Press Release – Tegernsee Mountain Film Festival 2022-10-17
Strong Women and Strong Messages
The staggering breadth of the mountain film genre can be experienced at the 19th Tegernsee Mountain Film Festival: On five festival days, an exquisite shortlist of the very best international productions will be presented, celebrity guests included. Here are some films not be missed – thanks to their surprising attitudes and daring perspectives.
On Wednesday’s opening night, the spotlight is on strong women in the mountains: “Sophie Lavaud – Lady 8000” is a contemporary high altitude expedition film, which sheds light on gender issues”, as this is an all-female expedition. With more than ten ascents under her belt, Sophie Lavaud stands a good chance of becoming the first Swiss woman to stand on all fourteen eight-thousander peaks. She would also be the fifth woman worldwide to fulfil this dream. Thursday caters another expedition film with “Dhaulagiri is my Everest”. It explores the history of high-altitude mountaineering and impresses its viewers with strong protagonists and memorable words of wisdom: In 1984, Zoltán Demján climbed two eight-thousanders without additional oxygen. First, he conquered the South Face of Lhotse Shar, then the South Pillar of Mount Everest, where the weather turned his descent into a dramatic experience. In a third, no less fascinating expedition film, a bunch of young French climbers boldly devise a mini-expedition and scale a 6.500 ft (2.000 m) ice wall to a 22.300 ft (7.000 m) peak, in Saturday’s “A l’ombre du Chamlang” (In the Shadow of Mt Chamlang). The North Face of Mt Chamlang is one of the last large unclimbed walls of the Himalayas. This film allows us to immerser ourselves in the best of 21st century Himalayan mountaineering.
On Saturday, Germany’s current top high-altitude mountaineer David Göttler will attend the Nepal Night at Ludwig-Thoma-Saal and reveal how he climbed the highest mountain on earth last spring without additional oxygen. Three Everest eras will be on show during this screening block: previously unpublished material from the 1920s in “Everest – by Those Who Were There”, the film “Sea to Summit” from 1992 and film sequences by cinematographer David Göttler with running live commentary. “Everest: Sea to Summit” by Michael Dillon is an absolute must-see. Dillon’s approach: Everest is 8.848 meters high, but most climbers start out on foot in Lukla, at around 2.600 m. His film protagonist emerges from the floods of the Indian Ocean, then walks step by step from sea level to the highest point on earth.
Mountain celebrities star in the screened films, such as Stefan Glowacz with his film “Wallride”, which he also produced: Together with ninja warrior Philipp Hans, the pro climber undertakes a sustainable XXL bike tour through the Alps, during which the two moreover succeed with first ascents on three challenging climbing routes. With well-known tongue-in-cheek, Belgian star climber Nicolas Favresse and a younger friend also hop into the bike saddle, bringing along their two dogs (who comment on their masters’ rather odd behaviour throughout the film). The physical torture experienced by top climbers can be witnessed in the film “Massiv Trad Attack” (Friday, 5 pm at Medius). In the audience for this screening will be Ralf Dujmovits – the first and so far the only German to have climbed all 14 eight-thousanders. Afterwards, and extensive cinematic portrait of Dujmovits is scheduled to run. This will be his first visit to the festival.
Two Bavarian winter sports stars and gold medal winners will also appear at the Mountain Film Festival: During its opening screening, we can admire Viktoria Rebensburg on a ski tour traverse of the Salzburg mountains as well as ascending Mt Grossglockner. She scales this mountain as confidently as if it were familiar Mt Leonhardstein in her home village Kreuth. On Friday, ex-biathlete Laura Dahlmeier can be seen forming a rope team with the “Huberbuam” (Huber boys). The three went climbing together on one of Montblanc’s large and difficult pillars. On stage, Dahlmeier will share more about her passion for the mountains.
Alpinist and climber Tom Dauer as well as Stefan Glowacz and his team will present their respective films to the audience in person and thus contribute to the intimate festival atmosphere. During the Bayern 2 Night on Thursday at Barocksaal, sport climber and climate activist Lena Müller will address the question: “Summit Bliss and Climate Crisis – How Do Those Go Together?” This outstanding climber can also be experienced during the film “More than a Route”, where she teams up with a female friend. Film makers from the Tegernsee region will also be present on site: Rosenheim film maker Puriah Ravahi, winner of the award in the Mountain Experience category in 2017 with his thought-provoking base jump film “Last Exit”, reports in “Back to Iran” on a ski touring trip to his native country.
Does festival director Michael Pause have a favourite? If he did, he wouldn’t reveal it in advance. Just this much: Two films displaying particularly great camera work count as likely candidates for an award: In 2015, Frenchman Mathieu LeLay received both the award in the category Mountain Nature and the Award for a Junior Film Maker. This time, he impresses with “Yukon, a White Dream” with stunning wildlife footage from Canada’s enchanted North. The film “Big North” by Italian film maker Dario Acocella takes us to Alaska as well as into the haunted literary heart of wilderness escapes.
In the end, every single mountain film fan is spoilt for choice: which one(s) to choose from the approximately 80 film titles? Everyone will have to make up their own mind according to their tastes and preferences. The screening venues tend to specialise on the following genres: extreme athletic feats at Medius, nature and culture at Quirinal and Ludwig-Thoma-Saal; the opening ceremony, retrospective and awards ceremony will take place at Barocksaal. Experimental films are offered at Schalthaus. The family cinema matinee screenings will take place at Thomasaal. Aficionados already know: the top films will be shown several times on different days. And the greatest cinematic excellence is guaranteed during Sunday’s matinee, when all winning films will be screened at full length.
Festival director Michael Pause would like to share one personal recommendation, independently from award speculations: “The disappearance of Janusz Klarner”. This film does not pamper to the mainstream, but tells a fascinating story backed up by excellent camera and editing work. Pause states: “Every hardcore film fan should try and catch this one by the end of the festival.”
Information: Sonderbüro Bergfilm-Festival Tegernsee, Germany, phone +49(0)8022-1801 – 37; bergfilm@tegernsee.de, online: www.bergfilm-tegernsee.de Please find detailed descriptions of all films as well as of festival fringe activities in the print and online programmes.