Saturday Afternoon
Bonar Hall
25 November 2023: 2pm
Tickets are now only available at the door. See our Ticket page.
Tickets £12
We have a great selection of films on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon from the Vancouver Mountain Film Festival World Tour.
After the interval Karen Darke, who recently shared some time with Khedrupchen Rinpoche at his monastery high in the Black Mountains of Bhutan, will introduce Rinpoche who will take the audience on a journey into Bhutan happiness.
Tempo 2
USA 2022: Director Thomas Woodson – 6 minutes
A conceptual exploration of the shared feelings between music and mountains — Tempo II. Movements in Jungle is set in the world’s largest urban jungle, exploring styles of Brazilian drumming and trail running.
El Gavilán
USA 2022: Directors Bronwyn Hodgins and Savannah Cummins – 20 minutes
Rising out of the arid Mexican Desert lies a 900 ft ship’s prow of elegant limestone sporting a 9-pitch 5.13 established in the 90s by Jeff Jackson. A cutting-edge big wall free climb at the time, this route shut down hard men for years. Shrouded in mysticism, the bolts rusted and the holds collected dust until a couple of young gals from Canada decided to give it a try.
Mandatory Gear
USA 2022: Director Emily Hopcian – 16 minutes
In the male-dominated sport of adventure racing, co-ed teams of four race unsupported through rugged, wild terrain. To compete, each team must have at least one woman. Due to this rule, in the adventure racing world, women are often referred to as “mandatory gear” for competition. In Expedition Oregon, North America’s toughest race, three women and one man flip that script and compete as a reverse co-ed team. Over the course of five days, Team Journey/Bend Racing challenges stereotypes—and themselves—as they navigate, trek, packraft, mountain bike, rappel and more through Central Oregon’s wilderness. Throughout, they must work as a team to overcome physical, mental and emotional obstacles to complete the race and discover what’s possible with a mostly-female team . “Mandatory Gear” pushes back on gender stereotypes; explores what makes competing on a reverse co-ed team different; and celebrates and inspires female empowerment and gender equity in sports and the outdoors.
The Last Ski Maker in Scotland
UK 2022: Director Euan Robinson – 7 minutes
The uncertain future of skiing in Scotland has inspired Jamie Kunka to make sustainable skis out of wood. Based in his cabin in the Scottish Highlands, Jamie is the last ski maker in Scotland. He began teaching himself how to make his wooden skis after watching a Vimeo Staff Pick by Wyatt Visuals about a wooden-surfboard maker in Vancouver Island, Canada. Ten years on, The Last Ski Maker in Scotland is part homage to this original film and part a celebration of the power of film to inspire us all.
New Way Up
UK 2022: Director Jake Holland – 24 minute
The Karakoram mountains are known for their huge scale and jaw dropping beauty. Nestled within them is Gulmit Tower, a technical granite pinnacle that has never been summited. Previous teams have often failed because the highly glaciated terrain makes the approach by foot long and treacherous. Fabi Buhl and Will Sim, both experienced alpinists, have a new idea. They plan to harness the power of the sky and use paragliders to fly over the glaciated terrain, reaching the base of the climb in hours, not days. Follow them on their epic journey as they attempt to set a new direction for Himalayan climbing.
There will be an interval at this part of the afternoon. Refreshments are served on both levels. Please visit the art exhibitions (both levels) and the Trade Stands in the Ustinov Room
KHEDRUPCHEN RINPOCHE – FINDING INNER GOLD IN BHUTAN
Bhutan is a unique Himalayan kingdom, where happiness is measured over materialism.
Khedrupchen Rinpoche founder of the Khedrup foundation in Bhutan travels widely teaching the values of connecting inner wellbeing with environmental preservation. Karen Darke recently shared some time with Rinpoche at his monastery high in the Black Mountains of Bhutan, and will introduce Rinpoche who will take the audience on a journey into Bhutan happiness.
This presentation will include the premiere screening of a film by renowned filmmaker John Baikie who was a member of the group which visited Rinpoche in his monastery.
Monla Khedrup Rinpoche (also referred to as Khedrupchen Rinpoche) was born in 1990 in Eastern Bhutan. He was recognized and enthroned as the fifth reincarnation of Kyabgon Monla Khedrup Jigme Kundrol, a renowned scholar and practitioner from Bhutan who was one of the main students of Jigme Lingpa, a highly revered and realized teacher of eighteenth century Tibet.
Rinpoche started his formal monastic education from the age of thirteen in Phagchok Monastery in Eastern Bhutan under the guidance of Lama Kunzang Namdrol. In 2006, he joined Mindrolling College in India for nine years of advanced Buddhist studies in sutras and tantras where he graduated in 2015 with an acharya degree (equivalent to a Ph.D.). Upon completion he was appointed teaching faculty at Mindrolling, a great honor, and taught there for three years. He has studied directly under many eminent Buddhist teachers across various sects of Tibetan Buddhism. His main teachers are the late His Holiness the Fourth Dodrupchen Rinpoche, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyenste Rinpoche, Dza Jigme Namgyal, Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche, Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche and Khenchen Katayana. He has also completed several years of intensive short and long-term meditation retreats.
Rinpoche is Founder and President of Khedrup Foundation, a non-profit religious organization registered in Bhutan, Supreme Head of Rephel Mebar Lhakhang, a 1,200-year old temple of great historical significant in Trongsa, Central Bhutan, and Founder and Spiritual Director of Sangchen Ogyen Tsuklag Monastery in Trongsa, Central Bhutan and Phajo Gonpa Gomde, a yogi retreat center, in Samdrup Jongkhar, Eastern Bhutan.
Rinpoche’s activities often consist of putting wisdom and compassion into social action. In 2016, he founded Siddhartha’s Wisdom Club to introduce Buddhist wisdom and values for youth, helping them live in harmony with their inner and outer nature, particularly connecting inner well-being with environmental preservation. In 2017, he founded the Ami-Deva Association for elder citizens to help create a community of connection and belonging where they can deeply practice meditation for inner well-being. Additionally, Rinpoche is involved in numerous humanitarian activities across the country in a range of areas.
Rinpoche travels around the world teaching and collaborating with scholars and practitioners in universities, institutes, and centers in order to innovate new skillful-means for teaching Buddha-Dharma in a modern context and to continue the lineages of Buddhism for future generations.