Ethan Pringle | Everything is Karate captures one of climbing’s most electric moments: the first ascent of an all‑natural 5.14 c/d sport route on California granite. In just under seven minutes, Mad Rock and Three Peak Films follow Pringle as he squares up to an obvious, proud line—pure stone, pure movement, and a level of difficulty that demands total commitment.
What makes this film worth watching is the rare combination of beauty and brutality: clean granite features, sustained sequences, and the kind of precise footwork and body tension that turns “hard” into an art form. Pringle’s own excitement is contagious as he explains why this route stands out among his toughest climbs—quality rock, a standout location, and an unrelenting crux-to-anchor battle that will leave you inspired to chase your own impossible line.
Stephan Vogt takes on one of sport climbing’s most iconic tests in THE FIRE WITHIN, a short, high-focus film from Mad Rock centered on Action Directe (9a). Anchored by Wolfgang Güllich’s timeless line—“The climber’s strongest muscle is the brain”—the story follows Vogt’s long pursuit, built from more than 20 days on the route spread across five years of patient, deliberate projection.
What makes this worth your seven minutes is the mental battle behind the grade: managing doubt, refining micro-beta, and returning again and again when progress is measured in millimeters. It’s a tight hit of motivation and perspective for anyone who’s ever obsessed over a sequence—proof that the real crux often isn’t the holds, but the commitment to keep showing up until the impossible finally feels inevitable.
Adam Ondra heads to Višňové, Slovakia, for a rainy May session with big intentions: the first ascent of Procesor (11/11+, 9a/a+). In just over nine minutes, this short film drops you into the quiet intensity of a hard redpoint day—wet rock, patient rests, and a climber calibrating every move when conditions are anything but perfect.
What makes it worth watching is the contrast between the stormy backdrop and the precision on the wall. Procesor isn’t just about power; it’s about decision-making under pressure, committing to insecure sequences, and staying sharp when the margin for error disappears. If you love elite sport climbing, brief but memorable sends, and the feeling of a breakthrough moment captured in real time, this one delivers.
Alexey Rubtsov | Fighting with Boulders follows World Cup boulderer Alexey Rubtsov as he brings his relentless, detail-obsessed mindset from the competition circuit to the rock. Set against the sandstone of Moe’s Valley, this short film captures a climber who’s always hunting for the tiny adjustments—strength, precision, and approach—that can turn effort into progress.
What makes it worth watching is how it balances intensity with a quieter truth about why we climb. Rubtsov’s drive isn’t just about winning; it’s about the simple, grounding ritual of touching stone, feeling nature, and earning each move with purpose. In just a few minutes, it delivers motivation, clean visuals, and that familiar spark that makes you want to get outside and try a little harder.
Cracking Cobra drops you into Squamish, BC, where the legendary Cobra Crack looms like a dare: a steep sweep of granite split by a razor seam that’s barely there for your fingers. Follow trad climber Mason Earle as he returns to the route that’s been pulling him back since 2009—part obsession, part unfinished story—as he once again steps up to confront the Cobra.
What makes this short film hit is the mix of myth and reality: the clean lines, the physical puzzle of overhanging crack climbing, and the quiet head game of committing above gear on a “kingline.” It’s a fast, atmospheric watch that captures why certain climbs become personal—equal parts beauty, struggle, and the stubborn drive to come back one more time.
Black Diamond athlete Nalle Hukkataival heads to South Africa’s Rocklands bouldering paradise to take on The Finnish Line (V16), a problem that sat untouched for years and earned a reputation as something truly rare. In under three minutes, this short film drops you into the intensity of a world-class attempt—where precision, power, and patience collide on a striking piece of stone in a stunning setting.
What makes it worth watching is the combination of pure difficulty and pure beauty: a “testpiece” that’s as aesthetic as it is brutal, and an ascent that carries the weight of a potential Rocklands benchmark. If you love seeing the best climbers in the world focus everything into a handful of high-stakes moves, The Finnish Line delivers a crisp hit of inspiration and awe.
Escalade Dévers is a short, atmospheric glimpse of Patrick Bérhault climbing in the Alpes-Maritimes at the Baou de Saint-Jeannet in 1981, alongside Georges Unia. Captured with an unhurried eye, the film lets the rock, the movement, and the era speak for themselves—an intimate window into a place and a moment that helped shape modern French climbing.
What makes it so rewarding is the simplicity: no hype, just pure climbing craft. Bérhault’s ease on steep terrain is mesmerizing, a lesson in balance, footwork, and quiet confidence that still feels fresh decades later. Whether you’re here for history, inspiration, or the pleasure of watching a master make difficulty look effortless, this is 25 minutes you’ll want to savor.
Ryuichi Murai’s Magic Wood 2017 captures an 11-day summer bouldering trip to the legendary forest of granite blocs, where crisp movement and quiet focus meet long days of trying hard. In just under 20 minutes, the film follows a hit list of iconic problems—Piranha through Practice of the Wild—spanning everything from V10 to the cutting edge of V15, with the Magic Wood atmosphere as the constant backdrop.
What makes this worth watching is the satisfying rhythm of real trip climbing: quick sessions, stubborn projects, and the shift from flowing attempts to full-commit crux battles on some of Europe’s most famous lines. It’s a compact dose of high-end bouldering—strong, technical, and motivating—perfect when you want pure movement, big grades, and that “one more go” feeling from your couch.
Stefano Ghisolfi takes on Jungle Boogie 9A+ in Céüse’s iconic Biographie sector, capturing the intensity of a world-class climber returning to one of sport climbing’s most storied arenas. Filmed a year after his ascent of the historic Biographie, this short feature follows Stefano as he battles through razor-edged sequences and commits fully to a route that demands absolute precision, power, and patience.
Worth watching for its distilled, no-frills focus on performance under pressure, the film delivers the satisfying arc of try-hard attempts, micro-adjustments, and the final push when everything finally clicks. Crisp editing keeps the pace tight, while the raw rock, steep walls, and high stakes of 9A+ climbing make every move feel consequential—an ideal hit of motivation for anyone who loves the craft, grit, and obsession that define the upper edge of sport climbing.
Rooftown: Volume One drops you into the desert backcountry of Arizona for a focused, atmospheric bouldering journey alongside Matt Gentile, a climber with a clear eye for lines and the composure to make highball first ascents feel deliberate. Filmed in December 2016 for Friction Labs and Organic Climbing, Nathaniel Davison follows the search for steep roofs and proud features where every move counts and every landing feels a long way down.
What makes this one worth your time is the blend of adventure and precision: remote approaches, raw stone, and the calm intensity of committing to tall, powerful problems with no room for hesitation. Crisp drone work and grounded, up-close sequences capture the scale of the blocks and the texture of the climbing, turning each attempt into a small expedition—equal parts exploration, craft, and nerve.
