In the rugged Kurdish mountains, Kulthum embarks on a breathtaking solo mission that tests the limits of human endurance. Armed with nothing but determination and a deep sense of duty, she navigates razor-sharp cliffs and treacherous terrain to recover a lost sheep â hauling heavy wheat to the river and climbing back through unforgiving rock faces with the kind of quiet heroism that rarely makes headlines. This is nomadic life stripped to its rawest form: no safety net, no shortcuts, just one woman against the mountain.
What makes this nearly hour-long journey impossible to look away from is the authenticity radiating from every frame. Kulthum is not performing for the camera â she is simply living, and in doing so she delivers something far more gripping than any scripted adventure. The contrast between her hands-on courage and those who command from a distance gives the film an emotional weight that lingers long after the final climb. Whether you are drawn to the stunning mountain landscapes, the physical demands of vertical terrain, or the deeply human story at its heart, this is the kind of film that reminds you why people have always looked to the mountains for truth.
In March 2024, nine of The North Face's elite athletes converged on Bariloche, Argentina for an expedition that was as much about human connection as it was about climbing. Set against the dramatic spires and volcanic rock of Valle Encantado, ROCK TRIP follows this international crew â including Shawn Raboutou, Brette Harrington, Felipe Camargo, Angie Scarth-Johnson, and Cedar Wright, among others â as they bolt new lines, charge up untamed towers, and immerse themselves in the raw beauty of Patagonian climbing culture.
What sets this film apart is the rare chemistry of bringing together nine world-class climbers from vastly different backgrounds and disciplines, all in service of shared discovery. Directed by athlete Matty Hong, the film captures not just the athletic feats but the quieter moments of exchange and mentorship that happen when elite climbers slow down and learn from one another â and from the walls themselves. With stunning cinematography by Mike Call and Ben Nielsen and an original score crafted specifically for the film, ROCK TRIP is a warm, adventurous portrait of what climbing looks like when the goal is exploration over achievement.
Join Alex Megos and Yannick Lohse as they throw themselves at Excalibur, one of the world's most demanding sport routes at a staggering 9b+ grade, in the sun-baked limestone of Arco, Italy. Along for the ride is Schlagi, a legendary physio who has worked with athletes at two Olympic Games and somehow finds time to brew the best coffee at the crag. What unfolds is an honest, unfiltered look at elite climbers grinding through a project that sits at the absolute frontier of human possibility.
Beyond the battle on Excalibur, the film delivers a bonus that few fans could have anticipated: Yannick spontaneously decides to flash attempt the Eremo route on the same day, just to see what is left in the tank after an exhausting session. The odds are long, the legs are spent, and the outcome is pure climbing drama. With sharp editing, genuine camaraderie, and a rare glimpse into the physical and mental demands of performing at the 9b+ level, this film is essential viewing for anyone who wants to understand what it looks like when the world's best push the limits of the sport.
In this gripping 22-minute film from Mammut, climbing legend Adam Ondra sets his sights on one of the UK's most formidable trad routes: Lexicon, an E11 in the Lake District first ascended by Neil Gresham in 2021. Ondra, known for pushing the absolute limits of sport climbing, steps outside his comfort zone to attempt a flash of a route that demands not just elite physical ability, but precise gear placement, nerves of steel, and a deep respect for the mountain environment.
What makes this film essential viewing is the rare window it opens into Ondra's mental game â his candid admission of feeling like a beginner on trad gear, and the psychological weight of committing to moves where the consequences of a mistake are severe. The Lake District landscape provides a stunning backdrop as Ondra blends his world-class sport climbing fitness with hard-won trad skills, and the payoff â watching him complete the flash in real time â is as electrifying as climbing film gets. With firsthand commentary from Gresham and archival footage of the route's history, this is a masterclass in courage, preparation, and what it means to truly test yourself on the rock.
In 22 Days, world-class climber Jakob Schubert documents his relentless pursuit of Alphane, one of the hardest boulders on the planet. Located in the iconic Swiss test piece venue of Chironico, Alphane carries a grade of 9A/V17, a standard reached by only a handful of climbers in history. Schubert's film chronicles the full arc of his December 2023 campaign, from the earliest attempts to crack the movement, through repeated setbacks caused by shifting conditions, all the way to the eventual send that capped 22 grueling days on the rock.
