Kendal Mountain Festival programme 2004

KENDAL FESTIVAL ORGANISERS

Sir Chris Bonington - Patron

John Porter - Director

Brian Hall - Director

Ian Wall - Festival Co-ordinator

Andy Curtis - Technical Director

Hilary Pye - Film Co-ordinator

Clive Allen - Marketing and PR

Kate Wright – Art Director

Julie Tait – Book Festival Director

Audrey Salkeld – Book Festival Advisor

Steve Scott – Graphic Design

Abi Willis – Design

Larissa Robson – Festival Administrator

Sorrel Stratford – Exhibitions and Art

Andy Parkin – Sculpture Awards

Steve Parnaby – Technical Manager

Dek Palmer – Book Fair

Tim Rhodes - Tour & Projection

Andy Perkins Presenters’ Co-ordinator

Tom Phillips - Website

Ian Gray – Staff Manager

Ian Henderson – Leisure Centre Programme

Robin Ashcroft - Rheged Programme

John Innerdale – Judge’s Co-ordinator

Sue Lawty - Festival Shop

Louise Hall - Festival Accounts

Bill Ruthven - Editorial Support

Graham Hoyland, Keith Partridge & Richard ElseExtreme Film School

And special thanks to all the staff at the Brewery Arts Centre, the Kendal Leisure Centre, Rheged and the TIC.

Photo - Carlos Buhler

WEL COME TO THE KENDAL 2004

MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL , MOUNTAIN BOOK FESTIVAL, EXTREME FILM SCHOO L , EXHIBITIONS AND COMPETITIONS - THE BEST IN MOUNTAIN SPORT AND CULTURE

People have been asking “how can this year’s Festival beat the success of the première of Touching the Void in 2003?” Well, here’s the answer! We have put together our strongest ever film and lecture programme. It is an honour to have Yvon Chouinard, Jeff Lowe, Dr. Charlie Houston and John Dugger from America. Add to them Maria Coffey and Dag Goering, Kurt Diemberger and Heinz Zak, Satya Dam and a great line up of British lecturers, plus the history of British Light Weight Style, and a special programme of events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first ascent of K2, and we are getting close.

Add to that a Book Festival, an expanded Extreme Film School, an all-day Friday programme and a Schools Arts Programme, the Ithaca Exhibitions and a Book Fair at the Town Hall, and we think we are just about there.

All this is driven by our core aims. The Festival is here to celebrate the art and activity of mountain sports and culture, and to raise the profile of issues that affect mountain communities around the world. In doing that, we create opportunities for everyone to take part and to have their say – as film makers, writers, photographers, athletes, walkers – whatever - we are people who find mountain landscapes inspiring.

We welcome many new sponsors this year, as well as welcoming back many others who have become staunch supporters. Without them, this would not happen. Joint Presenting Sponsors are Berghaus and Rural Regeneration Cumbria (with the support of the North West Development Agency). The best way for us to thank them all is to offer a truly world class event.

Make sure you spend some time in the Marquee. Visit the Kendal Festival Information Desk and the Outside Shop, check out the latest kit and share ideas with our sponsors. And don’t forget to vote for your favourite film - the People’s Choice - on the Bridgedale stand.

Whether you are here for the week, or just up for a day, enjoy the Festivals!

John Porter Brian Hall

THE INTERNATIONAL FILM COMPETITION

Pre-selection of the films in the competition is becoming increasingly difficult as the number and quality of the entries increases each year. Inevitably a number of good films have been left out. We accommodate as many UK produced films as possible, not because we are parochial, but to encourage benchmarking against the best international standards. We are delighted that this is working in practice – the winner of last year’s Extreme Film School was a finalist at Banff this year. The UK scene is unique and we know it is of specific interest to the Festival audience.

The categories and their sponsers are:

• Grand Prize – Berghaus

• Mountaineering – Climber magazine

• Climbing – Scarpa

• Mountain Adventure – Rural Regeneration Cumbria

• Mountain Culture & Environment – First Ascent

• Video Short – NW Vision

• People’s Choice – Bridgedale

• Extreme Film School – Lowe Pro/Manfrotto

• Judges’ Special Prize (if awarded) – Kendal Mountain Film Festival

Our resident sculptor - Andy Parkin – creates our unique and remarkable film prizes each year from the scrap he gathers from Alpine glaciers. “Every film is different and I like to think that my sculptures reflect that uniqueness.” The final task for our film judges each year is to choose which sculptures go with each winning film. You can visit Andy in his workshop in the Art Room on the third level of the Brewery Arts Centre. There is also over £2,000 in prize money. The Award Ceremony will be on Sunday the 22nd at 5:15 pm. in the Arts Centre Theatre – a great end to the weekend – always lots of fun and a few surprises. See if your selection for “People’s Choice” wins – vote at the Bridgedale stand in the Marquee from noon Friday, all day Saturday and Sunday until 2 pm.

Kendal Presenters 2004

Simon Abrahams

Robin Ashcroft

Chris Bonington

Nick Colton

Jim Curran

Lindsay Griffin

David Hamilton

Graham Hoyland

John Innerdale

Alastair Lee

Bernadette McDonald

Jonathan Slator

Andy Perkins

Keith Partridge

Chris Rowlands

Julie Tait

Andrew Miles

Steve Scott

Simon Yates

Maria Coffey

Maria Coffey lives on a small island off the coast of British Columbia. She is an internationally published author of 11 books, perhaps known best in the UK for Fragile Edge – a portrayal of the impact that the disappearance of her partner Joe Tasker on the NNE Ridge of Everest in 1982 had on her life. Despite her expressions of doubts about the personal cost that risk too often brings to participants in adventure sports, she is an adventurer herself with many exciting sea kayak trips to her credit. As a commentator on the mountain community, Maria spends much of her working life at Mountain Festivals, and has a deep and extensive appreciation of the nature and art of mountain films.

in1993. Dermot is perhaps best known as a writer, with works like Mountains & Other Ghosts and At the Rising of the Moon, the 1994 Boardman-Tasker winner. He has written a number of works in Irish, such as Rince ar na Ballaí - which won the Oireachtas Award for Literature in 2002. He is currently working on a book of Historic Journeys in the Irish Landscape. Dermot has also written and presented many TV documentaries for CTL Films on topics which include adventure travel, minority languages, Irish history and remote cultures, such as the series, Turas im Baol, featuring nomadic journeys through Siberia, the Sahara, and (currently) Iran.

Simon Wells

Fulvio Mariani

Director and producer, he was born in 1958 at La Chaux de Fonds in Switzerland. He started his filmmaking career as a cameraman for Swiss TV. After several expedition assignments, Fulvio went freelance in 1985, making a film about Marco Pedrini’s solo ascent of Cerro Torre. Cumbre became an international success, and with his own company Iceberg, many more were to follow. He has worked with well known Directors like Werner Herzog, filmed Hans Kammerlander’s successful ski descents of both Shisha Pangma and Everest, and is currently working on a documentary on the Indo/Pakistani war in the Siachen. He is the 2004 winner of the International Alliance for Mountain Film Award for his life-time contribution to mountain film.

Simon Wells has been a climber and adventure film-maker for over twenty years. He served an apprenticeship with the revolutionary caving film-maker Sid Perou on the series Realm of Darkness – C4, a time described as “literally wet behind the ears and always grubby”. He resurfaced to produce and/or direct films from the world’s wildest regions - from Alaska to Siberia and the Himalaya. Adventures in mountains and the Arctic, including two historical pieces with Chris Bonington, have been complemented with numerous forays into the British criminal underworld and other esoteric subjects including beauty queens and the love lives of long-distance truck-drivers! He made the controversial Climbing for the Fatherland about pre war attempts on the Eiger North Face in 2001.

Dermot Somers

Climber, writer, broadcaster, Dermot was born in Roscommon, Ireland in 1947. He has 30 years of rock-climbing and Alpine experience with several Himalayan Expeditions, including the successful Irish Everest expedition, via the North Ridge

Justine Wright

Justine Wright has been a professional film editor in London for the past fourteen years. She moved to the UK from New Zealand where she had been active in many outdoor sports and was a keen mountain walker. In London, she began cutting commercials and music videos before moving into longer format documentary and drama. Credits include work as editor on the Academy Award winning feature documentary “One Day In September” and the BAFTA winning “Touching the Void”, both films directed by Kevin MacDonald.

