After coming to the UK for the first time in 2011, The Reel Rock Tour is returning to Lancaster on October 22. It is one of the world’s fastest growing short film festivals and is set to showcase the world’s best new adventure and climbing films.
The Reel Rock Tour features a collection of films created by some of the best adventure film makers in the world. They allow the briefest glimpse into the world of extreme sports, adventuring and the most ridiculous climbing you can think of. We follow the stories of four teams of amazing adventurers, alpine legends and climbing icons trying to achieve their wildest dreams and greatest ambitions, attempting to conquer some of the most challenging (and some would say impossible) ascents the world has to offer.
The Reel Rock Tour showcases the feature length documentary – Valley Uprising – which will treat audiences to a rare trip back in time to experience 60 years of climbing history, epic rivalry, adventure and rebellion. Vividly brought to life on the big screen through digitally animated-archival photography, spectacular movie footage from classic and modern shoots as well as interviews with climbing legends, Valley Uprising tells the story of the bold men and women that broke convention and redefined the limits of human possibility in California’s Yosemite National Park.
The evening will be split into three discreet but interlocking generations. The first part, ‘The Golden Age’, looks at the climbing during the 50s and 60s. These years created the legends of today, big dreamers longing to climb the (then) un-climbable. They forged not just a revolution in climbing, but also created a new way of life. They made ‘first ascents’, which often involved longer than 30 days of non-stop climbing.
Part two, ‘The Stone Masters’, sees the climbers of the 70s emerge, ready to usurp their predecessors. They changed the idea of what climbing could be, bringing about ‘free-climbing,’ ascending mega routes with just hand and foot and no artificial aid. These were some of the first and still most impressive feats of athleticism in human history. It was not all climbing; a raucous new era emerged spearheaded by partying and battles with the national park authorities. Oh and there was the drug-smuggling plane which crashed into the valley too.
The third and final section of the documentary, ‘The Stone Monkeys,’ brings with it the dawn of a new century and a modern band of brothers smashing the definition of impossible and establishing their own brand of adventure. A 2000 foot vertical rock face climbed with no rope in under three hours, which had previously taken five days to complete. High lines suspended across cliff-tops with hundreds of feet of nothing to fall into and B.A.S.E.-jumping off formations with barely enough time for a parachute to even open.
The Reel Rock Tour’s aim is not just to showcase what some of the world’s greatest climbers regularly accomplish, but to inspire new and experienced climbers alike to strive to achieve something they once only dreamed of. It brings the local climbing community together, forges new friendships and gives an opportunity to share our own stories too.
The Reel Rock Tour will hit Lancaster on October 22, with a screening of Valley Uprising at Lancaster Grand Theatre. The Reel Rock Tour also has a free prize draw with premium-brand climbing equipment. Click here to book tickets.
