From June 14 to 19, 2022, the Chamonix Film Festival was held, which this year awarded "The Alpinist". The event also allowed participants to enjoy outings to the valley's base camps with Millet, partner of the festival.
After a successful first edition last year, the Chamonix Film Festival was back in 2022 with 35 international films in competition. Chamonix, the cradle of mountaineering, now has its own film festival. This is a great way to attract all mountain and adventure lovers. This festival is part of the continuity of Chamonix's heritage, now listed by UNESCO. Whether in the cinema, in the mountains or in the base camps of the valley (see photos at the bottom of this article), the participants were able to live an extraordinary experience, at once visual, emotional and sensitive, as many links that connect us to the spirit of adventure.
In the cinemas, the productions screened delighted the public who were able to enjoy 35 international films, 10 countries represented and many previews. Three films out of competition were also programmed for a total of 38 films screened in the three cinemas of the Vox cinema in Chamonix. The film "A l'ombre du Chamlang" with Charles Dubouloz, as well as the visual epic "Le chant des sirènes" which retraces Symon Welfringer's expedition to Greenland, between sea kayaking to find a passage between the icebergs and bigg wall climbing.
Finally, the film "The Alpinist" (see trailer below) won the most prestigious prize of the festival. This Grand Prize rewards a remarkable production that retraces the life of Marc-André Leclerc, 25 years old and an outstanding mountaineer, filmed during two years. His mountaineering exploits, particularly in North America and Patagonia, have left their mark on the mountaineering world. Shortly after the filming, this young Canadian was swept away and killed by an avalanche.
Here is the complete list of winners of this 2022 edition:
THE GRAND PRIX: "The Alpinist" by Peter Mortimer
In addition to the screenings, the festival was also the occasion for the organization of conferences in the form of round tables, conferences and debates, or simply a privileged moment shared in small committee, as many unforgettable moments. On the terrace of the Maison des Artistes, the Millet athletes were present as François Damilano, Aurélia Lanoé, Symon Welfringer and Charles Dubouloz. The participants were also able to exchange with Romain Millet (General Manager at Millet) who led a conference on the theme of mountain textiles and their revolution.
Finally, the uniqueness of the Chamonix Film Festival is that it also takes place in the mountains. The participants, including the Private Sport Shop team, went into action with outings supervised by the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix, a unique and unforgettable experience in the high mountains and an opportunity to test Millet products in the image of the mountaineering boot ELEVATION TRILOGY GTX or the TRILOGY 30L backpack.
After passing through the Italian side, the team took the Skyway to the Helbroner point. The passage in the Mont Blanc massif then led them to the col d'Entrèves for the discovery of the different roping techniques on glacier and cramponing under the advice of a guide of the Mont Blanc company. Throughout the day, the sun accompanied the participants with abnormally high temperatures which reminds us how fragile and vulnerable this environment is.
