Sunday 3 July 2022

ON THE EDGE

Climbers, mountaineers, alpinists.

Surely more on the edge than most. In fact, they often go over the edge, very often fatally.

Some of these stories have been told by the climbers themselves (those who lived to tell the tale), and some have been told by friends, writers, filmmakers and even their own families.

'Torn' is a film directed by Max Lowe about his father Alex Lowe, a larger than life character who led an extraordinarily adventurous life. But it is Max's examination of what happened in the wake of that life that makes this film so incredibly poignant.


'The Last Mountain' - another incredible story of a climbing family and the deep & lasting legacy of how the pursuit of adventure in the mountains can be life-changing for everyone involved. The film follows Kate Ballard's journey to find peace following the loss of both her mother, Alison Hargreaves, and her brother, Tom Ballard. Both of whom died at almost the same age, in the same mountain range doing what they loved to do.


'Free Solo' - captures all of the utter nail-biting tension as Alex Honnold attempts the first free ascent of the sheer face of El Capitan in Yosemite. The heart-in-mouth terror of watching him free-climb is stunning. But it is the interplay between Alex and his fiancee Sani McCandless, that creates the personal drama. Alex, single-minded, obsessively determined, seemingly oblivious to danger. Sani, emotionally open and engaged with the project, supportive yet also very honest about her struggle to balance her love for Alex with the very real fear she feels.

Just three of many amazing films about extraordinary people who are happiest when they're on the edge.


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