Please refer to the Schedule to locate where films are screened (eg a film marked P3 means Programme 3)

A Fistful of Steel

Great Britain ~ 55 mins ~ (P3)

Directed and Produced by Iain White & Neil Handyside

The film follows Scottish climber Scott Muir and various friends on their quest to repeat the hardest sport mixed climbing routes in Europe and North America. This is the upside down world of unleashed tooling and moments of tremendous physical commitment and elation.

African Fly-By

France ~11mins ~ (P5)

Directed by D. Janizewski & J. Ruby

Produced by Ride the Planets

The remote corners of Mali have many sandstone towers and walls which attract the attention of four French climbers. Much to the delight of the locals, it is also perfect for exciting and beautifully filmed BASE jumping and paragliding.

Alone Across Australia

Australia ~ 52 mins ~ (P2)

Directed by Jon Muir

Produced by Shark Island Productions

Jon Muir, an accomplished mountaineer and adventurer, discovers that his greatest adventure is awaiting in his own back yard –a 2000 mile solo south to north continental crossing of Australia. Unsupported, and living only on what he can carry or scavenge along the route, this is a tale of a man taxed to the limit, both physically and emotionally.

Altisimo

France ~ 5 mins ~ (P8)

Directed by Dominique Janizewski

Produced by Ride the Planets

The alpine rivers of northern Italy provide some of Europe’s hardest white water for a group of the best French paddlers.

Au Sud Des Nuages (South of the Clouds)

Swizerland ~ 80 mins ~ (P1)

Directed by Jean-Françoise Amiguet

Produced by Bernard Lang

Adrien is both feared and respected by the local people in the Cotter Mountains of Switzerland. They call him God, and he almost believes it himself. But then, like many farmers in Cumbria a few years ago, he loses all his cattle. He leaves his alpine pastures for the first time in his life on a journey to distant China, where he reconnects with his inner self and rediscovers his humanity.

Bellavista

Germany ~ 23 mins ~ (P5)

Directed by Heinz Zak

Produced by Michael Pause

The film follows Alex Huber as first he climbs a new route in winter on the North Face of the Cima Ovest de Laverado, and then goes back to climb it free in summer. The gripping and notorious 80m roof is wild (8c), and lacks the solid protection of a ‘normal’ sports climb.

Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Great Britain ~ 45mins ~ (P5)

Directed by Justine Curgenven, Tim Guilford & Kate Snell

Produced by Kate Snell & Mark Dyson (Raw Material Productions)

Three friends explore hidden passages only 150 metres beneath normal life on the surface, but they’re in one of the last true wildernesses, searching for cave passages in a hollow Welsh hillside - Ogof Draenenfinding a virgin chamber far more beautiful than any of them dared to hope for. The huge stalactites and beautiful aragonite formations are of world class importance.

Charles, Edouard ou le Temps Suspendu

France ~ 26mins ~ (P1)

Directed and Produced by Bernard Boyer

Silence and the passing of time mark the lives of two elderly brothers living on a mountain farm. Isolation for the two bachelors is a way of life. They share few words and live in a routine of caring for their animals and watching the slow cycle of the natural world.

Das Rad (The Rocks)

Germany ~ 8 mins ~ (P10)

Directed by C. Steiner, H. Wittlinger & A Uibel

Produced by Georg Gruber

The beginning and the end of civilization passes by in a matter of minutes, as witnessed by the rocks – you’ll never look at a cairn in the same way again.

Dolomites Trance

France ~ 7mins ~ (P5)

Directed and Produced by Ride the Planets

The Brandler/Hasse route on the North Face of the Cime Grande de Laveredo makes a fine climb, and the overhanging wall the perfect place for a quick exit – another short classic.

A Fistful of Steel

Dolpo - Children of the Mountains

France ~ 52mins ~ (P1)

Directed by Sylvie Davidson & Pierre Combroux

Produced by Eric Bacos

Tenzin Norbu is a painter who comes from the Dolpo, an ancient and hidden Himalayan kingdom only discovered by Westerners in the ’60s, and still cloaked in mystery. From his studio in Kathmandu, the artist brings viewers into this fascinating world. The film unfolds like a fairytale, presenting characters whose stories are moving and remarkable.

Eiger North Face

Switzerland ~ 52 mins ~ (P3)

Directed / Frank Senn & Thomas Ulrich

Produced by Swiss Television DRS

Two Swiss guides ask; “are today’s climber’s capable of repeating the notorious Eiger Nordwand using the equipment of 1938?” The film follows them for a year as they research, and then have re-made, the “authentic” equipment of the pre war era. The horrific Eiger conditions, unchanged by 60 years, await them.

Farther Than the Eye Can See

USA ~ 75 mins ~ (P2)

Directed by Michael Brown

Produced by Joshua Colover & Chris Blum

Erik Wiehenmeyer is one of many hundreds of people who have climbed Mount. Everest. However, there is one big difference in the challenge for Erik – he is totally blind. This remarkable film follows him and his team of helpers to the summit of the world, and to the heights of human spirit.

Fools with Tools

Scotland ~14mins ~ (P3)

Directed and Produced by Paul Diffley & David Brown

A determined but relatively unremarkable group of Edinburgh climbers train and have fun together in anticipation of repeating the dry-tooling test piece Fast and Furious. A humorous short film, with real emotion as the climbers push themselves to their own physical and mental limits.

Glacier Plastic Power

Austria ~ 23mins ~ (P3)

Directed by Christoph Sturm

Produced by the Orange Blue Fresh Air Team

The benefits of good fun and good training can be seen in this film of ice, steep and nice, as World Cup winner Harold Berger and friends travel indoors and out in pursuit of the perfect and (more often) not-so-perfect placement.

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FILM DETAILS

Happiness in Slavery

Scotland ~ 16mins ~ (P5)

Directed / Produced by Peter Murray

Dave MacLeod is one of the best all-round rock climbers in the UK. The film follows him for a month as he works through injuries and numerous falls to success on the hardest new sport route in Scotland.

Highliner

Austria ~ 12 mins ~ (P4)

Directed and produced by Heinz Zak

Climber Dean Potter is known for his bold solo ascents, but this is not a film for the squeamish as he slack-lines in Yosemite.

Huandoy First Base

France ~ 7 mins ~ (P9)

Directed by D. Janizewski

Produced by Ride the Planets

Huandoy in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru is a difficult mountain to climb, and its west face is the scene of one of the most remarkable BASE jumps ever achieved.

I Am Climbing

Great Britain ~ 15 mins ~ (P9)

Directed and Produced by Alastair Lee

An innovative and humorous look at the obsessive and competitive nature of climbing. Pythonesque animation and devices add to the interest. From boulders in British Columbia the team move on to the windy towers of Castleton Valley of Utah.

Ice Axis

USA ~ 4 mins ~ (P9)

Directed and Produced by Rich Purnell

A fast and furious ice climbing ‘short’ on very steep terrain.

Le Cheval 2.1

GB ~ 2 mins ~ (P2)

Most of us probably dream about being in the mountains, climbing like a god, but perhaps not all. A short piece of the absurd – don’t blink!

Meltdown – In the Shadow of Nepal’s Lost Glaciers

Great Britain ~ 50 mins ~ (P7)

Directed by Richard Heap

Produced / Richard Heap & Eve Wood

For those who love the romantic image of snow capped Himalayan peaks, this is a rude awakening to a new danger. Global warming is creating potential disaster zones in the many narrow Nepalese valleys. The film follows a UN sponsored trip with Ian McNaught-Davis and Roger Payne to examine the huge glacial lakes forming behind moraine dams across the region, and one in particular in the Everest region near Island Peak.

Mount Poi – The Big Thing

Germany ~ 27 mins ~ (P5)

Directed by Jochen Schmoll Produced by Drehxtrem

Africa’s highest monolith is hidden away on the high steppes of northern Kenya. Stephan Glowacz and Jürgen Knappe attempt a new route on Mount Poi, and spend culturally enriching time with the local Samburu tribe, before finally making the top on a wild and beautiful route.

My Sore Pussy

New Zealand ~ 9 mins ~ (P3)

Directed and Produced by Dave Kwant

The continuing adventures of ex-pat Dave Kwant’s team slug – UK and Kiwi branches - as they tackle white water in extremis on the upper Whitcombe River of New Zealand with humour and imagination.

Never Say Nevis Again

Scotland ~ 10 mins ~ (P9)

Directed and Produced Steve Rogers

This time the White Water is much nearer to home, but just as challenging on Scotland’s River Nevis.

