PIMFF 2022 Selection
For Detailed Program Rundown Click Here
A Journey Through Perseverance (2022)
Country: Pakistan
Duration: 11 minutes
Language: Persian
Synopsis: Everyone literally left boxing in Quetta as sport after the target killing of Olympian Boxer Syed Ibrar Hussain Shah.
This documentary tells a life story of Asif Hazara, a fearless Hazara boxer who is determined to become a world champion and Olympian boxer, despite threats, terror, oppression and almost no support and resources provided from the Government for his choice of sport.
Director Name: Safar Ali Danish
Safar Ali Danish is an independent filmmaker who is well known for his short film “Flying in Darkness” which has received 11 international Award, including the 8th Shahr International film festival Iran. He belongs from a prestigious Hazara Community and born in Quetta Balochistan, Pakistan, graduated from Iqra University Karachi in major of Film and Tv.
He also made a documentary film by the name of “A Journey Through Perseverance” which has won 7 International Awards at different film festivals.
Admiral Tchumakov (2021)
Country: France
Duration: 64 minutes
Language: Kirghiz, Russian
Synopsis: In the northeast of Kyrgyzstan, perched in high mountains, Lake Issyk Kul is one of the five deepest lakes in the world. On its shores, dark constructions of cement and steel meddle with old wrecks.
It is the port of Balyktchy, abandoned for years and slowly starting now its conversion into a resort. Here lies the pride of an admiral of the Soviet navy: Boris Vassilievitch Tchumakov.
A joyful, restless, yet terribly melancholic figure, the Admiral reveals himself to be some sort of allegory of what remains of the soviet man 30 years after the fall of the USSR.
Directed by : Laurier Fourniau:
Laurier Fourniau is a director of both fiction and documentary films. Used to traveling since childhood, he lived several times abroad, in countries as diverse as Turkey, Uzbekistan, and the USA, where he did an exchange program at UCLA Film School, and in Belgium, where he completed his education at INSAS film school. Laurier Fourniau is also a cinematographer, editor, and music composer for most of his films.
Directed by: Arnaud Alberola
After a master’s degree in cinematography at INSAS, Arnaud Alberola work on fiction and documentaries film as a cinematographer. He was named Best Young Talent Cinematographer of Belgium in 2019 for Sun Dog, a fiction in the Russian Arctic winner of IFFR. The Admiral Tchumakov is his first film as a co-director.
An Accidental Life (2022)
Country: United States
Duration: 87 minutes
Language: English
Synopsis: An Accidental Life details the recovery of alpinist and speed climber Quinn Brett who, while at the peak of her athletic career, experienced one of the most traumatic accidents in the history of rock climbing.
This story shows the complexity of a whole human being in the midst of extraordinary change.
It looks, unflinchingly, at the good, the bad and the quirky of Quinn’s experience as she grapples with life after a near death climbing accident.
Director Name: Henna Taylor
Henna Taylor is a self-taught documentary filmmaker. She began making short videos of her time living with four rural midwives in Cambodia. Over the next decade, her nonlinear relationship with filmmaking grew exponentially. She has since written, directed, filmed, edited, and produced six award-winning short documentary films, including “Best Mountain Short Film” at Banff. Her first, highly anticipated, feature length documentary, An Accidental Life, will be debuting in 2022.
Aware (2022)
Country: Spain
Duration: 35 minutes
Language: Spanish
Synopsis: Aware is a Japanese word, it is a “mono no aware” concept that means: The deep feeling caused by the ephemeral beauty of nature, I think this concept perfectly reflects the bivouac philosophy, enjoy those little ephemeral moments that give the mountain See how the sun hides behind a sea of snowy mountains, the colors of the sunset, which change every minute that passes, that precise moment when you see the first rays of the sun after spending long hours inside your bag.
Moments that make you feel totally happy, even for those small and ephemeral moments and that is for me the bivouac, the search for happiness.
Directed by: Gerard Olivé Bigorra
Gerard Olivé, born in 1983, a chef by profession, after many years working as a chef. Stress and personal problems led him to a big change in my life, focusing everything on the mountains, adapting my lifestyle to having many days off to live his adventures. Later he discovered his great passion, winter bivouacs alone, an activity that changed my life forever. Thanks to my passion for photography and video, learned everything in a self-taught way, He has been able to make this documentary alone, in order to be faithful to his philosophy of the solo bivouac.
Dreams Of Great Heights (2021)
Country: Mexico
Duration: 84 minutes
Language: Spanish
Synopsis: Dreams of Great Heights is the portrait of a community through a hundred years of history.
