Programme
All photographs illustrating Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Films were provided by the Banff World Tour.
Downloadable programme 2011(Acrobat pdf)
The Dundee Mountain Film Festival is the UK’s longest continuous running mountain film festival and showcases an international programme of speakers and award winning films and exhibitions held in the University of Dundee’s Bonar Hall.
Mark Beaumont presents his extraordinary career on the opening Friday
evening, which includes climbing North America’s Denali (Mount
McKinley) and South America’s Aconcagua. On Saturday morning,
Ian R Mitchell will talk about the life and contribution to mountaineering
of Aberdeen born Dr Alexander Kellas, an Everest Pioneer of the
early 20th Century. The British University Kayak Expedition to Venezuela
is the presentation feature on the afternoon programme. Austria’s
Peter Habeler comes to DMFF on Saturday evening. In 1978, Peter
Habeler achieved the first ascent of Everest, with Reinhold Messner,
without supplementary oxygen.
The approaching centenary of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s
final expedition is marked by the return screening on Friday evening
of the film ‘Tom Crean – Antarctica’s Forgotten
Hero’. On Saturday morning, there is an all Scottish film
programme. The festival would not be complete without the Banff
Mountain Film Festival World Tour films which will shown on Saturday
afternoon and more on Saturday evening.
Fringe Events
Dundee Mountain Film Festival showed some films at "fringe" events at The Burgh Coffee House, Castle Street, Dundee on the week leading up to the festival. Great films with quality coffee and bites. See our "home" page to see what you missed, but you can watch Los Fabulosus Dos online.
Friday Evening
This evening's programme is presented in association with Tiso.
19.00 Dougie Down The Pet
Film UK, 2010, 17 min. Directed by Justine Curgenven.
An
endearing feel-good tale of a father and son bonding on a classic
whitewater canoe trip down Canada’s Petawawa River. Guided
by Dad, four year old Dougie runs challenging rapids, climbs cliffs,
fishes for his supper and camps in sub-zero temperatures. A touching
but also thought-provoking look at the benefits of exposing children
to risk from an early age.
19.24 Tom Crean: Antarctica’s Forgotten Hero
Film Ireland, 2002, 53 min. Directed by Donncha O Briain and John
Murray, and Produced by John Murray.
Tom
Crean was born in Gurtachrane, Annascaul, Co. Kerry in 1877, and
at 15, joined the Royal Navy. His intrepid sense of adventure led
him on three of the four notable expeditions to Antarctica. Crean
travelled with Scott on the voyage of the ‘Discovery’
(1901 to 1904), and Scott’s final expedition, as Petty Officer
on the ‘Terra Nova’ (1910 to 1913). Scott reached the
South Pole on January 17th 1912. Crean had been in the support party
which turned round 180 miles from the Pole, and was in the relief
party that found Scott, Wilson and Bowers. Crean returned to the
Antarctic with Sir Ernest Shackleton, a County Kildare man, on the
voyage of the ‘Endurance’. He was one of the five men
who, with Shackleton, set out from Elephant Island in the James
Caird and sailed over 800 miles to South Georgia and ultimately
rescued all Shackleton’s men on Elephant Island. He retired
from the Navy as a Warrant Officer, and was awarded several medals
including the Albert medal for saving the life of Evans. He built
the South Pole Inn in Annascaul, where he lived out his days, died
in 1938 and is buried in Ballinacourty.
20.16 – Break - Exhibitions and refreshments.
20.55 – Mark Beaumont: Cycling around the world and
top to bottom
At
the age of 12, Mark Beaumont cycled across Scotland from Dundee
to Oban, after his mother persuaded him that Land’s End to
John O’Groats was a long way! In 2008, aged 25, Mark broke
the World Record for cycling around the world, travelling solo for
over 18,000 miles in 194 days and 17 hours, smashing the previous
time by 81 days. In 2009 Mark completed the nine month journey from
Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, stepping off his bike en route to climb
North and South Americas highest mountains. Mark successfully self
filmed both these expeditions for BBC documentaries and has written
two books. ‘The Man who Cycled the World’ was the best
selling British cycling book in 2010, and ‘The Man who Cycled
the Americas’ was published in May 2011. His talk will include
all the preparation and planning for his two big expeditions and
Mark will also cover the Summer 2011 rowing expedition to the Arctic.
Photograph © Mark Beaumont.
Saturday Morning
09.30 One Season
Film Scotland, 2011, 10 min. Filmed and Directed by Mike Cunningham.
This
film follows a small core group of Dundee climbers through a season
bouldering in and around the East Coast and further afield. From
developing new areas to repeating and establishing some of the hardest
problems from coast to glen in the north east, and visiting some
the finest bouldering venues the UK has to offer." Filmed in
HD, with editing just completed in time for our show! Photograph
from Mike Cunningham.
