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Saturday December 5 – 16:00 Euskalduna Bilbao
Retreating glaciers, degrading permafrost and crumbling ice faces are just some of the ways in which the landscape is changing. After the screening of the short film ‘Permapyrenees’, Jerónimo López and Marc Oliva will discuss with Eñaut Izagirre how the mountains are changing, the role of the cryosphere, and the risks this entails.
JERÓNIMO LÓPEZ MARTÍNEZ
He is a mountaineer, a Doctor of Geological Sciences and Professor Emeritus at the Autonomous University of Madrid. A pioneer of Spanish mountaineering, he led the first Spanish ascent of Manaslu in 1975. Between 2012 and 2016, he chaired the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), and he has participated in numerous forums on climate change. He brings a unique perspective to the conversation, having witnessed first-hand the changing face of the mountains and their dynamic processes.
MARC OLIVA FRANGANILLO
Professor of Geography at the University of Barcelona and the director of the ANTALP research group. His research specializes in geomorphology, climatology and environmental change in cold regions, focusing on the evolution of glaciers, permafrost, and mountain landscapes in the context of climate change. He has participated in numerous scientific expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica. As director of the ‘Permapyrenees’ project, he provides a unique perspective on the degradation of hidden ice and its consequences for the mountains and their visitors.
EÑAUT IZAGIRRE ESTIBARITZ
He is a geographer, glaciologist, and, above all, a mountain enthusiast. He has spent over a decade researching and exploring glaciers in the Pyrenees, Patagonia, and Tierra del Fuego. His doctoral thesis examined the evolution of the glaciers and glacial lakes of the Darwin Range. He has led expeditions such as 'Incognita Patagonia' (2016) and 'Into the Ice' (2022), which have been documented in award-winning films that have premiered at the Mendi Film Festival. He has been collaborating with the festival since 2010. In this discussion, he acts as a moderator, facilitating a conversation between the perspectives of mountaineering and science.
ARMAND BALLART
Saturday December 6 – 18:45 Euskalduna Bilbao
Whilst mountaineering literature is commendable in every respect given its wide-ranging subject matter, Armand Ballart – a Catalan illustrator and climber – adds a unique touch drawn from historical memory, bringing together the finest black-and-white artistic illustrations relating to climbing.
The book presents us with a collection of 200 hand-drawn black-and-white illustrations that form the main attraction of this large-format volume, visually guiding the reader through a myriad of climbing schools and crags, where the creativity of 87 artists, all passionate about the same idea, shines through: to make something appealing that, due to its purely practical nature, might not initially seem so.
It showcases a trend that originated in Catalonia and Valencia in the late 1970s, which over time has crossed borders unintentionally whilst remaining true to the original concept. Today, we can find illustrated route descriptions in every corner of the globe where people climb; ultimately, they will surely all share the same aim—to make an adventure more visually stunning—but they will certainly lack the meaning and essence of the drawings featured in this book.
The book presents us with a collection of 200 hand-drawn black-and-white illustrations that form the main attraction of this large-format volume, visually guiding the reader through a myriad of climbing schools and crags, where the creativity of 87 artists, all passionate about the same idea, shines through: to make something appealing that, due to its purely practical nature, might not initially seem so.
It showcases a trend that originated in Catalonia and Valencia in the late 1970s, which over time has crossed borders unintentionally whilst remaining true to the original concept. Today, we can find illustrated route descriptions in every corner of the globe where people climb; ultimately, they will surely all share the same aim—to make an adventure more visually stunning—but they will certainly lack the meaning and essence of the drawings featured in this book.
JUAN VALLEJO
Sunday December 6 – 11:00 Euskalduna Bilbao
Few climbers survive a fall from a sheer rock face. Juan Vallejo is one of them. But survival came at a price: multiple fractures, countless surgeries, metal implants, and the very real possibility that he would never climb again. As he begins a long and uncertain recovery, one question lingers: can a climber live without the mountains?