Nima Temba Sherpa

Holland ~ 52 mins ~ (P7)

Directed by Margriet Jansen

Produced by Margriet Jansen and Metropolis Film

This documentary follows an ascent of Cho Oyu by a commercial expedition through the eyes of one of its employees - Nima Temba – a fairly typical talented Sherpa guide from Rolwaling. We visit his family and share his impressions of life as an employee of western expeditions where the pay and risks are as disproportionate as so much else that separates the cultures of the West and East.

North West Passage – On Franklin’s Trail

Ireland ~ 68 mins ~ (P6)

Directed and Produced by John Murray

Sailing a small boat through the Northwest Passage is one of the truly great challenges left on earth. The film follows an Irish crew of eight men as they cross the Atlantic and force a passage through to the Pacific on a three month adventure. They travel through a spectacular Arctic world of ice, mountains and frozen wastes, a world that had mysteriously swallowed up the expedition of John Franklin 150 years earlier.

Para-hawking

Great Britain ~ 35 min ~ (P4)

Directed and Produced by Graham Saunders-Griffiths, Scott Mason and Adam Hill

The great raptors of Nepal are diverse, spectacular and in some places under threat of extinction. A team of ornithologists and paragliding pilots from Britain and Nepal devise an ingenious way to help save them – create a tourist industry that literally “flys” with the birds. This is an engaging film of an international partnership that crosses cultural and entrepreneurial borders.

Pembroke Sea Fervour (Zodiac)

Great Britain ~ 20 mins ~ (P9)

Directed and Produced by Martin Crocker, Peter Hall and Carl Ryan

Zodiac is a précis of the traditional British Sea climbing experience. Nowhere is it better told than on the much-loved Pembroke cliffs, and by Britain’s foremost sea cliff climbing pioneer of the 1980’sPat Littlejohn. The film gives an insight into the way that sea cliff climbing has shaped this doyen of the pure British rock climbing style.

Psicobloc

USA ~ 8 min ~ (P9)

Directed and Produced by Josh Lowell

On the Mediterranean island of Mallorca, Klem Loskot, Tim Emmett and friends discover some great and spectacular deep water solos on overhanging limestone walls up to 60 feet high. With a warm sea as a crash pad, the climbing is wild and the falls magnificent.

Reflections of a Solo Sheep Herder

USA ~ 15mins ~ (P9)

Directed and Produced by Trey Chace

This ‘mockumentary’ will have you laughing and/or your skin crawling, as it sends up some of the best and the worst characteristics of a big wall egotist and chauvinist (in North Carolina?)

Sleeping Giants

USA ~ 41mins ~ (P10)

A ‘pushing the limits’ ski film shot exclusively in Jackson Hole, Wyoming where most of the time they just about get away with it.

Socialmente Inultile

Italy ~ 15 mins ~ (P9)

Directed by Andrea Frigrio

Produced by Camilla Productions

Soicalmenta Inultile is the story of a free ascent of a route by the same name, an 8a+ on the Pesgunfi in Val Masino. The climbers follow a philosophy of the same ilk - great climbing and reflections that are shared by many the hard core rock athletes of Europe. Contains strong language.

North West Passage - On Franklin’s Trail

Sur les Fil de 4000

France ~ 52mins ~ (P8)

Directed by Gilles Chappaz

Produced by Migoo Production/Ville de Grenoble/ Association Grande Cordée.

The challenge for Patrick Berhault was to climb all 82 summit in the Alps over 4000m in three months. With long time friend Phillipe Magnin, they set out from Grenoble on March 1st 2004 and spent the next 58 days climbing and skiing between the peaks. Their adventure came to a sudden and tragic end when Patrick fell to his death when a cornice collapsed en route to the Dom.

The Adventure is Not Yet Over

Great Britain ~ 50mins ~ (P4)

Directed by Richard Else

Produced by Triple Echo Productions

For nearly 50 years, Sir Chris Bonington has been the most respected British climber internationally, and the most dominant and best known figure on the British scene. But he has not yet hung up his boots. At 70, Chris spends some time climbing with Leo Houlding in the Blue Mountains of Australia, reflecting on the good and bad times that have shaped his life.

The Bonfire of Vanities France

~ 10 mins ~ (P9)

Directed and Produced by Guillaume Broust

The modern approach to the lesser peaks of the Himalaya has brought them down to alpine scale – at least in the style of ascent. Sébastien and Jérôme Constant t make a fast and fun ascent of what is clearly a very difficult route on the North Face of Pharilapcha near Namche Bazar in Nepal.

The Conquest of K2

Italy ~ 49 mins ~ (P7)

Directed by Alessandro Varchetta

Produced by Marco Visalberghi, Francesco Virga

A depressed but unbowed country after the Second World War, Italy decided on a heroic undertaking that would show its citizens that they were capable of great achievements – the first ascent of the world’s hardest mountain - K2. This chronicle of the ascent of the secondhighest mountain in the world features exceptional archival footage, reenactments, and interviews with expedition members.

The Falcon that Flew with Man

Great Britain ~ 50 mins ~ (P6)

Directed and Produced by Leo Dickinson

Lloyd Buck has trained eagles and falcons for twenty years. Like many, he has been fascinated by just how fast peregrine falcons can fly. Using parachutes, balloons and state-of-the-art micro-accelerometers, Lloyd decided to find out the answer to that age-old question. Andy Montriou, a BASE jumper, and Leo Dickinson train the falcons to chase them in order to get unique footage of the world’s fastest creature, but there are unexpected risks entering the domain of another creature.

The Fly Up

Kazakhstan ~ 10 mins ~ (P2)

Directed by Marat Sarulu

Produced by Film Kino

An encapsulation of a day in the life of a young man trapped in a drab, post-Soviet industrial town. He dreams of soaring above it all and creates the means to do it.

The Bonfire of Vanities

The God

Russia ~ 4 mins ~ (P4)

Directed by Konstantin Bronzit

Produced by Sergey Selyanoy & Alexander Boyarsky

A clever animated short in which a god becomes furious with a pesky fly – but don’t underestimate the will to re-incarnate!

The Hardest Way to the Pole

Great Britain ~ 45mins ~ (P4)

Directed by Mark Dyson

Produced by Raw Material Productions

Pen Hadow attempts the first solo walk to the Geographic North Pole, with no support of any kind, via the most dangerous route from Canada. Pen reflects on his physical, emotional and psychological changes. To stop himself going mad, he invents a team including ‘Molly’ the snow brush, ‘Swerves and Curves’ the ski poles and ‘Baskers’ the sledge. After losing a ski, he must walk the rest of the way to the Pole.

Thumbnail

Spain ~ 58 mins ~ (P10)

Directed and Produced by Jesús Bosque

On the south coast of Greenland stands the Thumbnail, a granite wall a mile high. Climbers Cecilia Buil and Roberta Nunes approach by kayak, paddling through icebergs and passing whales and seals. They think it will take one week on the wall: climbing, sleeping, working together. If they make it, they will break the record for the longest new route climbed by a team of women.

Tom Crean: Antarctica’s Forgotten Hero

Ireland ~ 53 mins ~ (P8)

Directed by Donncha Ó Briain and John Murray

Produced by John Murray

This award winning film tells the story of Irishman Tom Crean, who became one of the most indestructible heroes in the history of Antarctic exploration, taking part in three of the four greatest Antarctic expeditions. Using archival photographs and film and interviews with polar historians and relatives of Tom Crean and Ernest Shackleton, the film chronicles Crean’s astonishing life of adventure, heroism, and survival against the odds.

Trio for One

France ~ 57 mins ~ (P9)

Directed by Shay Katz

Produced by Gerard Queray & Katai Lafaille

Dhaulagiri, Nanga Parbat and Broad Peak are three of the world’s 14 peaks over 8000m. Jean Christophe LaFaille aims to ascend all three in the space of three months. The film takes us on a dramatic and eventful journey which explores the mind, motivation and will to succeed and survive of this devoted mountaineer.

The Conquest of K2

Tom Crean

FILM DETAILS

Tsavagtattaq

Sweden ~ 27 mins ~ P(5)

Directed and Produced by Micael Sundberg

A single photo of an unclimbed spire in Eastern Greenland taken by friends fires a group of climbers to visit the mountain to try and climb its monstrous headwall. Failure due to loose rock and bad weather forces a retreat on the first visit, but Tsavagtattag -“The Tip of he Harpoon” - calls them back to try again the following summer.

