This year’s Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival on Saturday and Sunday February 6 and 7 poses the question: Why do people go to the mountains?
For some, it’s about exploring, going off the beaten track and seeing somewhere new. For others, years of training can pay dividends when they complete a challenging rock climb or ski descent. And then there are the daredevils, who need the buzz of pushing the limits to keep them sane. All such characters feature at this year’s EMFF.
The two-day festival is being staged, as always, at George Square Lecture Theatre in Edinburgh, with a host of films that features many big names in the world of the great outdoors.
Operation Moffat takes inspiration from the climbing life of Britain’s first female mountain guide, Gwen Moffat.
See climbers Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell, the late extreme adventurer Dean Potter, leading mountain biker Brandon Semenuk as well as the lesser knowns: A team of “balloon-skiing” pioneers, 91-year-old former mountain guide Gwen Moffat and a skier who goes only by the name of Snowflake.
Local heroes are well-represented, too, with top climber Natalie Berry, Inverness-based extreme skier Peter MacKenzie and a team of paraclimbers who take on the Eiger.
The guest speakers include Scottish climber Dave MacLeod; photographer and alpinist Jon Griffith; adventurer Andy Kirkpatrick’ and Scottish mountain biker Lee Craigie.
Moonwalk film.
New for the 2016 festival is a Sunday morning film show which has been designated family-friendly. There will be six adventure films screened at the 90-minute session.
Stevie Christie, festival director, says: “Whether you are a committed outdoor enthusiast or more of an armchair fan, or if you simply enjoy hearing enthralling stories set against incredibly beautiful scenery, there is something for you at the EMFF. And if you wish you could have adventures like the ones you see but can’t find the time in your life, we even have a short film which tells you the solution.”
Balloon skiing.
The festival is staged in association with Tiso, Mountain Equipment, Gore, Coors Light and Wilderness Scotland.
Tickets start at £6 and are on sale now at EMFF.