From his hospital bed, Juan retraces a lifetime of adventures leading up to the accident. The Pyrenees, the Himalayas, the Karakoram, Patagonia, Yosemite, Peru, Greenland... landscapes and memories intertwine with the stories of some of mountaineering’s greatest figures, including Juanito Oiarzabal, Alberto Zerain, Edurne Pasaban, Mikel Zabalza, and Alberto Iñurrategi. A moving reflection on resilience, identity, and the enduring call of the mountains.
From his hospital bed, Juan retraces a lifetime of adventures leading up to the accident. The Pyrenees, the Himalayas, the Karakoram, Patagonia, Yosemite, Peru, Greenland... landscapes and memories intertwine with the stories of some of mountaineering’s greatest figures, including Juanito Oiarzabal, Alberto Zerain, Edurne Pasaban, Mikel Zabalza, and Alberto Iñurrategi. A moving reflection on resilience, identity, and the enduring call of the mountains.
PARVANEH KAZEMI
Sunday December 6 – 12:30 Euskalduna Bilbao
The challenges of reaching the highest peaks in the world extend far beyond the technical demands of climbing itself. Even more so when you are a woman, raised in a traditional and religious society within the Islamic Republic of Iran, and forced to pursue your goals without any form of support. Parvaneh has always organized and carried out her expeditions in a completely self-sufficient manner. Throughout her mountaineering career, she has overcome countless obstacles that go well beyond the mountains themselves, stemming from her position as both a woman and an independent alpinist. In addition to climbing many six- and seven-thousand-meter peaks, she has summited five eight-thousanders, becoming an inspiration and a role model for many people in her country, especially women and young people.
Sunday December 6 – 16:00 Euskalduna Bilbao
Founded by Riccarda de Eccher and Elena Goatelli, Laboratorio Donne is an open forum for discussion on gender equality in the mountain world.
For decades, the male body has been the standard reference in sport. What changes when we take female physiology into account?
Building on recent achievements by women in endurance sports, this event will explore the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause, and their effects on training. It will also examine experiences of motherhood in climbing and mountaineering, the challenges of balancing childcare with mountain activities, and the social and economic conditions, including sponsorship, that enable women to continue pursuing these activities.
Participants:
Riccarda de Eccher, mountaineer and artist
Elena Goatelli, filmmaker
Anna Carceller Mallada, sports medicine physician and researcher
Esther Morencos, researcher and sports coach
María Francisca Mas Riera, feminist researcher and writer
LUCA CALVI
Sunday December 6 – 18:45 Euskalduna Bilbao
Luca Calvi is a passionate climber and mountaineer, as well as a translator at mountain film and climbing festivals. Throughout his life, he has been “lost in translation”, immersed in the words and stories of some of the greatest figures in international mountaineering and climbing. In this book, he revisits memorable encounters, anecdotes, and adventures gathered over the years.
Along the way, we travel with Simon Yates, Jim Bridwell, Doug Scott, Mick Fowler, Dean Potter, Thomas Huber, Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, Igor Koller, Reinhold Messner, Alex Txikon, and Nasim Eshqi. Meeting them in person changed his perspective on some of these legendary characters, and readers may find their own views transformed as well. Between hearty laughter and shared beers, we are invited into the company of some of the most iconic figures in international mountaineering.
Along the way, we travel with Simon Yates, Jim Bridwell, Doug Scott, Mick Fowler, Dean Potter, Thomas Huber, Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, Igor Koller, Reinhold Messner, Alex Txikon, and Nasim Eshqi. Meeting them in person changed his perspective on some of these legendary characters, and readers may find their own views transformed as well. Between hearty laughter and shared beers, we are invited into the company of some of the most iconic figures in international mountaineering.
ISIDORO RODRÍGUEZ CUBILLAS
Friday December 11 – 18:45 Euskalduna Bilbao
The book retraces half a century in the life of one of the most iconic Spanish mountaineers in the history of the sport. Beginning with his earliest climbs in the Picos de Europa, where he played a leading role in landmark first ascents and route openings, the book follows his footprint across the Pyrenees and the Alps, the setting for some of the most demanding achievements ever accomplished by Spanish alpinists of his generation.
Author Isidoro Rodríguez Cubillas, who was also a close friend of Udaondo, goes far beyond a simple sporting chronicle. The narrative is enriched by the voices of those who shared both rope and life with him: family members, friends, and climbing partners who still regard him as a source of enthusiasm, inspiration, and unwavering passion for the mountains.
