Rhod Gilbert vs Kilimanjaro
★ 5 · 2014 · 29m · Documentary
In 2013 Velindre Cancer Care asked Rhod to lead an expedition to climb Kilimanjaro, the 19,341 ft high volcano in Africa. Rhod assumed they were 'taking the piss' but gave it a go anyway. He got together with some friends and tried to get fit before setting off for the peak.
More Like This
Children of Stars
2023 · ★ 6
Astrophysicist Jean Surdej brings a small group of teenage pupils on a trip to the Lofoten islands in northern Norway, for a very special class on the solar system. Using the geography of the archipelago to illustrate the distances between the planets, they journey through space by car and ferry, with the picturesque landscapes standing in for the black emptiness that surround the heavenly bodies. A masterstroke of both pedagogy and filmmaking, Children of Stars is a captivating documentary about humanity's place in the grand scheme of things.
More info →
Chasing Dragons
2025
In 2023, Theodoros Ziakas and a group of friends created the “Dragon Trail,” a unique route through the mountains and rivers of Epirus—one of Europe’s last unspoiled landscapes. But in this region, the ecosystem and its vital lifelines face imminent risk of destruction. The film follows Akis Ziakas, a long-distance athlete who lives and trains in this enchanting setting. Drawing on his ultramarathon experience, Akis sets out to establish a new mountaineering trail connecting the three famous dragon lakes. The route pushes him to his physical and psychological limits, as he battles his inner demons while striving to complete the journey—one that unfolds amid breathtaking natural beauty, forging a profound connection between man and nature.
More info →
Athos
2016 · ★ 7.8
The Athos peninsula in Greece is one of Europe's last secrets. Over 2000 monks live on Athos - cut off from the outside world. Access is denied to women, tourists are not welcome. Only workers and pilgrims can obtain a visa. The "Autonomous Monastic State of the Holy Mountain" attracts people who feel like they are missing something from their modern lives. With the help of three Athos monks, "Athos - A Taste of Heaven" tells the story of the island and its inhabitants in a unique filmed diary style. The film's guiding theme is the path we as people have to find and follow - each and everyone for themselves. "First we must heal our own souls, only then we can help others", is one of Father Galaktions core messages. He lives as a hermit on the holy mountain. Not all monks, however, live as secluded and demure as Father Galaktion. The film team is also received by Father Epiphanios - a gifted and poetic cook who certainly does not disdain the pleasures of life.
More info →
Stars at Noon
1959 · ★ 7
Les Etoiles de Midi is an engaging docudrama about some of the more spectacular exploits of French mountain climbers over the last several decades. In one re-enacted story, there is a wartime escape through the mountains, and in another, a daring rescue of a pair of climbers who had been missing. The actors themselves are adept at the sport of climbing, and they give the scenes an immediacy and real daring that brings the stories alive. A combination of their acrobatics and skill and the outstanding episodes in the history of French climbing creates a winning 78 minutes.
More info →
Opera Vertical
1984 · ★ 10
Vertical Opera is a documentary film directed by Jean-Paul Janssen, with climbers Patrick Edlinger and Jean-Paul Lemercier in the Gorges du Verdon. The film opens with a training sequence of Patrick Edlinger then he links the routes with Jean-Paul Lemercier "L'Ange en décongelation" (7a), in which he falls voluntarily to demonstrate the usefulness of the rope, then "Le Septième Saut" (7b+). Finally, the final scene, an anthology, consists of a close-up of Edlinger who climbs free solo and barefoot the route "Débiloff", still in the Verdon, above hundreds of meters of void, all to lyrical music. It is "Wie Furchtsam Wankten Meine Schritte", the aria for alto voice from Johann Sebastian Bach's cantata BWV 33, music not unrelated to the subject of the documentary: "How faltering and fearful my steps were".
More info →
Rainier: The Mountain
1999
In this retrospective tribute, acclaimed filmmaker Jean Walkinshaw hails the 100th anniversary of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington by talking to those who know it best: the scientists, naturalists, mountain climbers and artists whose lives have been touched by the peak's far-reaching shadow. The result is a harmonious blend of archival material and high-definition footage celebrating an icon of the Pacific Northwest.
More info →
Blindsight
2006 · ★ 6.8
Six blind Tibetan teenagers climb the Lhakpa-Ri peak of Mount Everest, led by seven-summit blind mountain-climber Erik Weihenmayer.
More info →
The Backstage Wall
1983 · ★ 10
Behind the scenes of the filming of a film on climbing a cliff by Patrick Berhault and Georges Unia on the parishes of the route "La Tête de Chien" in Monaco. Director Laurent Chevallier explains the difficulties of filming at height, the kind of shots that are suitable and the specifications of equipment suitable for filming on a cliff.
More info →