Twice Upon a Time in Bolivia

Great Britain ~ 50 mins ~ P(6)

Directed and Produced by Alastair Lee and David Halsted

Three no-hopers from Lancashire’s grimmest corner (Burnley) head out for Bolivia’s Cordillera Real in search of 6000m glory. This hysterical journey begins with acclimatization problems, when one member turns into a “scouse wookey”. A stunning mountain route on Pequin Alpamayo becomes a side line to the deadpan humour which takes in bandits, frostbite, donkeys, climbing and full frontal adventure.

Women of K2

USA ~ 47 mins ~ P(10)

Directed by Jeff Rhoads

Produced by Jennifer Jordan

Your Himalayas

Spain ~ 40 mins ~ P(8)

Directed by Alberto I�urrategi

Produced by Anaiak I�urrategi & Aretxabaleta

This beautiful film by Basque film maker and climber Alberto I�urrategi is a passionate and poetic tribute to his brother Felix who died on Gasherbrum 2 while the - brothers were well on their way to complete all 8000m peaks. The void left by this loss forces questions on motivation as he returns to the Himalaya to carry on without Felix at his side, and yet his presence is still with him.

Whereas Everest has been climbed over 2000 times, far fewer have reached the summit of the world’s second highest mountain - K2. Until this year, only five of them were women, three of whom never made it back down again, including Britons Alison Hargreaves and Julie Tullis. The film features revealing interviews and rare archival photographs, and tells the story of the obsession these fearless women had with the mountain, and the price they paid.

Additional Films Screened at KMFF 2004

Balance of Risk

Great Britain ~ 9mins

Directed and Produced by Brian Hall, Keith Partridge, Jamie Andrew

Climber Jamie Andrew returns to the rock after a horrific accident on the North Face of the Droites in the French Alps which killed his climbing partner. This excellent and moving portrait from Kendal Festival Director Brian Hall and Extreme Film School Manager Keith Partridge has not been entered in competition.

Hot Rock Challenge

Great Britain ~ 23mins

Directed and Produced by Melissa Nesbitt

Dave Lucas presents a special programme on the Hot Rock Global Challenge and other tales from the Vertical World. Slides and on film - a pacey, innovative and musical tour of adventures and new rock climbing areas throughout The Middle East, Africa and South America. The hour long programme will take place at 5:30 pm on Friday evening the 19th of November in the Malt Room. Look out for the repeat of the film in the Malt Room film programme over the weekend. Entry is free.

Brotherhood of the Rope

USA ~ 50mins

Exploring the Heights USA ~ 45 mins

Directed and Produced by Dr. Charles Houston

The Brotherhood of the Rope is the story of the 1953 American K2 expedition - an expedition that came close to success, characterised by an incredible and robust team spirit. “Sticking together” on a harrowing descent was the key to survival. The film was completed just weeks before the festival. It uses rarely seen footage, original drawings by Dee Molenar, and a rediscovered K2 symphony written specially for the expedition. Brotherhood of the Rope is dedicated to Dr Houston’s K2 team partners, and is inspired by the heroic and legendary ice axe belay by Pete Schoening that saved the lives of seven men. An attempt to save a sick colleague has been the subject of a magazine article which described the attempt as “foolhardy” - this film is Dr Housten’s response. Exploring the Heights is another remarkable film chronicle, covering both the two American K2 expeditions, and also Dr. Houston’s high altitude research projects, and perhaps most remarkable of all, the story of the successful British/American expedition to Nanda Devi in 1936. These films can be seen as part of Dr. Houston’s three personal appearances at the Festival – check the lecture programmes for locations and dates.

Your Himalayas

ADDITIONAL

BEST OF KENDAL 2003

Rheged

Sunday 14th November 7:15pm

7:15pm Welcome and Intro

7:20 Pensieri nel Vento (Thoughts in the Wind)

Italy 19 mins

Directed/ Produced by Ermanno Salvaterra

Runner Up - Mountaineering

A poetic reflection on life, as Salvaterra battles storms and winds on the savagely beautiful Cerro Torre.

7:40 Namaste

Swiss 15 mins

Runner-up Video Short

Dominique Perret travels to the Manali in North India to ski at altitude, with attitude and reverence for the 360 deities that protect the Valley.

7:55 Rubicon or People From the Other Side of the Earth

Russia 29 mins

Winner - Best Mountaineering

A team of crack Russian climbers climb the vertical wall of the Great Sail Peak on Baffin Island, but do they feel at home among the native spirits? A Russian Rock Musical!

8:25 Break

8:50 Biscuit (from Front Range Freaks)

USA 3mins

Directed and Produced by Peter Mortimer

Winner Video Short

Biscuit is a climbing Jack Russell, the Lynn Hill of the dog world. Everyone goes “Ahhhh”.

8:55 Wookey Exposed

Great Britain 48 mins

Produced/Directed by Gavin Newman

Winner Mountain Adventure

With new and archive footage, cave expert Gavin Newman tracks the archaeological interest and exploration history of one of

Britain’s most spectacular cave systems.

9:50 Climbing the North Face of the Uxbridge Road

Great Britain 3 mins

Something completely different - extreme humour from the Monty Python team.

9:55 Close

WHITE WATER & WHEELS, BIKES & BOATS

The Theatre

Brewery Arts Centre

Wednesday 17th November

7:00pm

7:00pm Welcome and Intro

7:05 No Big Names ll

USA 38 mins

Directed and Produced by Brent Buntyn, Ben Stookesberry, & Eric Seymour

An all action white water road trip to the some wild locations in the US and Mexico

7:45 Chain Reactions 5

USA 10 Mins

Produced and Directed by Don Hampton

Three competition chapters from this award winning bike film – an onslaught of hair raising descents, broken bikes and bones.

7:55 Weyhakin (Iceland)

USA 5 Mins

Directed and Produced by Arden Oksanen & Trask McFraland (Teton Gravity Research)

An atmospheric short film which uncovers the hidden waterfalls and rivers in Iceland.

8:00 No Way –The Hans Rey Story 12mins

A short history of mountain biking evolution in the USA and Europe, focusing on Hans Rey.

8:10pm break

8:30pm Sacred Water – the Ganges

An Multi-media Adventure

Adventure writer and photographer team, Maria Coffey and Dag Goering, present a highly acclaimed multi-media lecture which charts their journey down the remote reaches of India’s most sacred river.

9:30 Self Titled

Canada 25 mins

Directed by Mike Kinrade Produced by MPF Productions

All action mountain bike journeys and stunts in America and Canada with some of the best in the sport.

10:00 My Sore Pussy

New Zealand 9 mins

Directed and produced by Dave Kwant

The continuing adventures of ex-pat Dave Kwant’s team slug – UK and Kiwi branches - as they tackle white water in extremis on the upper Whitcombe River of New Zealand with humour and imagination.

10:50 Never Say Nevis Again

Scotland 10 mins

Directed and Produced Steve Rogers

A short action documentary about white water kayaking in the Scottish highlands focusing on a kayak journey down the River Nevis. The film engages the viewer in the experience through the use of on board cameras and inventive camera techniques.

10:00 Extreme Film School 2004

4 mins

Polaris Challenge - the hardest mountain bike race in the world and No Cycling - Unicycling in the mountains. Two short films set in the Lake District from the Festival’s own film school for aspiring film makers

Close

“DUMPING IT DOWN” – AN EVENING OF SKI EXPLORATION

The Theatre

Brewery Arts Centre

Thursday 18th November

7:00pm

7:00pm Welcome and Intro

7:05 Soul Purpose

USA 21 mins

Directed and Produced by Todd Jones, Dirk Collins, Steve Jones, Corey Gavitt (Teton Gravity Research)

Soul Purpose explores the minds and abilities of the athletes. With trips to the far-off reaches of the planet including Russia, Alaska and Canada, this film captures the best of big-mountain skiing and snowboarding while still focusing on skiing’s free style movement

7:25 Skiing the Back of Beyond Lecture

Rob Collister is a passionate advocate of low impact, unsupported journeys in the hills. Past president of the British Mountain Guides, his lecture covers ski mountaineering explorations in remote areas such as Mt Waddington (BC), Alaska, India, Lebanon and Corsica.