What makes this film essential viewing is its unflinching honesty. Rather than a polished highlight reel, Schubert and his filmmaking team capture the psychological toll of elite bouldering, the beta switches, the frustration, and the moments where giving up seemed like the rational choice. Watching one of the best climbers alive struggle, adapt, and ultimately persevere offers something rare in climbing media: a window into what it actually feels like to push against the outer limit of human capability on stone.
Black Diamond Presents: Hard Sends with Seb BouinâWolf Kingdom follows Seb Bouin on one of the most striking hard sport lines in France: Wolf Kingdom. Rated 9b+/5.15c, itâs the kind of limestone testpiece that defines an eraâbut for Seb, the real story isnât just the number, itâs what it takes to stay committed through a long, demanding project.
This episode dives into the rhythm behind elite performance: decision-making, patience, and the quiet confidence to keep showing up until it all clicks. With perspective from top climbers like Adam Ondra and Jakob Schubert as they begin to eye Sebâs routes, itâs a rare look at how world-class climbs become magnets for the next waveâand why the process can matter even more than the send.
Carlo Traversi has spent a lifetime in Yosemite Valley, and Black Diamond's "The Dark Side" captures that relationship in full â from a teenage grom bouldering Midnight Lightning in baggy shorts to his recent first ascent of the park's hardest boulder problem. This 47-minute film turns the camera away from Yosemite's famous big walls and toward its boulders, the often-overlooked proving grounds where generations of climbing's greatest minds have quietly pushed the limits of what's possible on rock.
What makes this film special is its sense of lineage. Traversi moves through a landscape charged with history â the same stone where legends like Ron Kauk once worked out moves â and adds his own chapter to it with creativity and precision. Whether you're a boulderer who knows every hold on Midnight Lightning or someone discovering Yosemite's hidden side for the first time, "The Dark Side" delivers stunning footage, honest storytelling, and a portrait of one climber's deep, enduring bond with a place that shaped him.
Arc'teryx Presents: Climbing Through follows professional climber Julia Niles as she steps out of the swirl of everyday obligationsâmotherhood, guiding, and her counseling practiceâand into the steep, committing world of big-wall climbing in Chileâs CochamĂł Valley, invited by friend and pro athlete Em Pellerin.
High above the ground and tied together on the wall, the film turns each deliberate move into a lesson in presence: slowing down, trusting the partnership, and reconnecting with why climbing matters. Itâs a grounded, intimate adventure story that pairs real life with real exposureâand leaves you wanting to breathe deeper, climb smarter, and savor the moment youâre in.
In Flashed, Babsi Zangerl sets her sights on the 3,000-foot Free Rider on El Capitanâand does what no one has done before: a true flash of one of the worldâs most iconic big walls. With partner Jacopo Larcher, she commits to a ground-up effort that stretches across three intense days on Yosemite granite.
This isnât just a headline ascent. The film digs into the texture of the attemptâslick slabs, gnarly offwidths, and sequences that only reveal themselves when youâre already in too deepâwhile showing the calm, trust, and grit it takes to keep moving upward. If you want a front-row seat to history and the human story behind it, this one delivers.
Tommy Caldwell, one of the most celebrated climbers in history, embarks on a deeply personal journey in this first chapter of a compelling new series from EDELRID. What begins with a bold adventure in Alaska and a friendly wager among climbing partners evolves into something far more meaningful â a pursuit to return to the elite grade of 9a. But this isn't simply a story about athletic performance. As Tommy chases that goal, the film captures the full weight of the life he carries alongside it: fatherhood, his role as a public figure, and his passionate commitment to outdoor advocacy and climate action.
Empath sets the tone for the series with rare emotional honesty, offering a side of Tommy Caldwell that goes well beyond his legendary ascents. Director Hendrik Pot brings an intimate, unhurried eye to the storytelling, and the Alaskan backdrop gives the film a sweeping sense of scale that contrasts beautifully with the quiet, reflective moments at its core. Whether you're a seasoned climber or simply drawn to stories about people pushing against their own limits, this film delivers something genuine â a reminder that the drive to climb hard doesn't disappear with age, it just gets more complicated, and more interesting.