It showcases the passionate adventure of the pioneers of rock climbing in Mexico, their aspirations and frustrations as they face the big challenges of their time and era.
Directed by: Jhasua Medina
Jhasuá Medina is from Colombia. Since he was very little, and almost as second nature, he began climbing trees and walls as instinct to go beyond and explore the unknown. His academic life was dedicated to geography, his thesis worked on speleology subjects and his research was accompanied by a short documentary film, which allowed him to graduate with honors. He came to Mexico in order to study a masters in screenwriting, directing and cinematography, as part of his interest in the fusion of adventure, science and art. His documentary “Ruta Sur” was part of the “official selection” of several film festivals. It was granted the “Best Documentary” award and the “Audience Prize” award by the Festival Reto Aventurade Medellín, Colombia.
Egoland (2022)
Country: Spain
Duration: 20 minutes
Language: Silent
Synopsis: Marek Molek and Bruno Grassi are on the verge of reaching the summit of The Great Troll, the last and most difficult unclimbed mountain. A heavy storm, exhaustion and adverse snow conditions prevent them from actually reaching the summit, which is very near.
Bruno and Marek argue about whether or not they should tell the truth. During the hazardous descent, one of them will attempt to persuade the other one by any means. In the meantime, Mike Bacon, the special correspondent covering the news, is unable to get in touch with them and is waiting anxiously at base camp.
Directed by: Ignasi López Fàbregas
Ignasi López is a Spanish filmmaker. He was born in Barcelona in 1972. He graduated at the Art and Design Centre Escola Massana of Barcelona in 1993. His prominent films include Projecte inbestigadó (2014), Mano Killer (2016), Criaturitas (2016). Viacruxis (2018), Moscardones (2019), and El Gran Hito (The Great Milestone (2020).
Everest: The Hard Way (2022)
Country: Slovakia
Duration: 64 minutes
Language: Slovak
Synopsis: Is it possible to climb the hardest route on Mount Everest in Alpine style? Sir Chris Bonington, the most famous British climber, named this route The Hard Way and stated it is impossible.
It became a challenge for four Slovak climbers. In 1988 they started their hardest way with no escape.
Directed by: Pavol Barabáš
Pavol Barabáš (1959) is the author of a large-scale of mountain-oriented and adventure films about peoples’ survival in extreme conditions. His films were shot in inaccessible wilderness, on wild rivers and glacial peaks, as well as in deep caves far away from civilization. He likes to look for stories the heroes of which go beyond their limits. His films have been awarded with more than 300 national as well as international prizes. He is a holder of the prestigious Grand Prize from the International Alliance for Mountain Film as gratitude to the filmmakers, directors and producers who have contributed throughout their careers – through loyalty and dedication, and with little regard for personal profit — to the evolution of mountain film into the prominent genre that it is today.
Everyday Climbers: Pablo (2022)
Country: France
Duration: 13 minutes
Language: French
Synopsis: Pablo, a young Belgian climber, is biking through France in the winter, looking for the best 8A route of the country.
Director Biography: Florent Quint
Florent Quint is a 34 year old director. He studies cinema in Paris and starts working in film post-production. Looking to tell stories about the world around him, he travel the worlds while making documentary photography work about social issues. He then discovers climbing and mountain sports, he embarks on a documentary series about amateur climbers: Everyday Climbers.
House of The Gods (2022)
Country: United Kingdom
Duration: 44 minutes
Language: English
Synopsis: The great northern prow of Mount Roraima soars from the depths of the Amazon rainforest like the prow of a gigantic ship. Shrouded in cloud, drenched by torrential rain and guarded by vertical jungle, deep mud and overhanging cliffs, local legend has it that only those of pure soul will ever see the summit of Mount Roraima. The inspiration to Arthur Conan Doyle’s, The Lost World and the Disney/Pixar’s animated movie UP!, House of the Gods follows Leo Houlding and team on their real world quest through 100km of untracked jungle, into a unique slime forest and up the desperately steep cliff. Do they have what it takes not only to reach that summit but to share the climb with their indigenous jungle guides and young climbing partner on her first expedition?
Directed by: Matt Pycroft
Matt Pycroft is the Creative Director of the content creation agency Coldhouse Collective. Matt is a highly experienced filmmaker and photographer who specialises in working in remote and hostile environments. He has a passion for seeking out untold stories and has worked as both director and principal photographer on numerous world-class expeditions to places such as Greenland, Pakistan and Alaska through to extensive work for NGOs in Sub-Saharan Africa. Matt co-founded Coldhouse with the idea of creating a company of like-minded individuals that produce authentic, narrative led content in the outdoors.