8:10 Break

8:30 A Willing Suspension of Disbelief USA 4 mins

Directed and Produced by Riley Morton

In the States, you loose your ski pass for going off piste. Will the ski patrol catch their man?

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMES

8:35 Max et Sa Belle-Mere

France 1911 20 mins

Max Linder

The earliest ever ski film? We bring back by popular demand this slapstick comedy – a story of a couple’s attempt to escape “Sa Belle Mere” on a skiing honeymoon to Chamonix.

8:55 Sleeping Giants

USA 41mins

Directed and produced by Darrell Miller

A ‘pushing the limits’ ski film shot exclusively in Jackson Hole, Wyoming where most of the time they just about get away with it, beating the avalanches and squeezing through tight gulleys.

9:40 Salad Days

USA 10 mins

Produced by Teton Gravity Research

We finish with a sequence of spectacular jumps and stunts, crash and burn.

9:50 Close

From Kilimanjaro to Everest Trekking Peaks

Dr Charles Clarke

Yvon Chouinard

Kurt Diemberger

Yvon Chouinard

The climbing exploits of Yvon Chouinard are legendary. First ascents in the early years of big-wall climbing in Yosemite, matched by serious ice and alpine routes around the globe – the Alps, Himalaya, South America, even Scotland, where he found some of the best winter climbing of his life. His Saturday evening lecture at the Kendal Leisure Centre - 50 Years in the Wild - is a great chance to hear him talk about his life in the outdoors. Not just about climbing, he will also describe how a love of other sports like kayaking, surfing and fishing have shaped his life and led to a passion for good design. The lecture includes part of a film of an ice climbing trip in Scotland with Johnny Cunningham.

Yvon is a creator. His climbing experiences led him to design his own equipment. Brands such as Lost Arrow, Stoppers and Patagonia are commensurate with quality and great adventure - they have helped shape the mountain experiences of everyone who has climbed and been active in the outdoors during the past 50 years. During that time, Yvon has become a champion of environmental causes - the accolade of “green guru” has appeared in many sections of the US Business Press.

Corporate responsibility is something Yvon takes seriously: “I only borrowed the name Patagonia – I don’t own it. Now I feel the time is right to repay Patagonia for the years it has paid me.” And he means it – with Rick Ridgeway, he is developing a National Park in Patagonia on a massive tract of land acquired over a number of years.

These are some of the themes that Ed Douglas will discuss with Yvon during the special audience Responsibility on Sunday the 22nd at the Brewery Arts Theatre. Although Yvon is one of the world’s bestknown climbing pioneers and innovators, he has never done a major lecture in the UK and we are very honoured to have him with us to impart his thoughtful, witty and provocative world view.

Dr Charles Clarke

Charlie Clarke is a consultant neurologist and lives in London. He has been climbing since the late 1950s but tries to avoid mountains that are large, white and steep. Despite this he was on the Everest SW Face trip in 1975, Kongur in 1981, Everest NE Ridge in 1982 and Menlungtse in 1988. In the 1960s he led some of the first expeditions to Kishtwar. Charlie has also travelled extensively in eastern Tibet and explored the Sepu Kangri region with Sir Chris Bonington in 1996 and subsequent years. He is fascinated by Tibetan medicine and is an expert on high altitude physiology and the effects of lack of oxygen on the human body. In his spare time he is a trustee of the Boardman Tasker Literary Award.

Maria Coffey and Dag Goering

Adventure writer/photographer team, Maria and Dag are based in Canada and have spent the last fifteen years exploring, living and working in various far-flung corners of the globe, from Vietnam to the Solomon Islands. They have recorded their experiences in several books, including A Boat in Our Baggage: Around the World with a Kayak, Three Moons In Vietnam, Sailing Back In Time and Visions of the Wild: A Voyage by Kayak around Vancouver Island. Maria has also written Fragile Edge, A Lambing Season in Ireland and several books for children. Her most recent book, Where the Mountain Casts its Shadow: The Dark Side of Extreme Adventure, won the Jon Whyte Award for Mountain Literature at the 2003 Banff Mountain Book Festival.

Dag’s photographs have been widely published in books and prominent newspapers and magazines including National Geographic Adventure Magazine, The New York Times, The Guardian, Action Asia, and Outdoors Illustrated. At the Festival the duo will present two of their highly acclaimed

multi-media shows - Sacred Water on Wednesday Evening at the Brewery Arts Centre and Visions of the Wild – a Kayak Circumnavigation of Vancouver Island on Saturday evening the 21st at Rheged. Maria is also one of the Festival’s panel of film judges.

Rob Collister

Rob is a passionate advocate of small, low impact, unsupported mountaineering with zero environmental impact, where the journey and the life in the hills is more important than the goals. Past president of the British Mountain Guides, his lecture “Skiing the back of Beyond” on Thursday night the 18th at the Brewery Arts Centre looks at his amazing ski mountaineering explorations in remote areas such as Mt Waddington (BC), Alaska, India, Lebanon and Corsica.

Jim Curran

Jim originally trained in fine art, and for many years was a lecturer at Bristol Polytechnic. He moved gradually into photography, film and writing through expeditions to the Karakoram, India, China, Peru and a bicycle trip down the length of the UK. His films, such as “The Bat” have received many awards, and his books have been short-listed for the Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature.

Jim has written two books on K2 and has a fascination with the “Savage Mountain” having been intimately involved in its history whilst attempting the peak during the tragic summer of 1986. More recently Jim has gone back to his first love – art, and this autumn the Alpine Club is hosting a major exhibition of his work. Jim will be lecturing and comperèring 50 years of K2 at the Kendal Leisure Centre on Sunday afternoon the 21st.

Kurt Diemberger

In this 50th anniversary year of the first ascent of K2, we welcome back Kurt Diemberger to the Kendal Festival after his

PROFILES

double-sell-out lecture two years ago. He is here to present a humorous and moving lecture – Summits and Secrets – at the Leisure Centre on Friday evening the 19th. The lecture combines film with slides - a glimpse of the remarkable skills of one of the masters of story telling and mountain adventure. In Kurt’s words, “I am the only person to have made first ascents of two 8000 metre peaks and the only one who has filmed all the 8000 metre peaks!”

In a career spanning 39 years, Kurt has been a member of 24 expeditions to the high peaks of Asia, starting in 1957 with the remarkable alpine style and oxygenfree ascent of Broad Peak. His remarkable survival on K2 during 1986 forms the culmination of the lecture, and is a fitting tribute to two of Britain’s finest climbers caught in the same tragic series of events who did not survive – Julie Tullis and Alan Rouse.

David Hamilton

David became a professional mountaineer in 1987. He is now one of the world’s leading high altitude climbing experts. He has led fourteen expeditions to peaks over 7500m in the Karakoram, Tibet and Nepal including two to Mount Everest. Over an eighteen-year period, he has organised more than seventy ski touring, trekking and mountaineering projects in the world’s great mountain ranges. He has led expedition projects in Antarctica, Chile, Argentina, Europe, Greenland, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Pakistan, China and Nepal. While enjoying the challenges of the world’s better known mountains, he has a particular interest in innovative new adventures in remote areas. As a key part of the Jagged Globe guiding team he has helped develop “guided expeditions” as a fast growing area of mountaineering where the high peaks are no longer the sole domain of élite mountaineers, but are accessible to any fit alpinist. Join David on Saturday afternoon at the Kendal Leisure Centre to Fulfil Your Dreams.

Alan Hinkes

Alan Hinkes is Britain’s leading high altitude mountaineer. Born in 1954 in North Yorkshire, Alan was educated at Northallerton Grammar School and began fell-walking with the Outdoor Activities Society which led to rock climbing on local outcrops and the Lakeland crags. In 1975, Alan became a qualified teacher in Outdoor Education and Geography; he also became the President of the College Mountaineering Club. He began his mountaineering exploits in the Alps with ascents of Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. In 1984, he dedicated himself to mountaineering on a full-time basis, and became a Technical Consultant with Berghaus.

Since 1987, Alan has climbed 13 of the world’s 14 8000m peaks. (For the record: Shisha Pangma 1987, Manaslu 1988, Cho Oyu 1990, Broad Peak 1991, K2 1995, Everest 1996, Gasherbrum 1 1996, Gasherbrum 2 1996, Lhotse, 1997, Nanga Parbat 1998, Makalu 1999, Annapurna 2002 and Dhaulagiri 2004). You can see and hear Alan give a lecture on this penultimate one - Unlucky for Some – at Rheged on Saturday the 13th of November.

