Programme - (21 October 2023 - Evening)

Over the 50 years of its existence, the Alpine Kayak Club has brought together the best kayakers of the Alps like no other organisation. In the area of security, the AKC from its beginnings set standards that have endured to this day. The film narrates its history in an arc from its founding in 1972 to the future, with ups and downs, legends, pioneers, wild encounters, insights into kayak film culture and spectacular first descents.

Marek Molek and Bruno Grassi are about to reach the summit of the “Great Troll”, the last and most difficult unclimbed mountain. A violent storm, exhaustion and poor snow conditions prevent them from reaching the top. While they argue about whether they should stand by the truth, special correspondent Mike Bacon fails to make contact with them and waits anxiously at base camp.

In 2018 the director received a Special Mention by the Jury for Viacruxis.

Seven crazy friends set off for Pakistan. Their ingenious idea: summiting on Himalayan peaks via paraglider and having lots of fun while they’re at it. The scheme is simple – paragliders will allow them to reach high altitude mountains while getting acclimatised at the same time. And in order to kill two birds with one stone, they also try to break the world altitude record in paragliding by flying above 26,200 ft (8,000 m).

On the routes of nomads and on the historic Silk Road, a group of snowboarders and freeriders embark on an expedition to one of Kyrgyzstan’s most remote corners. In the Kakshaal Too Massif in the Tien Shan Mountains, near the Kyrgyz-Chinese border, a number of unknown mountains and steep flanks beckon to be discovered. We witness an adventurous journey to their destination, then touching encounters with local people and their culture, finally fantastic powder slopes offering perfect lines and bold steep descents – all this propels the athletes into a state of bliss and into a space where time seems to have stopped.

For The Pathan Project the director received the German Alpine Club (DAV) Prize for the Best Film in the Category Mountain Experience in 2019.

A shepherdess awakes from a dream. In it, she saw a wolf approaching her herd. She devotes herself entirely to her work and looks after her sheep all summer long on a remote alp in Switzerland, completely exposed to nature and with great responsibility for the well-being of the herd. With binoculars, she searches the ridges of the surrounding mountains for the predator whose proximity she feels. When she finally comes face to face with the wolf, Queen, everything changes … A film about the relationship between humans and animals, about instincts and humility.

Elias ist ein ausgezeichneter Schüler und Sohn der reichsten Großbauern im Zillertal. Doch je mehr der 18-Jährige versucht, die für ihn vorgesehene Rolle zu erfüllen, desto stärker droht er daran zu zerbrechen. Er zieht sich in die Berge zurück, wo ihn die Wildnis und Einsamkeit der Natur erwarten. Hinauf auf den Märzengrund, wo der Kopf endlich zur Ruhe kommt – und der Körper sich nach und nach auflöst. 40 Jahre wird Elias im Gebirge bleiben.

Nach dem Theaterstück „Märzengrund“ von Felix Mitterer.

Still, autumn reigns in Gran Paradiso National Park. But soon it starts snowing. The few local people and all animals have to adjust to a rough time. Among other things, to huge avalanches.

The documentaries of the Lapied family have won several awards in Tegernsee.

OR

Landscape photographer Alexandre Deschaumes portrays his landscapes in a dreamlike and artistic way. A journey into “his” world is compelling, full of beguiling colours and contours. In it, his feelings are expressed in hauntingly beautiful images.

Mathieu LeLay received the Otto Guggenbichler Award for a Junior Film Maker as well as the Prize for the Best film in the Mountain Nature Category.

OR

Olivier Higgins and Mélanie Carrier embark on an adventure journey of approximately 4,970 miles (8,000 km). They bike across Asia all the way from Mongolia to India. It means getting to know this part of the world as much as their own core selves.

AND

While this year’s prize winners are already celebrating at the Barocksaal venue, the Festival Tent screens the production receiving the award for overall best film in the current competition.