what it takes to push the difficulty envelope of this intensesport.Showing as part of Climbing Films 2 (Sat 5 Mar - 21.00 - Screen 2 , Sun 6 Mar- 20.30 - Creative Lounge).Matt's comments: It's hard to go a few days at the moment withouthearing something about these two young men. Josh Lowell has put together ascompetent a character study as I've seen yet in climbing films.The Prophet (41 mins) UKFollowing the UK's top big wall climber Leo Houlding as he revisits his 10 yearproject; 'The Prophet', an exceptionally steep, loose and difficult route onthe east face of Yosemite's El Cap. Leo describes the route as 'the wildestclimb I've ever been on'. This has to be seen to be believed, crazy climbing.Showing as part of Climbing Films 2 (Sat 5 Mar - 21.00 - Screen 2 , Sun 6 Mar- 20.30 - Creative Lounge). Best Film & Best Climbnig Film - KendalMatt's comments: Hardly needs any comment. Leo Houlding is an amazingclimber. El Capitan is an amazing cliff. Alastair Lee is an amazing filmmaker.If you haven't seen it yet then it's well worth a watch.

Tuzgle (21 mins) France / (British Premiere)Featuring Nina Caprez, Michael Fuselier and their friends actually discoveringand exploring the fantastic climbing possibilities around the Tuzgle volcanoin the wild deserts of Argentina.Showing as part of Climbing Films 1 (Sat 5 Mar - 17.00 - Screen 1 , Sun 6 Mar- 15.30 - Screen 2).Matt's comments: What I love about this film, apart from the factthat the protagonists are clearly having a lot of fun, is that they found theplace using Google Earth. An inspiration to us all and something any of us cando if we have the inclination.ShAFF is supported by: Jagged Globe,UKClimbing, HammerDesign, EdinburghBicycle Cooperative, SheffieldTelegraph, Petzl and Mammut

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