World champion climber Jain Kim trades the bright lights of the World Cup circuit for raw limestone in “Jain Kim On the Rocks,” a short Red Bull feature filmed in Niederthai, deep in Austria’s Ötztal valley. Between competitions in the 2015 season, she seeks a different kind of challenge—quiet, sharp, and beautifully unforgiving—where every move is earned on real stone and every breath feels closer to the mountains.
In just over five minutes, the film captures the contrast that fuels elite performance: precision movement on steep terrain, the mental reset that comes from leaving the gym behind, and the simple joy of climbing outside. Expect elegant, controlled climbing, sweeping alpine scenery, and the kind of focused intensity that makes you want to get off the couch and chase your own “glückshormon” on the rocks.
HippyTree Tribe / Virgin Gorda "Heaven On Earth" drops you into the sun-soaked boulders of Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, where HippyTree tribesmen Jimmy Webb and Matt Gentile turn a tropical getaway into a session worth traveling for. Filmed on location with Climbing Magazine, this full-length edit captures the rhythm of island life between attempts—warm rock, ocean air, and two climbers dialed in on pure movement.
It’s worth watching for the contrast it delivers: powerful bouldering set against postcard scenery, with clean filming and editing that keep the focus on each sequence, fall, and breakthrough. If you like quick hits of motivation, this is the kind of short film that makes you want to brush your holds, commit to the next try, and start plotting your own “heaven on earth” escape.
Escape to the British Virgin Islands with HippyTree Tribe / Virgin Gorda “Bacao Edit,” a quick-hit bouldering vignette starring HippyTree tribesmen Jimmy Webb and Matt Gentile. Set on the sunlit stone of Virgin Gorda, the film blends island atmosphere with focused movement as the pair hunt for clean lines and satisfying sequences in a tropical paradise.
What makes this one worth your three minutes is the contrast: powerful, precise bouldering framed by warm water, wind, and wide-open horizons. With a tight “Bacao Edit” pace and polished filming from Alton Richardson and Rich Crowder (shot on location with Climbing Magazine), it’s a bite-sized dose of motivation—equal parts travel daydream and reminder that the best sessions can happen where the rock meets the sea.
Focused on the Future follows bouldering phenom Megan Mascarenas in a tight, inspiring athlete profile from Mad Rock. With roots in a focus her mother noticed early on, Megan’s story tracks the mindset behind her rapid rise—by 18, she’s already claimed a Bouldering World Cup win and climbed V13, carrying that intensity into every session.
Worth watching for its punchy look at what separates talent from greatness, this short film captures the calm, deliberate energy that fuels high-end bouldering. It’s a reminder that progress is built on patience, precision, and stubborn belief—whether you’re chasing your first clean send or dreaming bigger, Megan’s forward-looking drive makes these minutes feel like a spark.
Opera Vertical is a restored 1982 docufilm from France that captures the magnetic presence of Patrick Edlinger, the era-defining French climber who helped introduce rock climbing to a wider audience. In a compact 27 minutes, it drops you onto the limestone of Buoux and the towering walls of the Verdon Gorge, where Edlinger moves with calm precision and total commitment in sequences that feel both intimate and mythic.
What makes this film worth your time is the way it preserves a specific moment in climbing history: when climbers were framed as modern heroes and the sport’s image was still being written. The restored footage has a raw, timeless energy, and Edlinger’s effortless style turns every exposed position into a lesson in flow, focus, and nerve. If you’re drawn to the roots of sport climbing, the culture of the 80s, or simply want to feel the vertigo and beauty of big limestone, Opera Vertical delivers.
Terrore sull’Everest 1997 (Into Thin Air) draws you into the thin, unforgiving world of high-altitude mountaineering through the lens of Jon Krakauer’s account of Everest. Set against the immense scale of the world’s highest mountain, it revisits the ambition, pressure, and razor-thin margins that define summit day—where weather, exhaustion, and decision-making collide and every step can change everything.
What makes this worth watching is how it balances raw human drama with the stark mechanics of survival above the clouds. It’s a gripping reminder that Everest isn’t conquered—it’s endured: the teamwork that holds fragile plans together, the ethical choices that haunt climbers long after they descend, and the sobering reality behind the legend. Whether you’re a climber or simply drawn to extreme stories, this is a tense, atmospheric journey into why people keep going up when turning around might be the bravest move.
In CLIMBING THE NOSE, climber Jorg Verhoeven arrives in Yosemite Valley with a single obsession: to free climb The Nose on El Capitan, one of the most storied lines in the sport. Over 30 days in the shadow of the big wall, he breaks down what makes this 5.14 testpiece so unforgiving, what stands between strong climbers and a true free ascent, and what it costs—physically and mentally—to keep returning to the same moves until they finally go.
What makes this film hit is its blend of intimate, step-by-step struggle and the weight of history behind the route, with Tommy Caldwell and Lynn Hill adding perspective to a modern attempt on an icon. It’s a compact, high-stakes watch that captures the grind of big-wall logistics, the razor-thin margins of hard free climbing, and the quiet determination it takes to turn a dream into the 5th free ascent of The Nose.
Nina Williams heads to the sun-baked boulders of Bishop, California in this sharp, bite-sized Five Ten film, chasing the airy commitment of highballs and the satisfaction of hard, technical lines. With Bearcam behind the lens, “Five Ten 2015 | Nina Williams | Bouldering in Bishop” captures a day in the world where subtle footwork, calm breathing, and bold decisions matter as much as power—plus a small dose of personality courtesy of Nina’s hedgehog sidekick.
What makes it worth watching is the mix of focus and fun: the tactile details of granite, the pacing of attempts, and the quiet tension that builds when the holds get higher and the margins get thinner. It’s a quick hit of Bishop atmosphere and big-move bouldering that will leave you fired up to train, travel, and step a little farther above your comfort zone.
Sonnie Trotter returns to the sun-baked limestone of Siurana, Spain, fourteen years after his last visit, stepping back onto the steep walls with a different kind of motivation. In Five Ten 2015 | Sonnie Trotter | Estado Critico, 9a, he’s not just chasing a grade—he’s revisiting unfinished business, balancing the pull of old projects with the perspective of being back with his family.
What makes this short film hit is its blend of focus and atmosphere: the quiet rituals of working a route, the sting of doubt on razor edges, and the surge of commitment when it’s time to go. Estado Critico (9a) becomes a proving ground for patience and precision, set against the unmistakable energy of Siurana’s climbing culture—an ideal watch if you love high-end sport climbing, real attempts, and the feeling of returning to a line that never quite left you.
Rocklands 2015 Blocbuster Family is a quick-hit bouldering travel edit from SaimoOon, capturing the feel of a 2015 season in South Africa’s Rocklands and the Cederberg. Across a tight 24 minutes, a crew of friends samples sun-baked sandstone, classic lines, and plenty of lesser-known gems—more about the shared trip than chasing a tick-list of the hardest numbers.
What makes this one easy to sink into is its range and rhythm: varied styles from arêtes to roofs, a steady stream of memorable problems, and a soundtrack-driven pace that keeps the energy moving from warm-ups to try-hard. Even without headline-grade sends, it delivers the real Rocklands draw—beautiful blocs, good banter, and that addictive sequence of attempts, discoveries, and small victories that defines a great bouldering trip.
