5 things I learnt from Kendal Mountain Film Festival
This is the first year at the Kendal Mountain Film Festival that the non-profit ‘Milimetres 2 Mountains’ (M2M) was fully represented, an organisation I have been involved with for a few years, notably recently joining an expedition in Nepal. As well as visiting the festival in support of the team at M2M, I have always been a keen surfer, climber and ecologist. For me, the festival was an opportunity to be inspired by talks, films and other activities, as well as immerse myself in the culture that surrounds outdoor pursuits.
Here are 5 things that I learnt:
Inclusion, diversity, equity. These words came up again and again. It was an admission to the years of elite (often male) adventurers taking the stage at Kendal, without much representation of others or consideration of intersectionality within mountain and outdoor activities. This year Kendal had a wealth of talks and films that attempted to address myriad injustices and biases that the ‘industry’ can be accused of.
There were many moments of gasps in the audience, immense tension and heightened senses. And so, any comedic breaks were incredibly welcomed. This got many of us thinking about how stories are told - if we want people to care about the climate and nature crisis, or the capacity of the outdoors to heal us, it is worth understanding that jeopardy needs comedy. I felt like the best received films and talks had a healthy balance of the two.
The festival is a bubble, and not designed to change hearts and minds. Yet, the coming together of like-minded people is still an incredibly valuable thing, especially when physical. The hugs, the chats, the drinking, and the collective are so powerful when formed through spaces where we feel comfortable enough to air grievances, show vulnerability, or question the status quo. Indeed this festival is becoming a fruitful and safe home to many.
If you have a hobby or pastime it is pretty amazing what you can achieve if you take it seriously. There were amateurs at this festival whose feats were simply breathtaking. For any hobbyist out there in photography, filmmaking, climbing etc, Kendal is a place to really feel inspired to do more.
Embrace winter. It was wet, windy, dark, and cold. But one theme was definitely the brilliance of those conditions. Wintery moments create magical photography, foolhardy expeditions, and dangerous pastimes. The weather adds to our rich tapestry of life in the UK and our winter should be celebrated. As I plunged into a cold lake and felt my feet surge with pain, I felt alive - let’s not forget those feelings and run towards cold nature, not away from it.
I will be back (maybe with my own film!).
If you want to watch any of the films from the festival click here.