Jalavaan (2022)
Country: Pakistan
Duration: 45 minutes
Language: Shina, Urdu
Synopsis: A rare glimpse into the lives of the Jalavaan, or the gold panning gypsy tribe of the Karakorams.
A family of itinerant gold-panner gypsies camp in Hunza Valley to find gold as they struggle to make ends meet and pay off their long-standing debt.
Directed by: Wajahat Malik
Wajahat is a popular television presenter, adventurer, travel and tourism expert, and documentary filmmaker. For more than 15 years, he has been producing, presenting, and directing adventure and travel films for Pakistani and foreign channels. Wajahat founded his film production company Eyebex Films in Islamabad in 2006. He also serves as the founder and Chairman of the Pakistan International Mountain Film Festival, which is only the third mountain film festival in Asia. Wajahat is known more recently for his record-setting responsible tourism and environmentally conscious campaigns of “Rickshaw Diary” and “Expedition Indus.”
La Zone (2021)
Country: Switzerland
Duration: 15 minutes
Language: French
Synopsis: In the early 2000’s, David Vladyka and a handful of snowboarders discovered the Col de Cou, a major crossing point on the French-Swiss border used by smugglers after the Second World War.
This area with its hilly terrain became a legendary place for freestyle snowboarding. 20 years later, Mat Schaer and David Vladyka still come back from time to time to film, but the immaculate slopes are becoming rare.
The excitement of the great freestyle years has given way to the hikers. A new page is being turned.
Directed by: Julien Roserens
Julien is a French filmmaker and hermedia professional, and the founder of UBAC Media. With UBAC MEDIA, Jilien put his skills as a storyteller with impact at the service of corporate communication. It is with a passion for mountain sports that he became a professional videographer and filmmaker.
“Le Beric” The Story Of Marginalized Maestros (2022)
Country: Pakistan
Duration: 17 minutes
Language: Burushiski, Wakhi, Urdu
Synopsis: A documentary on the struggling and marginalized musician community of Hunza, who have been facing backlash for their music since ages and still fighting to develop a respectable identity in the society.
The Basic idea of the film is to show the struggle of the musician community of Hunza who are called Berichoo.
They were facing a backlash and a stigma from the rest of the community (Hunzukux). This stereotyping forced them to leave their inherited folk music.
Directed by: Arslan Haider
Arsalan Haider is a Film and TV graduate of Beaconhouse National University, Lahore. He is working as a freelance Director and Director of Photography from 2017 in this industry. His work is mostly based on documentaries, music videos, and travel web-series.
Mendiak 1976: A Friendship (2021)
Country: Spain
Duration: 85 minutes
Language: Basque, Polish, Spanish
Synopsis: An adventure, a journey, a success forgotten in memory. In 1976, a group of young people from Pamplona made history by successfully reaching the summit of Shakhaur (7,116 m) in Afghanistan. It was “the first Basque seven-thousander”, but the joy soon turned to sadness. During the descent, an accident occurred: One of them died and another was seriously injured.
Thanks to the help of a Polish expedition, they managed to save the life of their companion and meanwhile forge a friendship that has lasted until today. The film received the Best Mountaineering Film & Audience Award in the International Bilbao BBK Mendi Film Fest.
Directed by: Luis Arrieta Etxeberria
Luis Arrieta Etxeberria is a fanatic by nature, entrepreneur and lover of the mountains, He has dedicated his free time to climbing and skiing in the Pyrenees and Alps. Self-taught in audiovisual techniques, he has published several documentary films with awards at international mountain festivals.
Monolog 2 (2022)
Country: Austria
Duration: 11 minutes
Language: English
Synopsis: Christoph Schoefegger is skiing longer than he can remember. It’s his biggest love and his whole life circles around it. But what happens if somehow you lose the foundation of this passion? What happens when you don’t go skiing for yourself anymore but because of competitions?
Chris was in that state of mind and needed to relocate the basics of his passion. Right at this time, a friend with a Monoski crossed his way and from there on, nothing was like before again! Monolog 2 is his way out of this personal crises and with the movie, he hopes to inspire others to just go out and have fun in the snow. No matter if you ski or snowboard, or Monoski!
Directed by: Nils Roling
Nils Roling, 25 years old, is a self employed cameraman and editor from Innsbruck/ Austria.
