The Best Of Kendal Mountain Festival
Since its first inception back in October 1980, Kendal Mountain Festival has grown year on year, offering a platform to both emerging and established filmmakers, literary and creative talent in the outdoor sphere. It’s also an opportunity for learning and engagement, with industry leaders, experts and athletes offering talks and demonstrations, and outdoor events including environmental initiatives and a 10k running race.
Now in its fifth decade, the festival is widely regarded as the UK’s main annual social event for outdoor folk, and as the day’s proceedings wind down, the evening’s parties ramp up.
Below, we share just a handful of our top film picks from the event, all of which are available to watch in full on the Kendal Mountain Player, along with over 150 other film, talk and session recordings up until the 31st December. We’re offering BASE readers a 25% discount on a full festival player pass when you use code COSYNIGHTS25
So, grab yourself a mince pie, skip the usual Christmas TV and prepare to be inspired.
A Land For Everyone
A Land for Everyone follows skateboard and adventure photographer Hannah Bailey and skateboarder Lyndsay McLaren as they explore the highlands of Scotland, centring on the belief that the outdoors, skateboarding and adventure are for everyone. As women who grew up in Scotland, Hannah and Lyndsay’s teenage selves never imagined a career in skateboarding would be possible. The empowering film by Rachel Sarah is a nod to their childhoods and the journeys they have been on ever since.
The full film is available to watch in the Ride and Flow collection and you can watch the trailer below.
TAJ
The first in a three-part series by Coldhouse Collective explores how Adam Raja‘s past and present have shaped his relationship with the landscapes of his homeland of Scotland. Adam revisits his adolescence, talking candidly about the challenges he faced whilst coming of age in the suburbs of Glasgow, and the route which later led him to find connection to the mountains he barely knew existed until his 20s.
You can read Adam’s story The Approach in issue 09 of BASE magazine, and the film is available in the Human Spirit film collection.
© Berghaus
Walking On Clouds
This short film by Brazillian director Renan Kamizi shows a highline crossing between two hot air balloons, performed by Rafael Bridi in 2021, in Santa Catarina, Brazil. This incredible feat claimed the title of the highest highline in the world, confirmed by Guinness World Records. With a combination of spectacular visuals captured by drone and an intensely cinematic soundtrack, you can almost feel the cold air rushing past your ears as Bridi calmly crosses between the two balloons.
The full film is available in the Air film collection on the festival player, and you can watch the trailer here.
Uta – The Climb For Kosovo
Jake Tupman and Jack Somerville reflect on 34 year old Uta Ibrahimi’s fascinating life, from her younger years growing up in a country torn apart by war, to her inspiring ambition to become the first person from Kosovo to attempt to climb Mount Everest. Uta’s intention was to inspire a post-war generation of climbers and mountaineers from the country and to help build a better future for the country that she loves, by putting Kosovo’s flag on the top of the world.
The film is a gentle and poignant reminder of the importance of courage, determination and empowerment in surviving the most difficult, unforgiving circumstances and terrains on earth.
You can find Uta’s story in the Mountain Blue film collection.
Walk On
This year, wilderness guide Eliza Brown embarked on a 20-day, 400km journey, traversing the Scottish Highlands with pack pony Pansy on a route which has seen more people fail than succeed. The challenging yet ruggedly beautiful terrain provides the perfect backdrop for this emotive and inspiring film, which was the directorial debut for Grace T.S.P.
The film is available in the Run and Hike Red film collection on the player. You can also read Eliza’s introductory guide to pony packing and discover her essential packing components too.
Not A Hope In Hoy!
Shot by action sports photographer and filmmaker Ryan Balharry, this in-depth and amusing film documents Robbie Phillips and Alex Moore as they attempt to climb the world’s hardest sea cliff, ‘The Longhope’, E10 on Hoy, Scotland.
Professional rock climber Robbie (who also features in the incredible cover shot on the latest issue of BASE magazine) returns to the Scottish island of Orkney to climb the infamous sea cliff big wall, a route which has very few recorded ascents to its name. En route to the top, Robbie and Alex battle physical and mental exhaustion and the careful avoidance of resident sea birds on the cliff face, Fulmars, who have a tendency to vomit on climbers in defence of their nests.
The film is available as a standalone feature film on the festival player.
Descent
Following a near fatal crash in 2021 that left her bed-bound and unable to walk, Ana Orenz could think of only one correct course of action – to return to the race that nearly killed her just one year on.
With intense soundscapes and stunningly scenic visuals, this film by Rufus Exton and Steve Bliss tells the remarkable tale of a life lived in devotion of the bike, of trial and determination and the boundary between passion and obsession. From childhood disability to triple-everesting and then sustaining life-altering injuries, this is the journey of coming to terms with a body you no longer recognise and relearning what it is, and is not, capable of.
The film is available as a standalone feature in the festival player.
Has that got you hankering for adventure? These are just a taste of the incredible variety of films, sessions and speakers that are available to watch on the festival player. Don’t forget to use code COSYNIGHTS25 at the checkout for your exclusive discount.
Don’t miss a single adventure
Sign up to our free newsletter and get a weekly BASE hit to your inbox
Other posts by this author
Photo Essay • BASE editorial team • Mar 18, 2024
Hunting happiness through adventure in Taiwan
BASE teams up with adventurer Sofia Jin to explore the best of Taiwan's underrated adventure scene.
Story • BASE editorial team • Nov 21, 2023
Five Epic UK Climbs You Should Try This Winter
Craving a snowy mountain adventure? Inspired by the Garmin Instinct 2 watch (into which you can directly plan these routes), we've compiled a list of five of the best for winter 2023-24!
Spotlight • BASE editorial team • Oct 26, 2023
Kit Up, Give Back: How Outdoor Gear Rental Is Opening Up Adventure To Everyone
Gear rental initiative KitUp is on a mission to improve accessibility to the outdoors
