Mountains on Stage, the film festival dedicated to mountain sports, launches in the UK for the first time this summer.
Following a successful winter edition, the festival will tour the UK with six dates in April, showcasing six films that vary in running time from six minutes to fifty nine minutes in length. Themes include, paragliding, bouldering, classic rock climbing from the 1980’s and mountain biking in snow.
The films are either in English and when not, are subtitled.
Founder of Mountains on Stage, Cyril Solomon, comments:
We had such a great reaction from our first ever UK winter tour that we have decided to come back for the summer. There’s a huge culture of climbing and mountaineering in the UK and we know these films will be of great interest to participants of the sport. But, even if you’re not into rock climbing or mountaineering, these films will inspire people in many different ways.
One of the films (Blocheads) has especially been scheduled for the UK tour only and it’s a history of the sport of Bouldering, something that has particular resonance with UK climbers, the others have all been selected based on their originality, reputation and uniqueness.
The Program
Poumaka, Director: Mike Libecki, Length: 15 minutes
Take a professional climber from the bouldering circuit and take her on an expedition to an unclimbed tower in the middle of the jungle. This is the amazing adventure that Angie Payne, Mike Libecki and Andy Mann went through to make the first ascent of Poumaka, a beautiful spire covered in mud and vegetation – Exploration at its finest.
Bob, I’m Leaving Your Ship! Director: Pierre-Emilio Medina, length: 15 minutes
Daring to attempt the impossible: crossing a highline between two paragliders moving thousands of feet into the air. A group of French athletes show us what humans can achieve when they focus all their energy and talent on the realization of their dreams.
Mountain Bike Is The New Ski, Director: Erwan Pelisset, length: 6 minutes
There is no limit to what you can do with a mountain bike. Kilian Bron loves his bike so much that he can’t resolve to store it away during winter. In this short film, he explores the possibilities of biking in the winter, from reaching 100km/hour speed to riding powder snow.
Between Sky and Peaks, Directors: Nicolas Hairon and Jérémie Chenal, length: 25 minutes
Julien Irilli is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the mountains thanks to a new generation of paragliders. Starting from his home in Annecy he is able to travel through the air to the steepest faces of the Mont-Blanc massif, climb them and fly away from the top. An emotional journey.
La Vie au bout des doigts, Director: Jean-Paul Janssens: 26 minutes
To start the “Mountains On Stage Classic” category, we felt we could not have chosen a more iconic climbing film. In this gem from the 80’s we can see Patrick Edlinger dancing hundreds of feet above the ground without a rope, while listening to the best experimental music of that era – a must see.
Blocheads, Director: Alistair Lee, length: 59 minutes (UK only)
Blocheads delves into bouldering’s murky past and traces all the evolution of this form of climbing up to the current “Golden Age”. Off-the-scale gnarly moves and hair-raising highballs. Sumptuous production. Historical garnish. Anarchy. Daft bits. Awesome bits. Blocheads is a must see and will inspire you to go bouldering right away.
Dates and Venues
EDINBURGH – Wednesday, April 19th, 2017
7pm – 10:30pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
Vue Omni Centre – Omni Leisure Building 11 – 61 Leith St – Edinburgh EH1 3AU
GLASGOW – Thursday, April 20th, 2017
7pm – 10:30pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
Showcase Cinemas – Barrbridge Leisure Centre – Bailleston – Glasgow G69 7TZ
MANCHESTER – Monday, April 24th, 2017
7pm – 10:30pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
Showcase Cinemas – Hyde Rd – Manchester M12 5AL
BIRMINGHAM – Tuesday, April 25th, 2017
7pm – 10:30pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
Vue Cinemas – 29 Star City – Watson Rd – Birmingham B7 5SB
BRISTOL – Wednesday, April 26th, 2017
7pm – 10:30pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
Showcase Cinemas – St Phillips Causeway – Avon Meads – Bristol BS2 0SP
LONDON – Friday, April 28th, 2017
7pm – 10:30pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
Cineworld Haymarket – 63-65 Haymarket – St. James’s – London SW1Y 4RL
Ticket price: £16 per person (all ages)
To book tickets, visit: mountainsonstage.com
