Herald Staff Report
Editor’s Note: This article originally ran Oct. 8. Reel Rock 8 was scheduled for Oct. 10 but was postponed for technical reasons. The climbing film festival will screen Thursday night at the Smiley Building.
Some of the most spectacular cinematography from around the globe will return to the Smiley Building on Thursday for the 8th edition of the Reel Rock film festival. The World Premiere last week in Boulder sold out two nights in a row, followed closely by more sold out shows from Anchorage to Atlanta.
Reel Rock 8 features four films, including its most controversial film to date. “High Tension” focuses on the violent incident on Mt. Everest involving Sherpas and professional climbers Ueli Steck and Simone Moro that became a mainstream news story earlier this year. The documentary goes beyond the headlines with new footage of the fight and an exploration of long-standing conflicts on the most famous summit on Earth.
Also on the docket is a story of the bravest female climber alive, tales of Yosemite in the 1970s during the era of sex drugs ‘n’ rock and roll, and climbing’s version of “The Karate Kid.” Reel Rock also includes prize giveaways, appearances by pro climbers and fundraising for non-profits.
In 2012, REEL ROCK screened in over 400 locations world-wide, drew over 100,000 audience members and raised more than $20,000.
The Films:
“The Sensei”
Forty-three-year-old Yuji Hirayama is one of the great legends of modern climbing. Near retirement, he plans one big swan-song mission to complete a project, one of his hardest ever, at the spectacular summit of Mount Kinabalu, on the island of Borneo. But first he must find the right partner. Enter Daniel Woods, the young American boulderer who is one of the strongest humans in the climbing world, but lacks mountain experience. Daniel-San travels to Japan to prove himself worthy of Hirayama’s mentorship, and the unlikely duo team up for the expedition of a lifetime.
“Spice Girl”
The UK climbing scene is known for its strict traditional ethic, yielding dangerous routes and a competitive machismo among the driven young climbers risking it all to prove their boldness. It’s the last place you’d expect to find a nice little blonde girl putting all the lads to shame, but Hazel Findlay is doing just that. The first woman to climb the British grade of E9 (super hard, super sketchy), Hazel is a connoseur of loose rock, dodgy gear, and big runouts. Having mastered the scrappy seacliffs at home she teams up with Emily Harrington to tackle the massive, untamed bigwalls of Taghia Gorge, Morocco.
“High Tension: Ueli Steck and the Clash on Everest”
Mount Everest made headlines around the world this year when it was reported that Ueli Steck and Simone Moro, the strongest duo in alpinism, were attacked by a crowd of angry sherpas at Camp 2 while attempting a cutting edge new route on the highest – and most crowded – mountain in the world. Fearing for their lives, the climbers fled the mountain, and the incident sparked a flurry of gasps and angry recrimination: sherpas, western climbers, guiding companies, even the legendary mountain itself were pounded with criticism from all sides. Amidst the bizarre event, REEL ROCK was embedded with the climbing team and given an exclusive look at what happened that day, and why.
“The Stone Masters”
A feature documentary about the counterculture climbing scene in Yosemite over the last 50 years. Provisionally titled “Valley Uprising,” the film brings all the legends to life: from Royal Robbins’ epic battle with Warren Harding to the fabled drug plane crash of 1977 and the escalating tensions between climbers and national park rangers.
If you go
Reel Rock 8 will screen at 7 p.m. Thursday at The Smiley Building Theater, 1309 East Third Ave. Tickets cost $15, available at Backcountry Experience, Maria’s Bookshop and Outdoor Pursuits at Fort Lewis College. For more information, visit http://reelrocktour.com/.
