The 17th annual Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival wrapped up last Saturday night Feb. 15 at North Vancouver’s Centennial Theatre with the Irish documentary, The Summit, winning the top two awards: the Festival Grand Prize and Best Mountaineering Film.
VIMFF jury member Jamie Franklin said Ryan’s film was “a hauntingly evocative documentary with respect to the deadliest climb in K2’s history. On August 1, 2008, 11 climbers would perish on the ‘Savage Mountain.’ Beautifully filmed in a hostile environment, the filmmakers intertwine the events of that fateful day with survivor interviews successfully creating a inspiring and emotional view of the climbing experience at its most challenging. The chillingly realistic dramatic recreations are expertly woven into the story creating a seamless transition between the drama and actual footage of the expedition.”
The festival screened 79 films this year with a three-person jury (Tracey Friesen, former executive producer at the National Film Board; Jamie Franklin, operations oanager and online editor at Watershed Digital; and filmmaker and photographer Shaun Finn) choosing the best of the fest
The complete list of winners are as follows:
Festival Grand Prize
The Summit, dir. Nick Ryan, Ireland
Best Mountaineering Film
The Summit, dir. Nick Ryan, Ireland
Best Canadian Film
Through Ice and Time, dir. Alar Kivilo, Canada
Jury Award
The Road From Karakol, dir. Fitz Cahall, USA
Best Mountain Culture Film
Tea or Electricity, dir. Jérôme Le Maire, Belgium
Best Adventure Film
The Crossing, dir. Julian Harvey, Australia
Best Rock Climbing Film
Defaid A Dringo: The Climbing Shepherd, dir. Alun Hughes, Wales
Best Mountain Biking Film
Flow: The Elements of Free Ride, dir. Oly Mingo, USA
Best Skiing/Snowboarding Film
Valhalla, dir. Nick Waggoner/Ben Sturgulewski, USA
Best Water Film
The Fortune Wild, dir. Ben Gulliver, Canada
Best Environmental Film
North of The Sun, dir. Inge Wegge, Norway
Best Short Film
El Último Hielero : The Last Ice Merchant, dir. Sandy Patch, USA/Ecuador
For more information visit vimff.org.
