The Run the Alps Film Festival: Watch for Free
Happy Holidays! Here’s a little gift from Run the Alps.
We’re celebrating trail running in the Alps with a mini online film festival.
It’s our first ever Run the Alps film festival, and we have three very well produced, fun short films to share on Friday, December 30, 2022 at 3 pm US Eastern Time.
That’s the good news. The bad news is, there’s no red carpet, no swag bags. You’ll have to take care of that yourself. But you can make some popcorn, pour yourself some génépi, kick back and enjoy.
And here’s some more good news: It’s free, courtesy of your friends at Run the Alps.
There’s more info below about the Run the Alps Film Festival and how it came to pass. But first, here’s the info you need to get started.
First– or after, it’s your choice– Watch our Run the Alps Rendez-Vous with pro trail runner and Run the Alps Ambassador Hillary Gerardi, as she visits with the creators of these three wonderful films.
Then watch the three films! Here they are:
Izzy: Ambassador of Joy
It’s a tough life, being a pro trail runner… eat, sleep, run, and repeat.
It’s easy to lose yourself among the miles, the splits, the endless training cycles. In this short film, Run the Alps Ambassador and pro athlete Isabelle “Izzy” Mayer tells us about how she keeps her trail psych alive. She shares her love for the running community in her home town of Chamonix, France and why trail running is still, and always will be, where she finds her joy.
Directed and produced by Kate Owen. Filmed and edited by Sam Hill. Co-written by Sam and Kate.
About Sam and Kate:
Sam Hill is a full time International Mountain Leader for Run the Alps and other companies, and an experienced trail running coach. He lives in Chamonix, France, but his work often takes him further afield, leading expeditions to exotic places around the world. Read more about Sam.
Kate Owen is a professional TV and film producer with extensive experience producing films overseas, often in remote locations while dealing with complex logistics. She is also a qualified expedition leader, and has led trips to Tanzania, Nepal, and Switzerland. She lives in Llanberis, Gwynedd, Wales. Read more about Kate.
Magic Shoes: An Animated Trail Running Film
Magic Shoes is an animated stop-motion movie. The movie follows an old pair of much-loved trail running shoes. Suddenly, they are tossed in the garbage… then, a new adventure begins for the retired, worn shoes. They have a second life! As for what happens, well, you’ll just have to watch and see for yourself.
Written, illustrated and produced by Simon Charrière.
About Simon Charrière:
Illustrator, artist, and filmmaker Simon Charriere lives in Fribourg, Switzerland. He is a Patagonia-sponsored skier and Protect Our Winters athlete who skis off cliffs and jagged peaks, and travels the world in search of good snow and inspiration. Read more about Simon.
The Reality of Trail Running
Have you ever finished a trail run, and noticed the difference between elapsed time and moving time? Ever wonder what you spend doing during that extra time? Filmmaker Milo Zanecchia used to think it was a waste of time. Now he understands, it’s part of the adventure. This film is a portrait of a real day out.
Conceived, filmed and produced by Milo Zanecchia.
Milo Zanecchia is a Swiss-American adventure filmmaker and photographer based in Lugano, Switzerland. He has produced films for Salomon, Rab, Scott and other major outdoor brands, in locations as diverse as Oman, Russia, and Alaska. Read more about Milo.
About the Run the Alps Film Festival
Our Run the Alps online film festival could not have happened without a number of people. Plus, we owe special thanks to Aleksandra Janiak, our Run the Alps Rendez-Vous Producer and Videographer, who produced and edited the supporting materials you’ve seen here and elsewhere online.
Before you go, we want you to know that we’ve set up a Venmo account if you would like to support the filmmakers. Here’s how it works. Use Venmo to transfer money to Run the Alps. Add “Film Festival” in the “What’s it for?” line. We’ll split all the proceeds three ways to support the hardworking, creative producers behind each of these films. Run the Alps won’t take any overhead.
If you like the films, consider kicking these wonderful filmmakers some gas money for their next film project!
We hope you enjoy the films! If you have questions or comments, or want to be involved in next year’s film festival, you can email us any time at [email protected]
Run the Alps 2022 Film Festival FAQ
Why is a trail running tour company organizing a film festival?
About a year ago, someone asked what our goals were at Run the Alps. We realized then what powers our work— our desire to both celebrate and share the trail running scene in the Alps. Those twin desires have been powering us for years, and continue to do so. We’re just not sure I could have verbalized it in exactly those words, when we were first getting started. Of course, it’s been 10 years now. We should have an “elevator pitch!”
But why films?
Simple: Is there anything that shares and celebrates trail running more than an inspired film created by a trail runner? (Okay, other than going on a Run the Alps trip!) We thought it covered “share” and “celebrate” pretty well.
How much money did they get?
Each filmmaker received a grant of up to €3,000 to cover their time and expenses.
How did you fund it?
Out of our profits from this past year. We’re not sure if this counts as marketing, philanthropy, or something else. Sometimes categories don’t matter. It felt like the right thing to do, and we could afford to do it.
This seems cool. I’d like to support it.
If you would like to donate directly to next year’s grants, please contact us. And, shamelessly, every person who comes on a Run the Alps trip or buys our gear helps us make the film festival happen in their own way. So, sharing Run the Alps with friends helps make that happen. Follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter. And thank you.
Why are you raising money to support the filmmakers?
In our limited experience with Alps film makers, they rarely seem to make what they are worth. We wanted to open the doors to help you cover their expenses, if you feel so inclined. And we hope you will. Donate what you can. It’s a truism, but every bit helps.
How did you pick the filmmakers?
This year was a test edition of the film festival. So we kept asking ourselves, “How can we make this as simple as possible?” There was no fancy grant program, no board to review the applicants, and no 10-page essays required by the filmmakers. We picked a range of filmmakers whose work we know and love. Going forward, we hope to have more established guidelines.
Will there be a film festival next year?
We’ll see! It depends in large part on your responses. Tell us what you think. We’d love to hear your ideas, thoughts for how we can make this little film festival better, and any partnership proposals. Drop us a note and say hi!
I’m a filmmaker. How do I apply for next year?
One year at a time please! We’ll develop a plan for next year in the spring. If you’d like to be involved next year, reach out and be sure to sign up for our Run the Alps newsletter and follow up on Facebook and Instagram.
