PIMFF 2024 Selection
Official Program: Coming Soon
Altitudes (2024)
Country: Switzerland
Duration: 82 minutes
Language: French
Synopsis: Altitude connects them. From the glaciers of the Andes to the peaks of the Himalayas, via the Alps and the plateaus of the High Atlas, the mountains have transformed their destinies. They are activists, shepherds, guides, and scientists. They are pious, curious, passionate or solitary. They want to change their lives or the world. Or simply live by sharing their definition of happiness. All of them are ordinary people with no vocation to climb summits. They found themselves up there almost by chance. Because their convictions led them to the mountains, far removed from attempts at conquest or sporting feats.
Directed by: Stanislas Giroux
A doctor by profession and a videographer by passion, Stanislas has 10 years’ experience in creating short films, and has over 2 million views on Vimeo, with over a dozen entirely self-produced videos also available on his website. 6 of his productions have won Vimeo Staff Picks and his work has been featured on BBC Travel, National Geographic, Canal + and Gizmodo, among others. Since 2020, he has been working on his first documentary series – Altitudes – with his partner Louise Thaller.
Directed by: Louise Thaller
A humanitarian by profession, amateur author, and mountain enthusiast, Louise puts her pen to good use in the service of humanist causes and nature Louise is an active member of the French Alpine Club and spends a lot of time in the mountains, where she climbs, ski-tours, climbs and treks. Louise lives in Geneva and writes, whenever she can, texts inspired by her mountain adventures. Since 2020, she has been working on her first documentary series – Altitudes – with her partner Stanislas Giroux.
Annapurna Circuit (2024)
Country: Slovakia
Duration: 44 minutes
Language: English, Slovak
Synopsis: Crossing the highest mountain range of the world on a mountain bike. The spirit of adventure and the resilience of those who dream big. Breathtaking landscapes, high-altitude challenges, endless downhills, and the vibrant culture of Nepal. This is our story from the legendary Annapurna Circuit trek in the Himalayas.
Directed by: Jaro Tešlár
Jaro is a filmmaker from Slovakia with a deep passion for traveling, mountains, and outdoor activities, especially mountain biking. He has organized and led expeditions across mountain ranges such as the Alps, Pyrenees, Caucasus, Tian Shan, and Rocky Mountains.
Big Water Theory (2024)
Country: France
Duration: 84 minutes
Language: French
Synopsis: Follow kayak superstar Nouria Newman and two childhood friends, as they navigate one of the world’s most challenging sections of whitewater: the Rondu Gorge of the Indus River, in Pakistan. Documenting Nouria’s attempt at completing the first integral descent of the Rondu Gorge by a woman, “Big Water Theory” is a compelling exploration of human spirit and the relentless pursuit of adventure. It offers a powerful and inspiring, yet highly detailed and informative look at the world of extreme kayaking.
Directed by : Emile Dominé
An English literature graduate, Emile is also a mountain and expedition enthusiast. As a filmmaker and writer, he focuses on non-fiction projects and has production experience in remote environments of both hemispheres. While embarked on a five-years-and-still-going, long-term documentary endeavor, Big Water Theory is his first completed feature film. He is based in Beaufortain, France.
Caboose (2024)
Country: United Kingdom
Duration: 25 minutes
Language: English
Synopsis: A story about running, mental health & one person’s search for sanctuary in one of the harshest environments on earth. Caboose is set against the backdrop of an unsupported, unsanctioned 500km team relay running race across the Atacama Desert called The Speed Project. For Tom Reynolds – a self-confessed slow runner from Manchester, UK – it reflects a reckless desire for adventure following a tumultuous 12 months full of loss, grief, and mental health struggles.
Directed by: Dan King
Dan, a Brighton, UK-based creative shares a passion for the outdoors and the camera. Using both as a means to explore the world and venture further. Dan’s experience lies in his ability to operate creatively whilst being fully immersed in the adventure.
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Les Joures Sauvages (Wild Days) (2024)
Country: France
Duration: 82 minutes
Language: French
Synopsis: 4 friends from Savoie have a crazy idea: 50 days of self-sufficiency in Alaska’s Denali massif. “Wild
days” takes us on a journey at the pace of a logbook in a quest where friendships are created and
tested by commitment, where time drifts, and spirits wander off.
Directed by: Yohan Guignard
After completing his first fictional short film, “Fleshwound”, Yohan Guignard won the Short Film
Award at Cinéma du Réel in 2021 with his documentary “Random Patrol,” which was also selected for
the César Awards. In 2022, he directed two documentaries for France TV: “Work and Days,” set in a
Cistercian abbey, and “Young Shepherds” following the first summer grazing season of young people in
training. In 2023 and 2024 he turned his attention to portraits of mountaineers and expedition stories
with “Rise Above” and “Wild Days.”
Mitti Da Khed (2024)
Country: Pakistan
Duration: 20 minutes
Language: Urdu, Punjabi
Synopsis: To highlight and emphasize the undiscovered game of the land of Punjab that has been around over a century. The players’ mindset and the importance of the game to its audience.
Directed by: Shahryar Adnan Khan
A 22-year-old learning film every day! I embark on a journey to unearth the untold narratives that lie beneath the surface of everyday life. Through the lens of my camera, I sought to capture more than mere images; I aimed to reveal the profound human stories that often go unnoticed.
On the Mountain (2024)
Country: United States
Duration: 13 minutes
Language: Dari, English
Synopsis: Rabia, an English teacher from Kabul, is forced to make an agonizing choice to save her family as they resettle in the US. Inspired by true events.
