ShAFF is only just over a couple of weeks away (so get your tickets!) so Lissa asked me to write a few words about my top five films of this year's festival. As always it's a tough choice - at the end of the day I chose every film on the programme based on its own merit. However, here goes.

1. Murder Of Couriers. 
This is an unusual film for ShAFF. It's about cycling on roads rather than off roads. It's base in a city rather than the countryside, and it's feature length (a strong theme this year as we are showing 12 feature length films!) and not a short. It's essentially a study of the sub culture of cycle couriers. It has strong language, and not all the characters are immediately likable, but characters is one thing this film is not short of. It seems that in order to be a part of the cycle courier community you need to be a strong character! I've watched the film twice already and am confident I'll watch it again. It's fascinating, very well made, beautifully shot, and so different to your average adventure film that I'd say 'do not miss it!'

2. Heaven's Gate.
Jeb Corliss is something of a phenomenon. He's the guy who dresses in black, talks with more intensity than Russel Brand, and throws himself off cliffs with a wingsuit on for a living. You'll have seen him on Youtube, almost certainly. Well it came to Jeb's attention that in China (where else?) there's a natural arch high in the mountains that would make a great location the ultimate BASE jumping stunt ever - a full commitment fly-through from one side of the ridge to the other. Jeb sets off with film maker Iiro Seppanen and a motley crew of fellow fliers, and most importantly, a heavyweight sponsor - Red Bull. Whereas most Red Bull sponsored films you've seen in the past are not shy about a bit of product placement this one is more subtle. They have clearly thrown some serious money at the project, but have given the filmmaker more of a free reign to make a decent documentary than they are accustomed to. And it's a far better film as a result. Iiro has directed some excellent and award-winning films int he past - 20 Second Of Joy and Journey To The Centre both having featured at ShAFF in the past) and delivers with Heaven's Gate, his best film to date in my mind. 

3. The Road From Karakol
One of the best short films about an adventurous trip I've ever seen. It features American Kyle Dempster biking and climbing in Kyrgystan. It's held together by his superb narration and a beautiful haunting soundtrack. It's incredibly funny, and almost tragically sad. It's real adventure. 

4. Valhalla
I've already blogged about Valhalla when I watched just before Christmas. In a nutshell it's probably my favourtie ski film of all time. Just over 60 minutes long it provides a good meaty bit of entertainment without stepping into the realm of dragging on. Unusual, stunningly filmed and with the best soundtrack of this year's festival I'd say it's a Grand Prize contender.

5. The Burn
Short and sweet. I still haven't got my head around how they made this film. Another good soundtrack and gravely narrator (there's a theme to what I like it appears!). It's a short ski film, but exploring the natural phenomenon of forest fires and the essential impact they have on our landscapes.

6. Half The Road
OK, Lissa asked me for my top 5, but I rememberd about this one once I'd done them. It's another feature-length film, and it's also about road cycling! Half The Road is about the state of women's professional road cycling. It's fascinating, and well made, but is almost guaranteed to get you hot under the collar, with the injustice of it. Last year at ShAFF we screened Ready To Fly, a very good documentary about the poor state of women's ski jumping. Last month I was very pleased to see that the sport made its debut at the Winter Olympics. I'd like to think that films like these, with important messages, and screening them at festivals, play an important part in the process of getting sports and causes recognised.