In a time where everybody has a phone camera in his pocket Nils is looking to create visual experiences which are worth the storage. He trys to combine a abstract way of creativity with reality to create a multilayer visual experience for the audience.
Until now he mostly made private or small comerciall projects with Monolog 2 beeing his first bigger movie project where he did everything from camerawork to editing the movie.
Midday At Midnight (2022)
Country: France
Duration: 38 minutes
Language: French
Synopsis: There are those attractions whose origin cannot be explained. It is not a question of human ties but rather of an alchemy between a skier and his mountain. This is the feeling I get when I think of the Dents du Midi. This immense North face, which culminates at more than 3000m in altitude, keeps access to the giants of the Swiss Alps.
I grew up facing, learned to ski, walk and climb facing these peaks and have always dreamed of putting my spatulas there. Today, I am a freeride and steep slope skier, and I want to celebrate this massif which rocked my youth and nourished my love for the mountains.
Wouldn’t that be the best tribute I could pay them: skiing the 4 mythical lines of this massif at the 4 most beautiful times of the day: at sunrise, at noon, at sunset and at midnight.
Directed by: Julien Ferrandez
Julien is a French filmmaker, a media professional, and the founder of UBAC Media. With UBAC MEDIA, Jilien put his skills as a storyteller with impact at the service of corporate communication. It is with a passion for mountain sports that he became a professional videographer and filmmaker.
My Neighbor is a Bear (2021)
Country: United Kingdom
Duration: 16 minutes
Language: Italian
Synopsis: A rare Marsican bear family wanders down from the Italian Apennines to the charming village of Villalago, in search of food in the local orchards. For most people this would be a cause for concern, but for the residents of Villalago it is a rather different situation.
The film tells the story of the determination of one woman to understand these bears, and gives an important lesson about the fragility of our connection with nature.
Directed by: Mattia Cialoni
Mattia Cialoni was born and grew up in the province of Ancona, in Italy. He moved to the UK in 2014 and has lived in Bristol since 2015, working as an intensive care nurse. In 2019, he commenced the MA in Wildlife Filmmaking at the University of West England in Bristol, in partnership with the BBC Natural History Unit, where he produced a short film: “My Neighbour is a Bear”. This documentary, filmed in the heart of the Italian Apennines, explores the special coexistence between people and the rarest bear on earth.
New Way Up (2022)
Country: United Kingdom
Duration: 25 minutes
Language: English
Synopsis: The Karakoram mountains are known for their huge scale and jaw dropping beauty. Nestled within them is Gulmit Tower (5810m), a technical granite pinnacle that has never been summited. Previous teams have often failed because the highly glaciated terrain makes the approach by foot long and treacherous. Fabi Buhl and Will Sim, both experienced alpinists, have a new idea. They plan to harness the power of the sky and use paragliders to fly over the glaciated terrain, reaching the base of the climb in hours, not days. Follow them on their epic journey as they attempt to set a new direction for Himalayan climbing.
Directed by: Jake Holland
Jake Holland is a British filmmaker, based in Chamonix, France. He has a deep love of adventure sports and capturing the stories that can be found within them. He relishes in the challenges that come with filming in harsh environments and particularly thrives when having to keep up with world class athletes. At the heart of Jake’s work he looks for unique stories and enjoys the contrasting, slower pace of bringing them to life in the edit room.
On My Own Two Feet: Destination 3000 m (2022)
Country: France
Duration: 33 minutes
Language: French
Synopsis: For the first time in their lives, Jérôme, Sarah, Christophe, Luca and Michel will climb a 3000m peak in the Alps. Physically prepared or not, they know that their willpower will be stronger than the pain: they are determined to prove that all amputees can walk, run and hike on their own two feet again, thanks to a project of affordable blade developed by young engineers.
Directed by: Olivier Lambert
Olivier, is a French journalist, filmmaker and producer as the co-founder of the creative narrative lab Lumento. Interested in what is unseen, untold or unexpected, Olivier has been elaborating new ways of writing, producing and distributing stories since july 2009. A graduate in journalism from the Institut français de presse and winner of the Charles Lescaut RFI Scholarship, Olivier has worked as a reporter and presenter for RFI and news channels (M6, LCI) in his early career.
Salto is the King (2020)
Country: Slovakia
Duration: 64 minutes
Language: Slovak
Synopsis: Rappelling the highest waterfalls on Earth becomes a great challenge for a group of Slovak friends. They want to join the water element. Their expeditions become journeys into the unknown, and the only certainty is the power of their friendship. Can they abseil from the highest waterfall in the world?
