Miles of Mind
Miles of Mind is one of the 2025 grant recipients for the Run the Alps x On Trail Running Film Festival. The film was co-produced by Chamonix-based filmmakers Soren Rickards and Luke Jarmey. Besides inspiring us to go running, the film poses a number of questions, which we had the chance to explore in this interview.
Charlie Edwards, friend of Run the Alps, spoke with Soren for some insight into the film. She asked about the concept behind Miles of Mind and a few of the elements that make it stand out. They also dove into some practicalities, such as where the most spectacular shots were filmed.
MILES OF MIND
Filmmakers: Soren Rickards, Luke Jarmey
Charlie: How did you come up with the concept for your film?
Soren: The concept for our film was born out of our shared passion for photography. Luke and I have a similar vision and style, so we’ve been looking for an excuse to collaborate on something for a while! As photographers, we’ve always been inspired by the outdoors and the light in the mountains. Our goal was to create a cinematic piece that captures the beauty, feeling, and intensity of running.
Charlie : Could you explain what you mean by “cinematic,” and also what is similar about Luke’s and your styles?
Soren: Cinematic as opposed to storytelling…capturing the beauty of a place by getting the light just right…that kind of thing. So it’s really about the aesthetics, and celebrating the beauty of running in the mountains. Luke and I, we both like to use natural light…not filtered or super exposed.
Charlie : Was there a particular shot that really shows off your combined style, and that you feel particularly proud of?
Soren: Yes, there’s the shot of our friend Astrid running the ridge on Aiguillette des Houches. It’s difficult to get everything right – the timing, the weather, the light. That night we stayed in Refuge Bellechat, just below the ridge, so that we could maximize our chances. We were late to dinner because we had to keep redoing the shot, but the people at the refuge were nice and kept it warm for us! We needed the right athlete on the right day (good weather), at the right time (the 15-20 minute window of sunset), and the right place (a part of the ridge with the sun behind Astrid to create lens flares and cinematic look). We also slept at the Refuge Bellachat to avoid a 1000m descent in the dark. For us, I suppose it’s quite normal to go after this kind of shot—on paper it’s quite easy to pull off, but it actually takes a bit of organisation and luck.
Charlie: Why did you open and close the film with the water shot? What do water and being underwater signify to you?
Soren: Running can be a powerful form of release—a way to clear the mind. The underwater imagery symbolizes the sensation of feeling trapped or confined within your own thoughts, contrasting with the freedom and clarity that running brings.
Charlie: How did you film the underwater shots? Are you in the lake?
Soren: We filmed the underwater shots in a small lake in Martigny (all besides the one at the end of the film). Luke does a lot of spearfishing and naturally got into taking his camera with him—he has an underwater housing for his camera. Initially we were thinking we’d put the camera in a river and have the person run through for cool shots. And then we had this idea of something a bit more poetic, which was the whole falling into water and sinking, and we realized we could use it for that as well. We had my wife, Gaelle, jumping off backwards from a jetty, and Luke was maybe half a meter under. Gaelle had to jump in about ten times before we were happy with the shot—she got very cold!
Charlie: Why did you choose to film multiple runners versus just one?
Soren: Initially we imagined having very different types of people to show that running can be beneficial to everyone, no matter size, shape, age, color, etc. We ended up working with the people who were willing to come, as each runner brings a unique perspective, rhythm, and connection to the sport, reflecting how it resonates with individuals in different ways.
Charlie: On which trails did you film? And why did you use those particular trails?
Soren: All the trails are in and around Chamonix, where we both live. The ridge at the end is Aiguillette des Houches, which is a Chamonix classic. It’s easy to access with a refuge just below. People will recognize the area if they know Chamonix—the views are insane. And Plan de l’Aiguille, which is on the opposite side of the valley, we went to moraine terrain with granite rock— it’s a bit more rugged and aggressive. We were shooting a guy running downhill, and wanted it to show the gritty side to trail running. It’s technical, fast, the music picks up, and it shows the fun side of running downhill too. The forest shots are in Les Bois, a beautiful forest where the rocks are covered in moss. Overall, we wanted to work our way up the mountain—from leaving the house, through the forest, up the mountainside, and onto the ridge.
Charlie : Do you have a personal connection to running, or another mountain sport?
Soren: Mountain biking is my main thing in the summer and I think it’s very similar: you put in a big effort on the climbs, you get an adrenaline rush on the downhill, and you have to be pretty focused on what you’re doing. But I like running too. If I haven’t been doing much for a few weeks, sitting on the couch too much, and I’ve got the blues a little bit, running has always been a go-to quick fix for any sort of problem that I’ve had.
Charlie: You and Luke both live in Chamonix. What brought you to the mountains?
Soren: I left the UK when I was 18, and I didn’t want to go to university. I decided I wanted to travel and do something different and outdoorsy. I’d always dreamt of doing that, but I’d been stuck in London and didn’t travel much as a kid. I found work as an au pair for a year in a French mountain town, not Chamonix but close by, because I wanted to learn French. Then I basically never left. I kind of fell into the right place just by chance.
Charlie : What do you hope people will take away from your film?
Soren: It’s a celebration of the sport’s beauty and a reminder of the feelings and benefits it can evoke—freedom, clarity, and connection to nature. Our goal is to encourage others to get outside and run! It’s kind of a reminder that there’s a whole world out there—of travel, outdoor communities, and working abroad—and this world is open to everyone. We hoped people might be inspired by some beautiful images.
Run the Alps x On Trail Running Film Festival
You can watch Miles of Mind along with the other 2025 Film Festival selections here.
Read more about the 2025 grant recipients.
Our previous Film Festivals are all right here for viewing.