09.45 Any Given Sunday
Film Scotland, 2010, 30 min. Filmed and Directed by Graham Johnston
and Alan Ferrier.
This
film describes Audax Cycling then follows an Audax event taking
in the Deeside loop. From Forfar it follows the steep Cairn O’Mount
road through Deeside and back to Forfar via the also very steep
Cairnwell road. All in a day’s leisure for these local hardy
souls. Tremendous camaraderie, huffing and puffing and tasty pit
stops.
10.16 The Stoney Mountain
Film Scotland, 2010, 12 min. Directed and Produced by Jim Osborne.
Mount
Assiniboine is one of Canada’s most striking mountains and
is often compared to the Matterhorn. It is only accessible to climbers
after a long walk in. Jim Osborne, one of the regular film maker
contributors to the Dundee Mountain Film Festival, was part of a
cheery team that summited and filmed an ascent a few years ago.
Inspirational.
10.29 Running Wild
Film Scotland, 2010, 16 min. Directed and Produced by Pete Rennie.
‘Running
Wild’ is a documentary featuring Fife ultra-runner Fiona Rennie
and describes how she overcame a brain haemorrhage by sheer force
of will and stubbornness. Fiona ran the West Highland Way in a time
of 26 hours. The film is made by her husband, Pete, and is shot
around their home in Cairneyhill as well as locations across Scotland
including the West Highland Way. Photograph by Campbell Mitchell.
10.45 – Break - Exhibitions and refreshments
11.15 – Ian R Mitchell: Prelude To Everest
Acclaimed
hillwalking award-winning writer Ian R Mitchell tells the fascinating
story of Aberdeen-born Alexander Kellas, and his contribution to
mountaineering in the early 20th century. Now a largely neglected
figure, Kellas was a pioneer of high altitude physiology, making
detailed field studies on the effects of altitude on the human body
and predicting, correctly, that Everest could be climbed without
oxygen. Follow Kellas’ journey, which takes him from the Scottish
Cairngorms to the Himalaya, and discover how his struggles and explorations
have impacted upon mountaineering.
Saturday Afternoon
All
films before the break are from the Banff Mountain Film Festival
World Tour. Note that we will now be showing Caminho Teixeira
after the break instead of just before.
14.00 Rush Hour Dream
Film Germany, 2009, 6 min. Directed and Produced by Kerim Jaspersen
and Christian Menn.
An
office worker in Dusseldorf, has a ‘Rush Hour Dream’
in the tram on his way to work and wakes up on a beautiful mountainside
to discover that he is carrying a paraglider in his laptop. Haven't
we all wished for a moment like this? A Banff World Tour Film.
14.10 Life Cycles
Film USA, 2010, 15 min. Directed and Produced by Ryan Gibb and Derek
Frankowski.
Filmed
in Ultra HD, ‘Life Cycles’ provides some of the most
visually stunning images the mountain sports world has ever seen.
It’s a beautiful celebration of the bicycle, and is sure to
amaze anyone who has ever ridden one and inspire those who have
not. A Banff World Tour Film.
14.26 ‘Chimæra’
Film Canada, 2010, 7 min. Directed by Dave Mossop and Produced by
Malcolm Sangster.
Chimæra
refers to a mythological fusion of forms. Shot with a unique camera
system capable of shooting over 1,000 frames per second, ‘Chimæra’
slows our perception of reality and offers an unprecedented look
at a skier’s life. It is an experience that blurs the borders
between real and imaginary. A Banff World Tour Film.
14.33 Dream Result
Film USA, 2009, 17 min. Directed by Rush Sturges and Produced by
Tyler Bradt.
A
group of athletes are driven by passion to explore their limits.
This quest takes them to waterfalls in Norway, Argentina and the
USA and a world record kayak descent. This film won the Banff Centre
Peoples Choice Award, Radical Reels Night - hang on for the ride.
A Banff World Tour Film.
14.50 Living The Dream
Film USA, 2009, 3 min. Directed and Produced by Renan Ozturk.
For
most of the last six years, Renan Ozturk has been following his
passion for rock climbing, sleeping outside in wild places, hitching
rides, living on little and draining his bank account. Now a little
more domesticated, Renan shows us he is still living his dream every
day. A Banff World Tour Film.
14.54 As It Happens
Film USA, 2010, 17 min. Directed and Produced by Renan Ozturk and
Cory Richards.
Renan Ozturk and Corey Richards “go rogue” and file
video dispatches from their attempt at the first ascent of Nepal’s
6,000 meter Tawoche Himal. As it Happens takes these individual
pieces and ties them together in one well-made story that lets a
challenging trip unfold as it happens. Photograph from the Ozturk
and Richards Collection. A Banff World Tour Film.