Alan is hoping to become the first Briton to climb all fourteen of the world’s 8000m peaks, with only Kangchenjunga, hopefully in the spring of 2005 - to go. Alan is also an accomplished cameraman, photographer and writer. He is an accomplished speaker, mixing down to earth Yorkshire humour with critical analysis of the world in the “death zone”. You can also join Alan when he introduces his first K2 films at Rheged on Friday evening the 19th - “K2 Anniversary Celebration” - and again in the Leisure Centre on Sunday the 22nd as part of our special “50 Years of K2” with Jim Curran and Dr. Charles Houston. (see special programmes)

Dr. Charles Houston

A resident of Burlington, Vermont, Charlie Houston is an MD, scientist, mountaineer and teacher. He was a pioneer in research into the effects of altitude starting as a Naval flight surgeon during World War 2,

Dr Charles Houston

Alastair Lee

Alon Hinkes

Jeff Lowe

and he remains one of the leading experts on the subject today. His climbing career began in 1925. He organised the successful British/American ascent of Nanda Devi in 1936 and two expeditions which nearly climbed K2 in 1938 and 1953. Charlie is also a prolific writer with nearly 100 scientific articles, four co-authored books and numerous mountaineering essays in print.

Nanda Devi, K2 and research into the effects of altitude are the subjects of his film High Exposure which will be presented by Charlie during 50 years of K2 at the Kendal Leisure Centre on Sunday afternoon. A second film made this year - The Brotherhood of the Rope – is his response to a critical essay suggesting that the 1953 team was foolhardy trying to rescue a stricken colleague, and that they should have just tried to save themselves. The film is the remarkable tale of a band of friends who nearly climbed the mountain and created an heroic legend when Peter Schoening held seven men during a fall on the descent. Charlie will be in conversation with Jim Curran about the film before its screening at Rheged on Friday evening’s K2 Anniversary Celebrations and again at The Brotherhood of the Rope on Saturday evening at the Kendal Leisure Centre.

Alastair Lee

Burnley born and based outdoor photographer and climber Alastair has spent the past decade travelling & climbing around the world. His passion for foreign cultures and wild places is best expressed

through his superb photography. Alastair is renowned as one of the UK’s top climberphotographers and has now climbed on six of the world’s continents. He has published a number of books and produced several films. His lecture “Storms of Laughter” on Saturday night in the Brewery Theatre will combine stunning photography and unusual humour, and he is also exhibiting a series of 360 degree panoramic landscape photographs from around the world in the entrance foyer to the Brewery Arts Centre. Also, his film “This is Climbing” is one not to miss.

Jeff Lowe

Jeff was born in Ogden, Utah in 1950, the fourth child of eight raised by supportive and adventurous parents. With his father Ralph, he climbed the Grand Teton at the age of seven. From the mid -1960’s, Jeff has made major first ascents throughout North America, the Andes of Peru, Scotland, the Alps, Tajikistan and in the Himalaya of Nepal and Pakistan. Never specialising in just one aspect of climbing, his contributions to the sport have included landmark free-climbs and big walls on rock, waterfall ice climbing, and mixed routes on some of the highest mountains on earth - always “alpine style”, and sometimes alone. The names of his climbs such as Moonlight Buttress, Grand Central Couloir, Bridalveil Falls, Latok, South Face of Ama Dablam, Black Elk, Smear of Fear, Metanoia, Blind Faith and hundreds of others have evoked respect and provided inspiration to many other climbers.

Jeff is also a designer and innovator. He was a technical consultant to Lowe Alpine until the company was sold in 1988. He designed the first refrigerated ice climbing tower and directed the Ice Climbing event at the inaugural 1997 ESPN Winter X Games. He has written several books, and is currently working on another. In 1988, he was awarded the Underhill Award, the highest honour of the American Alpine Club.

Join Jeff Lowe as he presents “Many Climbs, Many Lessons - Forty-five Years of First Ascents Around the World” at Rheged on Thursday the 18th and for “Ice Legends” at the Kendal Leisure Centre on the 21st.

Heinz Zak

Many people regard Austrian Heinz Zak as the greatest photographer of modern rock climbing. His images record the history of sports climbing and more recently the explosion of mega-routes in Yosemite.

Heinz was born 1958 in a land of mountains, the Tyrol. From 1979 he travelled extensively, rock climbing in Yosemite, England and France. In 1988 he quit his job and started climbing and photographing full time. With the Eiger in winter and an early free ascent of “Freerider“ on El Capitan, he was the first European to link The Nose and Half Dome NW Face in one day he also explored the greater ranges with “Royal Flush“ on Fitz Roy and the Compressor Route on Cerro Torre.

He has produced a series of fantastic photographic books including “High Life“ with Wolfgang Güllich about the best crags in the world, and “Rock Stars,“ consisting of 78 portraits of world famous rock climbers. Recently he finished a book on Yosemite with AlexHuber.

In 2002 he started making films, and his first work was “Bellavista“ with Alex Huber: and this year (and to be premièred at the Festival) “Highliner“ with Dean Potter.

Heinz will give a major lecture – 100 years of Free Climbing & Symphony of the Mountains – on Saturday afternoon at the Kendal Leisure Centre. His Exhibition of photographs is featured in the Warehouse Gallery at the Arts Centre.

Three Special Lecture Programmes

“Fast & Committed” presented by DMM Brewery Arts Theatre

Friday 19th November 7pm

A great evening celebrating big mountain / small team climbing - with lectures, films, insights and tales of the previously unknown.

John Porter

John describes himself as internationally challenged - born in the States to a Canadian mother and English father. 45 years of climbing have taken him to many parts of the world and an unusual variety of jobs – Director of the Kendal Festival being one of them. John looks at the 70s & 80’s when he shared many nights in disreputable bars and on high bivi ledges with the likes of the Burgesses, MacIntyre, Rouse, Hall and Kurtyka – a generation that nearly climbed itself into extinction.

Nick Bullock

“Fear and Loathing”, Jirishanca SE Face. Nick has established himself as one of Britain’s leading alpinists. A P.E. Instructor for the Prison Service, he discovered climbing in 1991 at PlasyBrenin. His first alpine season included the Croz Spur and a solo of The Shroud on the Grandes Jorasses. Other ascents include Beyond Good and Evil on the Pèlerins and new routes on the Grand Piler d’Angle and the Sans Nom. Most recently he has done a string of new routes in Peru including the south face of Quitaraju and the SE Face of Jirishanca. This last is a big and wild climb in the Cordillera Huayhuash, and is one of the most significant British mountaineering achievements of recent years.

Nick Bullock

Graham Little

Al Powell

JIm Lowther

Kendal

Al Powell

“Big Remote Faces in Greenland”. Al has a low profile, lightweight ethic and is a familiar figure on the UK expedition scene. During the 90’s he quietly climbed many of the hardest winter routes in the Alps and Scotland plus a dozen expeditions along the way. He started as an international orienteer, and still runs at élite level on the fells, having won several “mountain marathons”. His recent highpoints include “Fear and Loathing” with Nick Bullock and “Silence of the Séracs” on Tupilak’s N Face, the hardest mixed route in Greenland and the first serious line ever climbed there in winter conditions.

Jon Bracey

“Mt Kennedy NW Face”.

Jon and Rich Cross climbed one of the most challenging unclimbed faces in the Yukon’s remote St Elias Range over three days in May. Jon talks of his life and times as a modern climbing bum and guide. Soloing 8 routes in a day on the Ben (up to VI) is typical, and he is one of the current, highly successful generation of young British alpinists with expeditions to the Himalaya, Alaska and Greenland. His second complete ascent of Kwangde’s North Face route ‘Extra Blue Skies’ was particularly noteworthy.

The MEF / BMC “Cutting Edge of British Mountaineering” Lecture Series.

Kendal Leisure Centre

Saturday 20th November 9.30am

A “must see”, rapid-fire morning of lectures celebrating the varied and dramatic achievements of expeditions supported by the Mount Everest Foundation and the British Mountaineering Council. It is also a chance to promote the international and cultural links formed and sustained through the mountaineering community.

Stephen Reid

Members of the Scottish Mountaineering Club have a tradition of organising expeditions to the Staunings Alps of East Greenland. Keswick- based Stephen talks about his visit in 2003, where he made the first ascents of the South West Ridge and South Ridge of Dansketinde, the highest peak in the range. Both gave high quality Alpine rock and mixed climbing.

