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Unknown Role
Marc-André Leclerc, an exceptional climber, has made solo his religion and ice his homeland. When filmmaker Peter Mortimer begins his film, he places his camera at the base of a British Columbia cliff and waits patiently for the star climber to come down to answer his questions. Marc André, a little uncomfortable, prefers to return to the depths of the forest where he lives in a tent with his girlfriend Brette Harrington. In the heart of winter, Peter films vertiginous solos on fragile ice. He tries to make appointments with the climber who is never there and does not seem really concerned by this camera pointed at him "For me, it would not be a solo if there was someone else" . Marc-André is thus, the "pure light" of the mountaineers of his time, which marvel Barry Blanchard, Alex Honnold or Reinhold Messner, interviewed in the film. An event film for an extraordinary character.
In the 1980s, Patrick Edlinger, nicknamed "Le Blond", painted with the grace of a poet the first chapter in the world history of free climbing. In his hands, marginal exercise has become a real lifestyle, carrying a message of freedom. His famous solos, beyond the proven feat they represent, bear witness to this. Life at Your Fingertips, the first internationally known climbing film, touched and inspired by generations of climbers; Edlinger was one of the meteors that shone light on the cliffs of the world by following the trajectory of a single idea: to be free to live only by "climbing". Yet the man capable of concessions in the face of the necessities of life (competitions, advertisements) and pressure from the media, his public and the desires he aroused.
At the start of the 80’s sport climbing was in its embryonic stages. Bolted routes were beginning to make a regular appearance, indoor climbing walls as we know them nowadays had not yet been invented and there was no such thing as being a pro athlete. During that period standards rose exponentially, from 7b+ as the cutting edge to 9a becoming the new world standard at the end of the ’80’s. In such a short period the sport changed beyond recognition and, in Britain, was fuelled by a small group of climbers who would do anything to climb full-time: sleeping in sheds underneath crags, shoplifting for food and clothes, and living off unemployment benefits. As illustrated in this film directed by Nick Brown, these climbers were living outside the rest of society and went on to become the most influential figures in the history of British sport climbing.
Since a 100 foot fall in 2002 that took his right leg and left him with spinal injuries, Colorado climber Craig DeMartino has led one hell of a life, including lauded First Disabled and In-A-Day Ascents on El Capitan. But his day-to-day life story is the one that should be making headlines.
Marcel is on the eve of his 95th birthday. He trained his two sons, Claude and Yves, in the world of climbing where they are key figures. When old age came, a climbing buff, Marcel could not give up his passion. He then begins a final procession towards his last Mirror at the age of 94, accompanied by his sons. The northwest wall of the famous 450-meter Argentine Mirror (canton of Vaud, Switzerland) is the scene of Marcel's adventure, at the height of his art, a feat and a beautiful family story.
A visual and delicately poetic story about the relationship between a swimmer and water. A young competitive swimmer meets the world's fastest woman swimmer in her dreams and races her.
Former World’s Strongest Man, Eddie Hall, takes on rival ‘Thor’ in one of the heaviest boxing matches in history. With exclusive and intimate access to Eddie and his family in the months leading up to the fight and at the main event itself, Eddie Hall: The Beast vs. The Mountain follows the highs and lows, and all the laughs and tears, as Eddie balances a young family with a punishing and obsessively strict training regime, all the while battling to keep his mental health in check.
Une Vie Au Dessus Du Vide (A Life Above the Void), directed by Nicolas de Virieu, is a documentary that recounts the journey of Patrick Edlinger, an exceptional climber, through a parallel between the strong media impact he had, unmatched to this day, and the evolution, or rather the explosion, of climbing activity during the 80s/90s. Rare excerpts from mainstream programs (television news, Champs-Élysées, Le Grand Échiquier, Les Carnets de l'Aventure...) also remind us what a great star he was, all interspersed with interviews with Seb Bouin, Jean-Paul Lemercier, Arnaud Petit, Antoine Le Menestrel and Gérard Kosicki.
On December 21, Nicolas Vanier will set off with his pack on a new expedition called L’Odyssée sauvage (The Wild Odyssey). He will travel nearly 6,000 kilometers to connect the Pacific Ocean to Lake Baikal, crossing Manchuria, Mongolia, and part of southern Siberia. The documentary follows the preparations for this journey.
The Center Of The Universe chronicles four days in the life of German climber Alexander Huber in Yosemite Valley, California. Living the typical Yosemite vagabond lifestyle, Alex reflects on his goal of successfully free-climbing "El Corazon" (35 pitches, 8a) on the famous El Capitan face, which is a combination of the historic routes "Salathé," "Albatross," "Son of Heart," and "Heart Route," connected by newly laid out sections. 35 challenging pitches, combining technicality, stamina, and commitment, with difficulty levels up to 8a. The film showcases the unique style of climbing in Yosemite, as well as a piece of history of the famous valley, narrated by Heinz Zak, Jim Bridwell, Lynn Hill, Alexander Huber, and Chongo Chuck themselves.
Bonded by their love of freediving, a record-setting champion and a heroic safety diver try to make history with a remarkable feat, ready to risk it all.