Directed by: Anya Raza
Anya Raza is a Pakistani-Dutch writer, filmmaker and economist. Moved by the human spirit, Anya works at the nexus of art and justice, and has over a decade of experience telling stories, distilling complex messages and finding commonality in grey areas. Her thought-provoking, poetic and sometimes humorous stories aim to break stereotypes, encourage critical thinking and catalyze change. Anya believes deeply in building community.
Saans (2024)
Country: Pakistan
Duration: 8 minutes
Language: Urdu
Synopsis: In a dystopian future, which is not so breathable, a working woman navigates the challenges of a polluted, suffocating city while striving to make a living.
Directed by: Ozma Mushtaque
A writer, poet, filmmaker, and performing artist, who uses her work to explore the depth of human emotions and address pressing societal issues. Her film highlights the urgent need for serious action on climate change. She is also dedicated to advocating for women’s empowerment, encouraging youth participation, and using her creativity to make a meaningful impact through both writing and film.
Directed by: Omair Mazhar
A storyteller and 3D animator passionate about exploring the intersections of technology, climate change, and human experience. With a focus on creating immersive narratives, he aims to raise awareness about pressing environmental issues through innovative visual storytelling. His latest work, Saans, envisions a dystopian future shaped by air pollution, blending artistry with a call for action.
The Man And The Ice (2024)
Country: France
Duration: 23 minutes
Language: English
Synopsis:“The Man and the Ice” is reporting the story of an exceptional ice climber who realized onm the 23rd February 2024, one of the most spectacular free-solo ascensions in the world. But on the other side of the performance, Stas Beskin is modest, respectful, and inspiring…
Directed by: Thibault Cattelaine
Thibault is a French filmmaker and a mountaineering enthusiast.
Two Point Four (2023)
Country: United Kingdom
Duration: 20 minutes
Language: English
Synopsis: Not your typical family holiday, but this is not your typical family. Leo Houlding, his wife Jess, their two children Freya (9yrs) and Jackson (5yrs) climb Norway’s national mountain via a 2000ft big wall.
Directed by: Natasha Brooks
Natasha “Tash” Brooks. Film Maker, Photographer and Visual Artist. Surfer, Climber and neurodiverse mother. BA in Fine Art, MA in film making. Tash’s first adventure film, Bluehue mixed action & art house helping to spur the wild swimming movement. Collecting awards, it featured in KMF, SHAFF, BANFF world tour amongst others, eventually gaining UK broadcast. She is a skilled cinematographer as well as editor, but her real talent lies as a director, exploring deeper into the philosophy and Psychology of her subjects.
When the Floods Come (2023)
Country: Pakistan
Duration: 30 minutes
Language: Urdu
Synopsis: “When the Floods Come’ is a 30-minute adventure film exploring the human impact of Pakistan’s historic 2022 floods, by way of an unforgettable 3000 km road trip, starting from the famous glaciers of the northern areas, following the flow of the Indus River, to the hottest and worst impacted areas of Northern Sindh.
Directed by: Nyal Mueenuddin
Nyal Mueenuddin is a Pakistani-American environmental and wildlife filmmaker with over 8 years of experience making films on human, animal and ecological subjects, particularly in Pakistan as well as other countries such as Madagascar and the USA. Nyal has worked with the BBC Natural History Unit, WWF, ICIMOD, and National Geographic.
Wild Coast Warriors (2023)
Country: South Africa
Duration: 72 minutes
Language: English, Xhosa
Synopsis: This film celebrates and pays tribute to the amaMpondo for their outstanding and historic, legal victory over Shell, Impact Oil and Gas (Impact Africa) and the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources in South Africa. The story is constructed as an almighty existential clash of cultures. The amaMpondo protagonists, conserving nature, their way of life and their very existence, battle the oil giants and the Minister of Energy antagonists, their profit-driven fossil fuel exploration that could potentially destroy marine life and indigenous culture. This leads to a climactic courtroom ruling that might help influence the direction of travel for the next few years that humanity has left to drastically reduce carbon emissions and prevent a burning planet and biodiversity loss.
Directed by: Nick Chevallier
After obtaining a degree in journalism and media at Rhodes University studies, Nick has been a producer, director, and cinematographer of socio-environmental documentaries for the past 30 years. 20 years ago, Nick produced a documentary called “The Wild Coast….a fragile Paradise” in which he explored the natural beauty and rich natural resource base of this unique coastline.
Directed by: Leigh Wood
Leigh has over 15 years of experience in directing, filming, and editing video content for a variety of platforms. Passionate about storytelling that serves as a catalyst for positive change and upliftment, most often related to content in Africa that concerns environment, human health, nutrition, medical injustice, gender-based violence, community upliftment, youth empowerment, and education.
Winter Taiga (2024)
Country: Belgium
Duration: 49 minutes
Language: English, Mongolian
Synopsis: Magsar and Ankhaa raise their children and reindeer in a remote valley in northern Mongolia. How do they cope with the onslaught of winter in the high taiga? Chloé and Dominique want to find out.
The kindness that emanates from their symbiotic relationship with the animals is matched only by the warmth with which they welcome their first winter visitors. The winters are long and Magsar and Ankhaa work hard to secure a future for their families. Thanks to them, the new generation now has a choice: stay on the Great White Steppe and take over the herd, or leave for an uncertain future elsewhere, probably in the city. The choice is theirs.
Directed by: Dominique Snyers
For over 30 years, Dominique has been introducing generations of young adventurers into the great outdoors, teaching them how to mitigate and embrace the risks that come with it. More recently, as an extension of my passion for sharing, he has started making documentaries about the discoveries that these adventures bring. His film “Loic and the Flolopapys” won the Best Climbing Film award at the Kendall Mountain Film Festival in 2020.