My Pick For ShAFF 2015
11th Mar 2015
It's ten years since I started ShAFF. On the one hand things have changed enormously. It's a different beast now to what it was back then. On the other it's essentially still the same thing - a weekend of amazing film celebrating everything that's good about the outdoors. This year there's a record number of films - 118 in total!
One reason for this is the fact that lots of filmmakers have fully embrace the internet and are producing shorter films as a result. That's a bonus for anybody heading to the festival as you get more variety, but it's a lot of work behind the scenes building the programme, the website, and the actual compilations of films to screen.
So I thought it would be useful to write a little about my pick of the festival this year in case you are daunted by the choice! The judges meet later this week and we'll announce the official winners across various categories shortly after the meeting, but I don't have a say in the actual judging so can give my opinion here.
Despite my comments about the short nature of many of the films my two favourites this year are both feature-length. First up is a film that we almost showed last year, but couldn't. DamNation isn't strictly speaking about adventure or sport, but it carries a very strong environmental message as it tackles the issue of damming rivers in the US. Great photography, beautiful music, engrossing narration, and a message we should all know about make it a great way to spend an hour and a half at the festival.
The second is The Barkley Marathons. If you've not heard of this race in the States, watch this film before googling it. You are in for a treat. Organised by a sadistic hill-billy (I'm sure he wouldn't mind me describing him like that!), it's reputed to be one of, if not the, toughest trail races on the planet. A very well made film packing in a very large dose of black humour and drama to boot.
It would be remiss of me to not mention the third feature length film that we are showing this year as it's won Best Film at most of the festivals it's screened at. Valley Uprising is the latest offering from Sender Films and offers an in depth look at that the development of rock climbing in Yosemite Valley. It's a fair description to term this the 'Riding Giants' of the climbing film genre. (Sheffield writer John Horscroft has previewed it and says: “If you only see one film at SHAFF, make it Valley Uprising.”
Finding Traction is another cracker and worth a mention in this write up as we are super-excited that the film’s protagonist, ultra-runner Nikki Kimball, is coming to the festival and will be giving a lecture on the Saturday evening. In the film Nikki attempts to beat the all time record on the 273 mile Long Trail.
There are literally dozens of eye-candy shorts that are available online, but will look bigger and better on a giant cinema screen; the likes of Danny MacAskill's The Ridge, Afterglow by Sweetgrass Productions, and El Sendero Luminoso from The Camp 4 Collective.
But it's arguably the more esoteric films that I think deserve a mention here. Derby Crazy Love is a fairly off-the-wall documentary about the sport of Roller Derby. Come On, Eileen is one of a raft of road biking films, featuring Eileen Sheridan, the most prolific female long distance cyclist this country has ever produced.
There are of course premieres galore. We're particularly excited that Karen Darke will be at the Friday Night premiere of her own film IMPOSSIBLE alongside ex England Rugby captain Catherine Spencer. And on Sunday afternoon Andy and Ella Kirkpatrick will be presenting X Box to Ice as part of a session called Risky Play about encouraging children to have adventures.
Aside from the films and talks we're very excited about the development of the ShAFF Fringe this year, with a brand new Cycle Touring Forum, Tech Forum, Filmmaking Masterclass, ShED Talks, Wilderness Weekends with Wanderlust Magazine and more. All free, but requiring registration.
And last, but not least we're being graced with the presence of probably the biggest name in the world of adventure sport. This year's Red Bull Cityscape will feature none other than Danny MacAskill, interviewed on the couch in the amazing open-air amphitheater above Sheffield Train Station. And that's free too!
It's going to be a good weekend!
Want to know what’s on when? The brochure’s available on the website and will be in the Showroom early next week.
We’ve also produced handy day-by-day guides (Fri | Sat | Sun) as well as what’s on guides for climbers, runners, cyclists and a more general adventure/travel audience.
Matt Heason, Festival Director.
