Kendal hosts the world's biggest Mountain Film Festival if you count bums on seats, and this year’s programme is packed with major names and premieres.

Lecturers include renowned climbers Greg Child, Thomas Huber, Jack Tackle, Will Gadd, Simon Yates and Neil Gresham plus explorer and reluctant mountaineer Sir Ranulph Fiennes. Doug Scott and Chris Bonington also combine for a one-off Kangchenjunga and Kongur lecture, while Nicholas Crane makes his first lecture appearance following the ‘Great British Journeys’ TV series.

One huge attraction is surely going to be the big-screen premiere of The Beckoning Silence, a drama-documentary adapted from Joe Simpson’s best-selling book, and created by the same team that made the BAFTA-award-winning ‘Touching the Void’. The screening will be followed by the chance to hear how the film was made with Joe Simpson and the production team.

Famed extreme cameraman Leo Dickinson presents the world premiere of Return to the Paine, created after Leo discovered an unknown and incomplete film of the first ascent of the Central Tower of Paine by Chris Bonington and Don Whillans.

All entries are in for the film competition and there are many strong contenders this year. For instance, The Alps is a new film adventure from the two-time Academy Award-nominated producers of Everest. The film follows mountaineer and journalist John Harlin III who sets out on an epic personal journey to climb the North Face of the Eiger forty years after the same mountain claimed the life of his father.

Once again, Kendal features a battle in the rock climbing genre for prize honours. Award-winning film-maker Alastair Lee premieres three new films from his spectacular production Psyche. ‘Stone Monkey’ film-maker Alun Hughes presents Upside Down Wales, while Big UP and Sender Films show King Lines, following US rock-climbing sensation Chris Sharma over a year and half through Venezuela, Greece, Spain and France. Finally Hot Aches Productions weighs in with Committed, their new full-length climbing film and follow-up to last year’s prize winning ‘E11’.

Together with specialist evenings for mountain bike, white water, ski and parapente/BASE, it promises to be another unmissable year for all outdoor enthusiasts.

The Kendal Mountain Festival runs from 9th – 18th November. Tickets can be bought online from the Festival website or through Kendal’s Brewery Arts box office on 01539 725133.

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