鈥淚 literally just got back to the ground,鈥� says Brette Harrington, when reached on the phone last Wednesday.
The 24-year-old professional rock climber and alpinist had just touched down after a day of climbing in New York State in 鈥渢he Gunks,鈥� known officially as Shawangunk Ridge. She had found herself in the area stemming from her involvement in Reel Rock 11, an annual film tour that showcases climbing and adventure films, along with the filmmakers and featured athletes themselves, to cities around the world.
Harrington is one of this year鈥檚 athletes, appearing in person at festival stops in Denver, San Francisco and New York, and is the star of a film entitled Brette, described by Reel Rock 11 organizers as giving audiences an opportunity to follow the 鈥渞ising talent鈥� on a global journey from her hometown granite in Squamish to the big wall proving ground of Yosemite鈥檚 El Capitan and onto a landmark free solo in Patagonia.鈥�
Local audiences can check out Harrington on the big screen this week when Reel Rock 11 touches down in the Lower Mainland, presented by the 麻豆传媒映画International Mountain Film Festival, Tuesday Oct. 18 and Thursday Oct. 20 at the Rio Theatre, and Oct. 21 at North Vancouver鈥檚 Centennial Theatre.
While Harrington, who grew up in Lake Tahoe, previously lived in both Squamish and Vancouver, she鈥檚 spent the last two years on the road, travelling from one climbing destination to another, adding to her growing list of achievements, including a number of first ascents and impressive free solos.
鈥淚 really like moving from place to place,鈥� says Harrington, who in recent years has travelled to Patagonia, Indian Creek in southern Utah, Canmore, Alta., various countries in Europe, Baffin Island and Yosemite National Park.
鈥淲hen I was younger I went to boarding school and I didn鈥檛 know what I wanted to do and I couldn鈥檛 really imagine my life. Some people that I talked to鈥� could look into the future and say, 鈥業 know I want to be a lawyer鈥� or 鈥業 want to be a nurse.鈥� They could foresee their life but I just had no idea. All I knew I wanted to do is do something that I was going to be a master at,鈥� she says.
At age 18, Harrington decided to dedicate her life to climbing.
鈥淚 just felt like I needed to focus my energy on something that I loved and something that I could help in the progression of,鈥� she says, going on to explain that she most definitely feels that鈥檚 possible with climbing, which allows her to apply her creativity to advance the sport.
Harrington says that Brette, her Reel Rock 11 film, showcases her perspective on climbing as well as encourages viewers to try hard, explore the adventures of climbing and most importantly have fun.
鈥淚 like to be alone a lot and I like the focus that that draws. I like being connected without having to deal with all of the complications of having partners, and trying really hard. In the movie, you can tell there鈥檚 a huge difference between when I鈥檓 soloing and when I鈥檓 climbing on a rope 鈥� my mentality鈥檚 really different,鈥� she says.
鈥淎 lot of people take climbing very competitively鈥� but my climbing is mainly just about going out and finding big, adventurous places to climb and living outside, living on the wall, primarily living on a portaledge, which is this little fabric ledge that I live in. I think it鈥檚 just trying to show a different perspective to climbing. I do a lot of free soloing also so it highlights [that] and the different aspects of climbing that I choose to do 鈥� crack climbing, trad climbing,鈥� she adds.
Other films featured at this year鈥檚 Reel Rock 11 include Young Guns, which profiles 15-year-old Ashima Shiraishi and 16-year-old Kai Lightner and described by festival organizers as 鈥渢he new faces of climbing鈥�; Boys in the Bugs, which follows 鈥渆lite-level crack climbers and world-class goofballs鈥� Will Stanhope and Matt Segal; Rad Dad, which chronicles new father and 鈥渓one wolf鈥� Mike Libecki鈥檚 international travels to locate unclimbed walls and establish first ascents, while balancing the demands of fatherhood; and Dodo鈥檚 Delight, which follows a 鈥渕adcap sailing adventure in the Arctic Circle.鈥�
Following this week鈥檚 Reel Rock 11, VIMFF will present its annual Fall Series Nov. 22-25, also at the Rio and Centennial Theatres.聽
Details at .