Andy Sharpe & Sam Chinnery

Landing on Alaska’s Ruth Glacier very early in the season of 2004, Sam and Andy were able to climb a soaring ice line up the 1600m-high South East Face of Dickey. The pair spent three days of committing climbing on 40 pitches of ice and mixed terrain up to WI5+. Dickey’s South East Face, probably the single biggest rock wall in Alaska, has only rarely been climbed, making this year’s ascent one of the major achievements in Alaska during the season.

Jon Bracey

In spring 2004 Jon Bracey and Rich Cross pulled off the coveted first complete ascent of the 1800m-high North Face of Mt Kennedy in the Canadian Yukon. In this short talk Jon Bracey tells the story of their three - day Alpine style ascent of the Arctic Discipline Wall.

Ben Bransby

Patagonia is notorious for its fearsome weather, but this February the gods smiled, and anyone in position and prepared to climb light and fast was able to pull off fine achievements. Ben was one of these and he will talk about the first free ascent of the Slovak Route on Fitz Roy plus hard new routes on Desmochada and Exupéry.

Graham Little & Jim Lowther

In the summer of 2002 Graham Little and Festival sponsor, Jim Lowther, made the first ascent of the attractive Suj Tilla West in the remote Kumaon region of India’s Eastern Himalaya. The ascent ofthe South West Face in Alpine Style, 1100m of snow and ice to a virgin 6373m summit, was considered one of the more significant climbs in the Indian Himalaya during that year.

Commander. Satyabrata Dam

We make no apology for inviting back Satya although not supported by the MEF & BMC. Nevertheless his knowledge of the remote and unclimbed peaks of India is second to none, and his talk will be fascinating to all mountaineers. He will speak of his exploration of the incredible Padmanabh and Teram areas of the eastern Karakoram.

The 50th Anniversary of the Ascent of K2

Sunday 21st November

Kendal Leisure Centre

2 pm

Presented by First Ascent

K2 is considered by many of the world’s mountaineers as “the mountain of mountains.” Its first ascent in 1954 (only a year after Everest) by an Italian expedition was a sensational achievement. In recognition of this anniversary, we have a number of events in the programme which tell some of the many different stories of ‘the peak of triumph and tragedy’.

On Friday the 19th, Kurt Diemberger presents “Summits and Secrets” at the Leisure Centre, which includes a moving account of his ascent of K2 in 1986 when Julie Tullis (along with 5 others) lost their lives. On the same evening at Rheged, Dr.

Charles Houston presents his remarkable new film “The Brotherhood of the Rope”, (see film details), followed by Britain’s top high altitude climber - Alan Hinkes – who describes his first visit to the mountain. On Saturday evening, Dr. Houston appears with Jim Curran to talk about his life and to screen the film “Brotherhood of the Rope” (see film details). The culmination of the celebrations is a programme on Sunday afternoon at the Kendal Leisure Centre. Jim Curran presents a programme which starts with a fascinating lecture on the history of K2, followed by Charlie Houston’s “Exploring the Heights” and then Alan Hinkes will bring us into modern times with an account of his ascent of the mountain in 1995. We also have two excellent documentary films entered in the film competition – “Women of K2” and “The Conquest of K2” (see film notes for details).

DMM are proud to support the Kendal Mountain Film Festival

Kendal Mountain

A Passion for People Places

TRENTO

website: www.mountainfilm.co.uk

DIABLERETS

website: www.alpes.ch/diableret/fifad

BANFF

website: www.banffcentre@ab.ca/CMC/

AUTRANS

website: www.montagne.com/autrans

TELLURIDE

website: www.mountainfilm.org

TORELLO

website: www.ctv.es/users/cinemum

GRAZ

website: www.mountainfilm.com

TEPLICE contact: FAX 420-447-581191

POPRAD

website: www.kultura.gratex.sk/ mountainsfilms

LUGANO contact: FAX 41-91-6045163

CERVINIA

website: www.ceemail.com/ promocinema.html

KENDAL

website: www.mountainfilm.co.uk

DUNDEE

website: www.dundee-mountainfilm. care4free.net/

TAOS website: www.mountainfilm.net

MOSCOW website: www.8848.ru

Adventure Heritage and

FILM MAKING

How to Make an Adventure Film

All day Thursday November 17th

Brewery Arts Theatre

Video cameras are owned by increasingly large numbers of climbers, adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts. In fact, the video camera is becoming almost as popular as the still camera. But boxes of unedited tape often end up in the back of a drawer, never to be seen again - just like photographs in the past.

What you need to do is learn how to take great shots and record good sound and then edit into a watchable film – either for pleasure, or merely as a record of your past exploits.

The day is aimed at the amateur film maker, and there will be plenty of time for Q & A.

Richard Else (Professor of Media Production at the University of Teesside and Director / Producer of numerous award winning adventure films made by Triple Echo Productions) will take you through an information-packed workshop day from 9.30am to 5.00 pm.

• Analysis of equipment available and the basic kit required.

• The importance of a story-board, and planning your shots and sequences.

• Shooting good footage – composition, focus, exposure & tripod

• Recording sound.

• Prepare for the Edit - logging shots, time codes

• Editing software – the different types and basic principles.

• Editing the footage,

• Adding sound and titles

• Recording to media.

During the day A two minute film will be made of Andy Parkin sculpting the trophies for the winners of the Extreme Film School film category.

Extreme Film School

Sponsored by Lowe Pro and Manfrotto

In association with the BBC, the Northern Film Network and Teeside University, the Kendal Film Festival are proud to have again provided young film makers with expert support in areas of filming, editing and technical management to produce five stunning new 2 minute shorts. These can be seen as part of Programme 3 in the main programme, and also at various times in the Malt Room – see the white board just outside for Malt Room timings on Friday and Saturday.

Polaris Challenge

Tim Sayers & Barry Roberts - A film on “ The Hardest Mountain Bike Race in the World”

This fast paced film follows a team which competed the race in the Lake District this October.

No Cycling

Peter Gomer, Robert Hewson, Alun Williams

Unicycling in the mountains needs skill and a lot of guts - watch this short film and be amazed at where they can go in the hills.

Dreams

Hugo Glover & Farah Iqbal

The conflicts of an Asian girl in the city are released by reaching the summit of Ingleborough.

Bie”re pour tout le monde

Adrian Berry and Louise Alexander.

French boulderer climbs some of the hardest Peak District problems

Prohibited

Dominic Gill and Mike Silver

Buildering has a long tradition within the climbing world and this team of young climbers work out some new problems in the inner city. One of last years winners, by first time film makers - ‘NOT PERMITTED’ has got through as a finalist in the Banff International Mountain Film Festival. Good luck to all and thanks for their support.

Exteme Film Pro Day

All day Friday at the Brewery Theatre

Presented by Lowepro and Manfrotto, with help from

Visual Impact

Part of the Extreme Film School, but open to professionals and students studying film and media as well as keen amateur filmmakers.

The day (9.30am to 5pm) is split into a series of sessions chaired by Graham Hoyland (BBC editor / producer and Everest summiteer)

• Show the 5 shorts produced by this year’s Extreme Film School, analysis and judging by the Film Festival Judges.

• The NEW Sony HDV format and the Sony DSR PD170 (SONY / Visual Impact).

• Radio Mikes, Jib and Track (Visual Impact).

• Portable Edit Software Packages and project preparation (Visual Impact).

• The life of an Adventure film maker (Keith Partridge).

• Making and producing adventure films by Fulvio Mariani - Swiss adventure film maker and Mountain Film Festival Alliance honorary award.

• The desktop editing revolution by Richard Else director of Triple Echo Productions and Professor of Media Production at the University of Teeside.

• Blue Sky Media – acquisition and distribution with future technology – by Andy Curtis, Head of operations, Simula, University of Bradford.

• Use and range of tripods (Manfrotto)

• Protection of kit (Lowepro).

Visual Impact (supplier of broadcast and professional video equipment) will have a comprehensive display of film making equipment with technicians on hand to answer any questions.

