Stir Cheat Sheet: 5 cliffhangers to catch at the 2025 Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival

From Everest Dark’s story of a sherpa’s heroic journey to an all-female project to tackle Spain’s La Rubia, docs dive into adventure

By Janet Smith

B.I.G.—A World First

Everest Dark

The Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival runs from November 12 to 19 at the Rio, Centennial Theatre, and the Kay Meek Arts Centre

THE VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL Mountain Film Festival’s Fall Series isn’t just a draw for outdoor-sports fans who are well acquainted with pistes, overhangs, and towering cliffs; it’s a way to travel to literal heights that you may never otherwise see.

That’s certainly true of the strong, in-person 2025 lineup, with journeys to Norway’s sinister B.I.G., the heights of B.C.’s own Mount Robson, and Mount Everest itself. Along the way, these documentary stars haul bikes, splitboards, skis, and ropes to, in many cases, make historic feats.

Below are just five of the offerings, many of them showing in mixed programs and featuring live speakers. You can find the full program here.

Robson

#1

Robson

As part of the Ski and Snow Show, November 14 at Centennial Theatre

Extreme ski mountaineers Christina Lustenberger and Guillaume Pierrel tackle Mount Robson’s formidable South Face in a spectacular documentary that’s more about the descent than the climb. Adding layers to the images of the duo skiing down the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, archival footage explores the history of human attempts to conquer the mountain, including Conrad Kain’s first Robson summit. Join Lustenberger, a B.C.-born Canadian Alpine Ski Team racer and 2006 Olympian, and the French-born Pierret for a conversation and Q&A following the film.

#2

Ride to Ride

As part of Bike Night, November 15 at the Kay Meek Arts Centre

Travel on two wheels deep into Norway’s breathtaking Sunnmøre Alps as two affably amazing women—Henna Palosaari and Karen Ekman—mount gravel bikes and grab their splitboards for a snowy camping adventure. Think complete freedom, awe-inspiring vistas, virgin powder, and crazy tent spots. Double the feats of endurance with another amazing woman who speaks at the same Bike Night event: Claudia Bastien, with an illustrated presentation about her trip from the Canadian Rockies to the border of Mexico.

#3

Everest Dark

Part of Extreme Ascents 2, November 16 at the Rio Theatre

Nepal’s legendary Mingma Tsiri Sherpa embarks on a dangerous, heroic mission to recover a body from the face of Everest to appease the mountain gods. Along the way, director Jereme Watt illuminates the effects of the growing business of climbing the world’s highest peak, and the impacts on the Sherpa people who risk their lives in these attempts. The unflinching film carries a trigger warning—no surprise when you consider at least 200 bodies remain abandoned in the high-altitude ice, one-third of them Sherpa guides.

#4

La Rubia

Part of the Big Walls Climbing Show, November 17 at the Rio Theatre

Squamish’s Bronwyn Hodgins is dealing with burnout after a series of big-wall expeditions. (In just one of her epic achievements, Hodgins was the first Canadian woman to free-climb El Capitan.) She decides to shift her focus to sport climbing, a pursuit that will take her to southern Spain’s daunting La Rubia with an all-female film crew. Landscapes don’t get much more picturesque than the tufa-laden rock faces in this sun-baked limestone region—and it proves to be just as mentally taxing as it is visually appealing. Hodgins will be on hand for a presentation at the event, as will boulderer and route developer Faisal Al Rifai, who will share stories about the emerging bouldering scene in Jordan.

#5

B.I.G.—A World First

November 19 at Centennial Theatre

More mind-blowing climbing feats: Norway’s Flatanger provides the towering, craggy, grey backdrop to two-time Olympic bronze medallist Jakob Schubert’s historic first ascent of the aptly named “B.I.G.”, formerly known as “Project Big”. Adding to the pressures in this Austrian-made nailbiter about one of the world’s toughest climbs: Schubert livestreams his attempts. Stick around for the Q&A to hear Schubert share the tale behind making history. 

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