15.11– Break - Exhibitions and refreshments.
15.45 Caminho Teixeira
Film Brazil, 2009, 14 min. Directed and Written by Alexandre Diniz.
Subtitles.
In
April 1912, five young Brazilians decided to climb Dedo de Deus,
a 1600-metre-high rock that juts into the Brazilian sky. They knew
nothing about mountaineering, but this did not deter them from wanting
to honour their country by taking the Brazilian flag to the top
of this huge finger of rock. This delightful reconstruction of events
is Alexandre's first film. Alexandre is also the Tour Host for Banff
World Tour Films in Brazil.
16.02 – British University Kayak Expedition To Venezuela
(In Person Presentation - Jonny Hawkins)
The
Andes tower over the North West of Venezuela, creating steep sections
of deep river gorges with world class white water. Runs in the area
range from mellow grade IV to steep and scary grade V+. There have
only ever been two previous kayaking trips to Venezuela, the first
by an American team, and the second in 2006, by a team from the
UK. Both found fantastic white water and paddled first descents
in the area near Merida. Jonny Hawkins and his 2011 British University
team heads out to a similar area to paddle second descents and investigate
further potential first descents. Photograph by courtesy of
Robert Moffatt.
Saturday Evening
All
films before the break are from the Banff Mountain Film Festival
World Tour. This evening's programme is presented in association
with the Scottish Mountaineering Trust.
19.00 Into Darkness
Film USA, 2010, 15 min. Directed and Produced by John Waller.
‘Into
Darkness’ is a short adventure essay about the experience
of exploring the secret underworld of caves. Journey along with
a group of cavers who push through impossibly small passages to
access some of the final frontiers on earth. The images and sounds
of spectacular and remote wilderness caves will reveal a fantastic
world unlike anything we experience on the surface - -A different
type of adventure film - strange locations, and mysterious images
of unique formations. Experience the claustrophobia with the cavers!
A Banff World Tour Film.
19.22 Last Paradise
Film New Zealand, 2010, 27 min. Directed and Produced by Clive Neeson.
In
the remote wilderness of New Zealand, when necessity was the mother
of invention, a maverick bunch of kids concocted a dream that they
would one day share with the world. In ‘Last Paradise’,
through 45 years of stunning original footage, we relive the journey
of legendary extreme sports pioneers. An amazing retro look at the
birth of extreme sports. A Banff World Tour Film.
19.49 Salt
Film Australia, 2009, 29 min. Directed and Produced by Michael Angus
and Murray Fredericks.
Each
year, internationally acclaimed photographer Murray Fredericks ventures
to the heart of Lake Eyre, which lies in a remote corner of Southern
Australia. This journey represents a key stage along the photographer’s
personal and professional path. Completely isolated, the horizon
his only point of reference, and his thoughts his only companion,
Murray is forced to brave storms, mud, lightning, and all manner
of problems; yet his biggest obstacle is salt, which is inescapable.
In ‘Salt’, Fredericks’ camera captures scenes
and intense moments that prove beauty lies hidden in the midst of
this bleak, empty, desolate land. ‘Salt’ is a beautifully
filmed soliloquy as the film maker crosses the salt flats in Australia
on his bike. This film won the Banff Centre Award for Creative Excellence.
A Banff World Tour Film.
20.18 The Swiss Machine
Film USA, 2010, 20 min. Produced by Nick Rosen and Peter Mortimer.
Ueli
Steck may be the greatest speed alpinist the world has ever seen.
In ‘The Swiss Machine’, Steck tells of his record-breaking
ascents in the Alps, accompanied by stunning aerial footage that
captures him racing up 2,500 metre alpine faces. When he joins Alex
Honnold in Yosemite, Steck sets his ultimate goal; to take his one-man
alpine speed game to the largest, highest walls in the world. A
Banff World Tour Film.
20.37 – Break - Exhibitions, refreshments and People’s
Choice Film Award.
21.10 – Peter Habeler: The summit is the goal
In
1978, Peter Habeler and Reinhold Messner were the first to climb
Everest without the use of bottled oxygen, an epoch-making event.
It demonstrated that with suitable training, tactics and acclimatization,
the highest peaks could be tackled in a lightweight style. The pair,
part of a specialist group within a conventional expedition, made
their ascent with great caution, fearful of the possible physiological
damage on their final push from the South Col. But once the climb
was made and the descent safely completed, a new era began. In ‘The
Summit is the Goal’, Peter Habeler will talk about his Alpine
life, starting in the Austrian Alps as a young boy. The lecture
also covers climbs together with Messner, and including the Eiger
North Face, the Matterhorn North Face in winter, climbs in the Dolomites,
in Yosemite with Doug Scott, and Everest, Nanga Parbat and Kangchenjunga
North Face. Photograph © Peter Habeler