The Exhibitors

Jim Duff

Kendal-born Jim has spent a large part of his life in the mountains of the Himalaya. He has been on numerous expeditions including the 1975 Everest SW Face Expedition, on which he was one of the expedition doctors. Whilst he was working at a mountain rescue post near Annapurna in 1997, the unnecessary death of a young Nepalese porter who had been carrying loads for a group of trekkers became the catalyst for the formation of International Porter Protection Group (IPPG). This is a grassroots organisation dedicated to advocacy and projects for mountain porters worldwide. Jim has put together an exhibition of photographs (selected from a larger body of work first shown at the famous Yak & Yeti Hotel, Kathmandu in 2000) as an extension to the message that the IPPG puts out. Based on Jim’s own photos and those of renowned friends, it is designed to bring home the skill, endurance and fortitude of the men and women who literally carry the trekking and expedition industry on their backs.

John Dugger

American, John Dugger made his first Mountain Banner in the UK in 1985: It was of the South Cluanie Ridge, and depicted five Scottish Munros in Glen Shiel. Since then he has travelled widely developing his art. His work hangs in important venues throughout the world - Tate Gallery, Buckingham Palace, Atlanta Olympics and the World Cup. In 1991 he created a modern Shambhala Banner for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s public address at the “Kalachakra for World Peace” in New York. The following year he visited the Dalai Llama and lived and studied under the Tibetan master banner maker, the monk Dorjee Wangdu. Inthe east he has also been fascinated by the techniques of traditional Chinese artists such as Wang Wei, and influenced by the depiction of mountains by western painters as diverse as Leonardo, Bellini, Roerich ,Cézanne and Ruskin. He will be creating a new banner at the Festival, will run banner workshops for local schools and his lecture on Sunday morning of the Festival – Banner Art¬ – will be both entertaining and inspirational – where mountains and creativity meet.

Rob Fraser

Rob divides his time between commissions, working on arts projects and leading treks for an adventure travel company. In October of this year Rob walked to the four corners of the Lake District National Park. He kept a photographic and written journal of the trek. Footprint: A Walk in the Park will result in a touring exhibition,

book and arts projects with seven remote Lake District Schools. Rob has recently won the Landscape section of Geographical magazine’s Photographer of the Year competition, his image of Mount Everest at Sunset was also awarded second place overall.

Rowan Huntley

The primary objective for British painter Rowan Huntley is to study and paint Alpine environments, not only to preserve their beauty and mystery but also to promote awareness of their existence and the importance of their conservation. Her love of Norway and fascination with the life and achievements of British mountaineer W C Slingsby have enabled her to undertake an ongoing visual study of the dramatic scenery, and to paint in a truthful and truly representational way, the beautiful, glaciated landscapes which are so unique to Norway. Rowan’s current work sees a return to the UK with a study of the three Welsh National Parks.

Andy Parkin

British artist and mountaineer who now lives in Chamonix. Andy is one of the world’s top mountaineers, preferring hard mixed climbs including ascents of 8000m peaks such as Broad Peak and the first ascent of the classic “Beyond Good and Evil” on the Aig. des Pèlerins. Andy has gained a reputation for his paintings and drawings but more recently he has concentrated on sculpting - typically using recycled material - which varies from large pieces for corporate or municipal commissions to exquisite small works for private collections. He is the Festival’s “resident” artist who makes the wonderful sculptures awarded to the prize winners.

Heinz Zak and Alastair Lee

See page 19 for PROFILES

A visual mountain narrative captured by some of the world’s best artists and photographers.

Rowan Huntley Heinz Zak

This year sees the launch of the Kendal Mountain Book Festival, a new chapter in the Kendal Mountain Film Festival. The Film Festival has traditionally featured readings by its key guest speakers and film-makers who have written books. However we recognise that the wealth of mountain literature and the growth in interest in mountain writing calls for a dedicated Book Festival. This will offer an opportunity to showcase the best of mountain writing with a focus on recently-published books (and the Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature in particular). In its first year the Festival will kick off with a debate looking at the changing role and nature of mountain literature and will also feature a special event looking at Cumbria’s unique contribution to mountain literature over the past two centuries. There will also be six meet the author-style events where the joys, risks and the motivations of mountain sport will be explored face-to-face with some of the leading writers of the genre.

Diary of Events

13 November 7.30pm Riverside Hotel

Inspiring the Imagination – Mountains in Print – debate chaired by Eric Robson with internationally-renowned panellists.

17 November 7.30pm K Village Outlet Centre

Survivors’ Tales with Malcolm Slesser and Jamie Andrew.

18 November 7.00pm K Village Outlet Centre

Cumbrian Mountain Literature – A Reduced Guide featuring readings by Bill Birkett, Chris Bonington, Roger Hubank, John Innerdale, Eric Robson and Simon Yates.

19 November 11.00am Brewery Arts Centre

An Audience with Audrey Salkeld.

19 November 2.00pm Brewery Arts Centre

Where the Mountain Cast its Shadow - Maria Coffey.

19 November 5.00pm Brewery Arts Centre

Women Mountain Words – presentations, readings and participation.

20 November Noon Kendal Town Hall

Collected Short Stories – Dermot Somers.

21 November 1.00pm Riverside Hotel

Feet in the Clouds – Richard Askwith.

Plus impromptu poetry performance from ‘Owl and the Cragrat’ by Gordon Stainforth and Mark Chrysanthou in Brewery Arts Centre

Malt Room at 5.30pm on Saturday 20th November.

Sponsored by Jennings (with their beer featured at most events) and supported by Ottakar’s, K Village Outlet Centre, Pete Bland Sports, the New Moon Restaurant and Absolute Digital Print.

Thanks to Steve Scott of ‘LavaHouse’ Associates for Graphic Design.

Thanks also to the Brewery Box Office staff for all their help.

Book Fair

Whether you are seeking an economical odd volume, or you are a committed bibliophile, there will undoubtedly be something to interest you at the KMFFBook Fair, which will be staged in the Town Hall from Friday the 19th to Sunday 21st November. Well respected names from the world of mountaineering book selling will be on hand to offer advice and service. Grant Jarvis and Cheyne Books for mountaineers, who are currently relocating to Cumbria, Small Mountains Ltd, Ciceroneand probably a few more. We will be selling books from the Boardman Tasker 2004, as well as a range of books written by our main speakers at this year’s Festival, to be signed after the lectures. Ottakars will be on hand with a supply of many of these just down the High Street from the Town Hall. Also available at the Town Hall will be copies of the inaugural KMFF Mountain Literature Review 2004, sponsored by Cicerone, and a review of recently published mountain books, along with copies of the books themselves for you to inspect. Old, new, obscure, something for everyone.

Thanks to our Sponsors and helpers

We would like to thank all of our sponsors, particularly Berghaus for 4 years as a Presenting Sponsor and for providing great help with the festival promotion, and also thanks to our new Joint Presenting Sponsor - Rural Regeneration Cumbria - and in turn, the North West Development Agency. The next thanks go to our other Major Sponsors - they provide a huge boost, and bring new concepts and innovations to the way we do things - Climber magazine, First Ascent, Scarpa, Outside and North West Vision and Petzl and Beal. Together, they have made most of the lectures and the photo Exhibitions happen.

Support Sponsors bring their own special ideas, like our Friday night programme by DMM, the Extreme Film School with Lowe Pro, Manfrotto, the BBC, Northwest Vision, the University of Teeside, Visual Impact, the EU, and David Hamilton, thanks also to Jagged Globe. The fabulous banner and art exhibitions and film, and the film awards, are supported by Victorinox and Bridgedale. Picture Works have provided the technical equipment for this year’s event.

The MEF/BMC put together a great programme of new extreme climbs each year, while the Alpine Club have helped with travel costs for lecturers. We would like to thank our very local Sponsors - Kendal Town Council, South Lakeland District Council, Cumbria County Council, the New Moon Café, and Chocolate House1657.

Thanks to Steve Scott of LavaHouse Associates and Kate Wright and Abi Willis of Arc Creative Consultants for their inspirational Graphic and Artistic design.

Thanks to Bill Ruthven and Jacqui Hill for their meticulous proof reading and copy editing.

Thanks also to Jim Lowther and to Mandy Dixon at K Village for their support throughout the year.

Rural Regeneration Cumbria is pleased to welcome guests from across the globe to the Kendal Mountain Film Festival 2004.

Rural Regeneration Cumbria is building an exciting economic future for rural Cumbria. Working across a broad range of objectives from supporting Cumbria’s traditional strengths in agriculture and tourism to attracting and developing new industries, we take a broad view of the economic needs of the rural areas.

For further information on our support for the outdoors and events throughout Cumbria visit www.ruralcumbria.co.uk