THE WINNER OF THE 53RD INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF MOUNTAINS, EXPLORATION AND ADVENTURE “CITTÀ DI TRENTO” IS THE BRAZILIAN FILM “EXTREMO SUL”.


TRENTO. For the first time in the history of the International Film Festival of Mountains, Exploration and Adventure “Città di Trento”, the greatest prize, has been awarded to a Brazilian film. The International Jury chaired by the film director Stefania Casini has awarded the prestigious prize of the International Film Festival of Mountains, Exploration and Adventure “Città di Trento” – the Golden Gentian “Gran Premio Città di Trento” – to the film “Extremo Sul” by Brazilian directors Monica Schmiedt and Sylvestre Campe. It was chosen from the 45 films in the competition. It will be presented to distributors worldwide as one of the leading films of the Brazilian film industry at Cannes Festival. It is also about to be launched in the Brazilian cinemas.

The film is about the swing between dream and reality that is experienced by whoever starts an expedition and has to confront his limits and fears when finding himself alone before nature. The protagonists of the expedition document each phase of the attempt to climb Mount Sarmiento - one of the most difficult peaks in the Land of Fire - and tell all their doubts, anxiety, fears and motivation in front of the camera. The directors portray the conflicts and dynamics within a team that have to face the frustration of failing to complete the enterprise they were dreaming of.

The Golden Gentian for the best film on mountains has been awarded to “The Devil’s Miner”, by directors Rochard Ladkani and Kief Davison, a few days after they received the special mention for the best documentary direction at Tribeca Film Festival. The film tells, through the eyes and words of the two young protagonists, the practise of children being forced by financial necessity to work in the mines of Cerro Rico in Bolivia, also known as “The men-eater mountain”. These images gently narrate the small joys, fears and superstitions and the devotion, as well as the aspects of life, both inside and outside the mountain, with the dream and hope to escape a sealed fate.

The Golden Gentian of the Italian Alpine Club has been awarded to “Sur le fil des 4000”, by French film director Gilles Chappaz, for the best mountaineering film. This film, while describing the last expedition of Patrick Berhault, at the same time is giving a moving portrait of this the great French climber.

Three Silver Gentians have been also awarded to the following films in competition, in different categories:

- The Silver Gentian has been awarded to the documentary “Erik(a)”, by the Austrian director Kurt Mayer, for the best film about sport and sport adventure. This is a controversial story told in the first person by Erika/Erik Schinegger, former ski world champion, who has brought to light, in the world of sport, the delicate topic of sexual identity.

- The Silver Gentian has been awarded to “Giant grizzly” by Andreas Kieling (Germany), for the best film on exploration. It is a documentary about a group of people investigating on the life of the big grizzly bears.



- The Silver Gentian has finally been awarded to “The gorillas of my father” by Adrian Warren (Austria), for the best film about mountain environment. The film tells the adventure of a man who follows in his grandfather’s footsteps by searching for a dying species. He goes to countries where even human beings are sometimes the victims of man’s cruelty.

The Jury’s Special Prize has been awarded to the film “Tibet - Cry of the snow lion” by the American director Tom Peosay. A well built documentary about the difficult political and religious situation in Tibet controlled by the Chinese Government.

All the films in the competition were screened as previews in Trento for Italy and will be successively screened during special evenings organized by Trento Film Festival in different Italian towns.