With special attention to Picu Urriellu and the early days of climbing in the Basque Country, the book also offers a journey back to an era of limited resources and uncompromising ethics, when the style and elegance of an ascent mattered just as much as reaching the summit.
Author Isidoro Rodríguez Cubillas, who was also a close friend of Udaondo, goes far beyond a simple sporting chronicle. The narrative is enriched by the voices of those who shared both rope and life with him: family members, friends, and climbing partners who still regard him as a source of enthusiasm, inspiration, and unwavering passion for the mountains.
With special attention to Picu Urriellu and the early days of climbing in the Basque Country, the book also offers a journey back to an era of limited resources and uncompromising ethics, when the style and elegance of an ascent mattered just as much as reaching the summit.
JENNIFER PEEDOM
Friday December 11 – 19:45 Euskalduna Bilbao
The International Alliance for Mountain Film is awarding the 2026 Grand Prize to Jennifer Peedom, an Australian writer, director, and producer who creates films combining documentary realism with cinematic grandeur. An extremely personal style that, over the years, has made her one of the most authoritative voices in contemporary documentary cinema, particularly in the fields of nature and mountaineering.
Jennifer Peedom's journey began long ago and at high altitude and the first films that made her stand out were in 2008, ‘Miracle on Everest’ and above all ‘Solo’, winner of many prestigious awards.
The turning point came in 2015 with ‘Sherpa’, which was internationally acclaimed and nominated for a BAFTA award.
Two years later, in 2017, she made ‘Mountain’ in collaboration with the Australian Chamber Orchestra. The film surpassed ‘Sherpa’ and became the most viewed documentary of all time in Australia and was released in cinemas in 26 countries worldwide. The film was awarded with the Special Jury Mention at the Mendi Film Festival in 2017 and closed the Savage Cinema section of the San Sebastian Film Festival.
She is currently presenting ‘Tenzing,’ a feature-length fiction film about Tenzing Norgay and the first ascent of Everest.
After the IAMF Grand Prize awarded in 2022 to Michel Dillon, this new recognition testifies to the vitality and importance of Australian filmmakers on the mountain cinema scene.
Jennifer Peedom's journey began long ago and at high altitude and the first films that made her stand out were in 2008, ‘Miracle on Everest’ and above all ‘Solo’, winner of many prestigious awards.
The turning point came in 2015 with ‘Sherpa’, which was internationally acclaimed and nominated for a BAFTA award.
Two years later, in 2017, she made ‘Mountain’ in collaboration with the Australian Chamber Orchestra. The film surpassed ‘Sherpa’ and became the most viewed documentary of all time in Australia and was released in cinemas in 26 countries worldwide. The film was awarded with the Special Jury Mention at the Mendi Film Festival in 2017 and closed the Savage Cinema section of the San Sebastian Film Festival.
She is currently presenting ‘Tenzing,’ a feature-length fiction film about Tenzing Norgay and the first ascent of Everest.
After the IAMF Grand Prize awarded in 2022 to Michel Dillon, this new recognition testifies to the vitality and importance of Australian filmmakers on the mountain cinema scene.
ALISHAH FARGHANG
Saturday December 12 – 17:00 Euskalduna Bilbao
Alishah Farghang will receive the 2026 WOP Mendi Film Award. Having trained abroad and enjoyed a privileged upbringing, he decided to return to his homeland, Afghanistan, out of love and a commitment to his people. He returned with a dream: to turn the mountains and skiing into a means of promoting health, leisure, happiness and gender equality in a society that was depressed and weighed down by conflict. He brought a new way of living and experiencing life to the mountains of the countryside, and through them, to the people. However, the return of the Taliban forced him to flee the country with his family after being singled out for his “revolution”. Today he is a refugee, a number, almost anonymous in Europe. He is waiting to be able to return to his homeland to continue pursuing his dream. This award aims to pay tribute to those silent heroes who, even in the face of adversity, continue to imagine a better future for their community. Because there are people who leave their mark through the peaks they reach, and others through the lives they help to uplift. Alishah Farghang undoubtedly belongs to the latter group.
