UKC

The launch party of the first Birmingham Mountain Film Festival (BMFF) takes place on the evening of Thursday 25th January. It will be followed by a two-day programme of climbing and mountaineering-focused events with emphasis on the best current films about the sport.

The brainchild of Custard Factory based film-makers and climbing enthusiasts, Blue Hippo Media’s Pip Piper and Weekday Productions’ Dominic Green, the new festival will give the fast-growing Midlands climbing-community a Winter focus.

The BMFF organising group also includes Creation Climbing Centre and Birmingham-based ‘Gravity’ magazine, the UK’s only free national climbing publication.

Festival director, Pip Piper, says: “Winter weather and limited daylight inhibit climbing at this time of year, and so we wanted to hold a celebration of the sport for Midlands enthusiasts. We hope BMFF can become a regular feature in the climbing calendar; a place where experts and novices can mix and all experience something to inspire them.”

Passes can be purchased to give visitors either one or three day access to BMFF’s full programme of both films and supporting events, all at the Creation Climbing Centre based at the Epic Centre, Moseley, in Birmingham.

Pip Piper says: “We will show the award-winning, climbing movie E11, showing how Dave Macleod tackled the toughest trad-climb in Europe. Dave will also lead a question and answer session. Another major highlight will be a Big Wall demo on Creation’s main face, by leading British expert Andy Kirkpatrick.”

Complementing the feature events will be a big selection drawn from the best entries to November’s Kendal Mountain Film Festival – among the world’s top three such events, where the E11 film received the Judges Award.

Visitors looking for active participation can get involved with slacklining and bouldering demonstrations as well as join master-classes and talks by leading climbing professionals. Alternatively come along and compete in the ‘dyno’ comp for great prizes.

Anyone interested in attending the first Birmingham’s first Mountaineering Film Festival should phone 0121 687 1404, e-mail info@bmff.co.uk or visit: www.bmff.co.uk/