Directed by: Pavol Barabas
Pavol Barabáš (1959) is the author of a large-scale of mountain-oriented and adventure films about peoples’ survival in extreme conditions. His films were shot in inaccessible wilderness, on wild rivers and glacial peaks, as well as in deep caves far away from civilization. He likes to look for stories the heroes of which go beyond their limits. He is fascinated by encounters with different cultures and he is mostly attracted by the territories of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as the lands of natural people hidden deep in the jungle. His films present the manner in which man should treat the Earth. They emit love and respect for nature, enormous mental power and moral conscience.
Seasons on the Kyoto Trail (2022)
Country: Japan
Duration: 20 minutes
Language: English
Synopsis: A stunning journey through the sacred mountains and temples surrounding Kyoto, ‘Seasons on the Kyoto Trail’ takes audiences through the spiritual heart of Japan. A multi-day trek walked over four seasons, the film follows filmmaker Porter Erisman as he takes audiences on a quiet meditative journey.
Directed by: Porter Erisman
Porter Erisman is an award-winning filmmaker creating documentary films in the Asia-Pacific region.
Sometimes even the shore drowns (2022)
Country: Pakistan
Duration: 17 minutes
Language: Urdu
Synopsis: Inspired by Rachel Carson’s 1955 book The Edge of the Sea, this short film is a cinematic ode to the myriad of marine life on the intertidal mudflats of Karachi. Between the ebb and flow of tides, the city’s exposed shoreline is home to a fish that walks on land, the mud crab that clings tenaciously to mangrove tree trunks, the mighty periwinkle, the bubbler crab that spits out sandballs, the long legged egret that fishes, the curlew that stalks fiddler crabs, and the carnivorous marine gastropod mollusks, aka the nudibranchs.
Set against the backdrop of human activity in and around mangrove forest creeks, amidst steaming vessels and a new skyline, the film takes you on a silent journey through a delicate wetland ecosystem on the shores of an industrial city.
Directed by: Mahera Omar
Mahera Omar is a filmmaker and co-founder of Pakistan Animal Welfare Society, a nonprofit that advocates biodiversity protection, environmental justice and compassion towards sentient beings. Her films have exhibited in Pakistan as well as at international film festivals including at Film South Asia, Istanbul International Architecture and Urban Films Festival and Delhi International Film Festival. Highlights of her filmography include ‘Perween Rahman – The Rebel Optimist’ and the Dream Journey’s musical travelogues. With an abiding interest in Karachi, its environment, plants, and animals that share the city with its 20 million inhabitants, she works to document ecosystems that shape Karachi today.
The Color of Smog (2021)
Country: Pakistan
Duration: 29 minutes
Language: Urdu
Synopsis: Lahore, known for its gardens, historical sites and a cultural hub, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons; it has been declared as the most polluted city of the world. Sixteen artists took the task of expressing its impact, in their own unique perspective in their art. The exhibition of the artists’ work titled as The Smog Show was held in Zahoor-ul-Akhlaq Gallery, Lahore. The documentary showcased the artists’ inspiration and process involved in making the exhibits, and the impact of smog on their life and work. The artists’ views about the current situation, how to mitigate it and what the future has in store for us all regarding climate change and smog, were also presented in the documentary. The footage of the exhibition and visitors’ feedback was also featured in the documentary.
Directed by: Jawad Sharif
Jawad Sharif is an award-winning filmmaker who has come into prominence for exploring the often-ignored social subjects. His work focuses on the interface between the dominant culture and the real impact on people, society, and the environment. Jawad’s first documentary collaboration was K-2 and The Invisible Footmen (2015), as Cinematographer & Editor. His debut film Indus Blues (2018), a musical documentary, has won more than 10 awards. and was selected at the prestigious CPH:DOX film festival. Jawad is the founder of Jawad Sharif Films, and an alumnus of the Swedish Institute and Institut Fur Auslandsbeziehunge, Germany.
The Front Lines (2022)
Country: United States
Duration: 25 minutes
Language: English
Synopsis: A group of young professional skiers and snowboarders explore their concerns surrounding climate change and investigate how the ski industry is responding to protect their future. In conversation with climate scientists, global brands, and leaders in snowsports, these young athletes must find ways to enjoy the mountains sustainably to make sure that their winters aren’t lost forever.
