Run the Alps x On Trail Running Film Festival 2025 – Grant Winners
We are excited to announce the winners of the 2025 Run the Alps Film Festival Grant in partnership with On.
Our selection panel, consisting of Jenny Rice (Kendal Mountain Festival), Yassine Diboun (pro runner & Wy’east Wolfpack founder), Dom Bush (Filmmaker & 2024 Run the Alps Film grant winner), Milo Zanecchia (Photographer & Filmmaker), and Katie Moore (Run the Alps Film Festival manager), met online for a vibrant and thorough discussion of our grant applications.
The standard of applications this year was exceptional. We received a diverse array of compelling pitches ranging from the highly creative to the rigorously factual. The panel had a tough job picking just three winners, but they finally agreed on this year’s recipients of €5000 grants toward creating their films. A huge thank you to everyone that applied.
The Run the Alps x On Trail Running Film Festival 2025 Grant Recipients are:
TALK TO FRANK
Filmmakers: Ellie and Matt Green, Summit Fever Media
Featuring: Maleek and Frank
My name is Frank, and I’m a cocker spaniel from Manchester. My story began when I moved in with Maleek, my human. He wasn’t in a great place—having just finished a four-year sentence, he found himself transitioning from one prison to another: the COVID lockdown and a debilitating depression. I gave him no choice; he had to start walking me. One walk led to another, and soon we were running. Before he knew it, we were on our way up Pen Y Ghent, his first mountain. The mountains are his spiritual home, he needs them just as much as I do. His ambition is to run in the Alps. To push his boundaries and tackle a route higher and further than he has ever been before. So that’s our plan. Together we are going to go to the Alps, we’re going to see the peaks, the ridges, the summits, and we’re going to heal together.
From the Filmmakers:
“We aim to contribute to the growing number of stories demonstrating that the outdoors is for everyone. Although the Alps are relatively close to us here in the UK, they often feel a million miles away in terms of accessibility and opportunity. If just one person sees this film and realizes the outdoors can be for them too, that would be a tremendous success.
We are incredibly excited and grateful to have our film idea selected for a Run the Alps x On Film Grant. We can’t wait to begin production on ‘Talk to Frank,’ featuring Maleek and Frank, and offer a fresh perspective on the bond between a trail runner and his trail dog.”
Previous Work:
Solo – featuring Jenny Tough
Lost Connections – featuring Calum Maclean and Alex Seghal
IT’S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE
Filmmakers: Rachel Sarah, Gregor D Sinclair, Scotica Film
Featuring: Trina Dawkins & Gloria Sarpong
Ahead of a major running event in Chamonix, ‘It’s All Downhill From Here’ captures the deep breath before a race. The film follows two runners, Trina and Gloria, and their time in the mountains together before the race – as they taper off and simply enjoy the alpine trails and running together. The film follows the pair as they make their way into the mountains, talking tongue-in-cheek about the preconceptions around aging. And then – a pause – we are peering down at the long descent before we follow them – as they fly downhill and turn that well-known phrase on its head.
From the Filmmakers:
“Winning this grant means so much; I’ve been plotting with Gloria and Trina for so long about doing a project together, and it feels incredible that we’re moving from our zoom calls into the mountains together with the cameras, finally! Trina and Gloria are magic, both in person and on-screen. I can’t wait to capture their energy in this piece – taking a serious and multi-faceted topic and conveying it in a joyful short which shows more than tells.” -Rachel Sarah
Previous Work:
Entangled – Featuring Morna Baillie and Kirsty Pallas
A Winter Poem
SWEAT
Filmmakers: Soren Rickards, Luke Jarmey
An intimate journey through the emotions and sensations of running, Sweat delves into the deeper side of why we run in the mountains. This film will explore the essence of what it feels like to run, creating an almost psychedelic experience as we capture the spirit of mountain running.
From the Filmmakers:
“Our goal with this film is to ignite excitement about running. By combining our passions and expertise, we aim to create a captivating short film that showcases the profound and exhilarating experience of mountain running. Through innovative techniques and a deep dive into the emotional core of running, we hope to inspire and connect with fellow enthusiasts.”
Previous Work:
Congratulations to the selected filmmakers! We look forward to watching and sharing your films in January 2025!
More About Run the Alps x On Trail Running Film Festival
The Festival is part of Run the Alps’ mission to share, celebrate and steward trail running here in the Alps.
Did you catch the films selected for the 2024 festival? If not, check them out– and enjoy!
And you can watch our first Film Festival winners: Run the Alps Film Festival 2022.