Directed by: Ethan Herman
Ethan Herman is a director, cinematographer, and editor from London, UK, and is currently living in Chicago, IL. He has a BA in music from the University of Leeds and is completing an MFA in documentary film at DePaul University, while he pursues passion projects such as this. On graduating from Leeds, Ethan worked as an Assistant Editor at Fulwell 73 Productions in London, working on the Netflix series, ‘Sunderland ‘Til I Die’, Disney+ series, ‘Among the Stars’, and feature-length documentary, ‘Busby’. He then moved to Whistler, BC to pursue extreme sports filmmaking, founding Pangea Creatives in 2020 with partners Dan Stephenson and Noah Schneider. Ethan believes strongly in uncovering the deeper story behind Pangea athletes and their adventures, whilst also showcasing the beautiful natural environments they work in and the threat climate change has on the future of their sports.
The Masked Pyrenees (2022)
Country: Spain
Duration: 53 minutes
Language: Catalan, French, Spanish
Synopsis: During wintertime, the Pyrenee follow the beat of the spirit of Carnival. This season of disarray, of a “world up-side-down,” is a reflection of our primitive notions of celebration, bound up as they are in symbolic thought and in the vital rhythms of nature.
The Masked Pyrenee travel to explore the Carnival rituals that have survived in many mountain villages to this day. It is a journey through various valleys in Aragon, Navarre, Andorra, the French Basque Country, and the Roussillon region of the Eastern French Pyrenees.
Directed by: Domingo Moreno
Screenwriter, Director and Producer. Moreno began making films at the University of Zaragoza. He has obtained diplomas in film directing from the Centro de Estudios Cinematográficos de Cataluña (CECC, Catalonia’s Center for Film Studies), and from the New York Film Academy (NYFA). Moreno has studied Filmmaking at the University of Valladolid and completed a postgraduate course in Screenwriting at the EICTV (San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba). His recent award-winning and widely acknowledged works include the successful series Transhumant Tracks: Transhumance in Spain (co-produced with TVE, 2009), Herders of the Mist (2013), The Devil’s Moves (2016), Dance of the Giants (2017), The Spirit of the Mojiganga (2018), The Masked Pyrenee (2021), The Masquerade Mountains (2021) and Pax Avant (2022).
Transylvania Trails (2022)
Country: Spain
Duration: 24 minutes
Language: Slovak
Synopsis: Transylvania is probably most famous for Dracula, but the mountains here in the heart of Romania are really beautiful and wild.
Mountain biking is not limited here, the mountain ridges offer really unlimited possibilities and there is a minimum of tourists.
All this caught the attention of three friends coming from Slovakia, who decided to explore three Romanian mountain ranges and experienced a really epic MTB adventure…
Directed by: Jaro Tešlár
A hobby filmmaker from Slovakia, Jaro loves travelling, mountains and all kinds of outdoor activities, but has always preferred mountain biking. He organised multiple expeditions abroad where he and his friends biked through the Alps, Pyrenees, Caucasus, Tian Shan or Rocky Mountains. With his passion in filmmaking he tries to create documentaries from these adventures, and many of them have already been selected for mountain film festivals in Europe.
Valtelina, European Nature (2022)
Country: Italy
Duration: 25 minutes
Language: English, Italian
Synopsis: There’s a place in the Alps where the Mediterranean meets the boreal moors of northern Europe. Species from disparate habitats live here almost side-by-side. Extraordinary landscapes, from the lowlands to glaciers, are but a few steps from one another.
This trove of biodiversity is threatened by human hands, but is also being fiercely defended by a network of protected areas that must increasingly be interconnected. This place is called Valtellina, where Europe’s nature comes together.
Directed by: Marco Tessaro
Graduated in 1995 from the University of Milan with a degree in historical and international political science, Tessaro also has a Master’s Degree in Environmental Economics and Policy from the Political Science Faculty of the University of Milan. Since 2000, he has been working with natural parks, nature conservation organizations, and other institutions such as universities, regional administrations, and museums on environmental communication and analysis projects. In recent years, his work has involved producing documentary films with a focus on environmental issues, including wildlife, wilderness, and biodiversity protection. His films include “Valtellina, European nature” (Monti Award at Sondrio Festival 2022), “Snakes and people of the Val Grande” (Finalist at Wildlife Vaasa Festival – International Nature Film 2022), “Ticino, source of biodiversity” (Award winner at 7 Colors Lagoon, Bacalar IFF 2021), “Roadkill, the overlooked slaughter” (several official selections in IFF in 2019), Wilderness and Biodiversity in Val Grande National Park” (Youth Award at Sondrio Festival 2007).