“RISK AND CONSEQUENCE–THOSE TWO THINGS SHOULDN'T BE MIXED UP.”

Living Free Solo Legend. Alex gained mainstream recognition as a free soloist after ascending the biggest walls in the Yosemite Valley without a rope, documented in the film ALONE ON THE WALL (2008). In 2014, he teamed up with Tommy Caldwell to conquer the Fitz Traverse in Patagonia (A LINE ACROSS THE SKY, E.O.F.T. 15/16), and in doing so, also made a name for himself in alpine climbing. The film FREE SOLO, capturing Alex's free solo ascent of El Capitan, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2019.

“IF YOU'RE RUNNING FROM SOMETHING IN YOUR TWENTIES, YOU END UP HAVING A LOT OF EXPERIENCES.”

Kayaker & Adventurer. Along with her friends Becca Dennis, Sabra Purdy, and Krystle Wright, Amber paddled across Mongolia and Russia for two months in NOBODY'S RIVER. It's a journey full of contrasts, flowing from the nearly pristine Onon River in Mongolia into the mighty Amur River, Russia's busy waterway filthy with industrial waste. The four women learn from Mongolian nomads how to listen to their intuition, which, in the final leg of their journey, possibly saves their lives. (E.O.F.T. 14/15)

“THE SLACKLIFE WILL ALWAYS GO ON – HOPEFULLY.”

Mr. Slackline. After having a go at several outdoor sports from unicycling to rock climbing with varying degrees of success, Andy finally found his true calling with slacklining. He revolutionized the sport, inventing numerous tricks and setting several records. He even performed with pop music icon Madonna during her Super Bowl halftime show. Andy has been known to cross a highline without a safety leash, i.e., completely unsecured, and he even likes to do it naked. (E.O.F.T. 12/13)

Climber. In sport climbing and bouldering, Anna has often stood at the top of the podium, and when it comes to outdoor sports, she is always open for something new. In OUTSIDE THE BOX, Anna is introduced to crack climbing, a discipline requiring specialized climbing techniques. Her first time trying the sport at Castleton Tower (Utah), along with bouldering champ Juliane Wurm and climbing legend Lynn Hill, was promptly thwarted by a thunderstorm. (E.O.F.T. 11/12)

“TRAIN TO GET FIT AND EAT TO GET FAT. THAT WAS OUR MOTTO BEFORE THE TOUR.”

Arctic Adventurers. Kristin Folsland Olsen, Ingebjørg Tollefsen, and sisters Vera and Emma Simonsson crossed Canada's Baffin Island and, in doing so, proved that four women can cover 1200 kilometers through snow and ice, endure temps that drop to minus 40 degrees, and keep curious polar bears at bay with a rifle. BAFFIN BABES was the first E.O.F.T. adventure film with an all-female cast. (E.O.F.T. 11/12)

Kayaker. Ben Marr combines extremes. In the short films THE SHAPESHIFTER and DREAM, the multiple kayaking champion played with the elements of water and fire. In the adventure doc LOCKED IN, he demonstrated his expeditionary talents. Along with Ben Stookesberry, Chris Korbulic, and Pedro Olivia, he spent 13 days on the Beriman River in Papua New Guinea. With 13 gorges, huge rapids, and several waterfalls, the river presented the team with a countless obstacles, and the dense jungle that the four kayakers had to cross again and again also offered up its share of challenges. (E.O.F.T. 16/17)

“IT'S EASY TO TAKE PRETTY PICTURES BUT TO TELL A GOOD STORY, THAT CAN BE TOUGH.”

Cowboy & Filmmaker. With three good friends and 16 wild mustangs, Ben rode from Mexico to Canada in an authentic crossing of the quintessential American West. The adventure and the film UNBRANDED forever changed his life. He realized the huge impact a good story can have. Today, as a filmmaker, he wants to bring people closer to the world of wild animals. (E.O.F.T. 15/16)

“SPEED ASCENTS ARE THREE-QUARTERS PURELY A MATTER OF THE MIND.”

Extreme Mountaineer, Ice Climber, & Mountain Guide. Dani Arnold of Switzerland has set several records in speed mountaineering, including on the north faces of the Eiger and Grand Jorasses. But in the film 1H 46MIN, he reveals that sometimes he likes to go a little slower. Case in point, when he led French singer ZAZ to the summit of Mont Blanc to perform in JE VEUX. (E.O.F.T. 15/16)

“EVERY CLIMBER WANTS TO LEAVE SOMETHING BEHIND, AND AT THE SAME TIME, THEY HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THEIR LEGACY.”

Climber & Alpinist. David Lama was a climbing prodigy and had a successful career as a competitive climber. He later discovered mountaineering, where he was also considered an exceptional talent. The E.O.F.T. accompanied him for several years with various films from GENERATION L—DAVID LAMA (2003) to LUNAG RI (2016). In 2019, he died in an avalanche while climbing the east face of Howse Peak in Canada. (E.O.F.T. 16/17)

“I DON'T HAVE TO BE FOREVER YOUNG – JUST FOREVER EXCITED!”

Snowboarder. After many years as a professional snowboarder, Elias Elhardt is having an existential crisis. He wants to know, how sustainable is the lifestyle he and his snowboard movies promote? And, as a representative of a fun and inherently youthful sport, how can one actually mature as a snowboarder? In his film CONTRADDICTION, Elias and his friends set out to find the answers to these difficult questions. Even if they are unable to succeed in eliminating the contradictions between fun and responsibility, they at least create an awareness of the paradox. (E.O.F.T. 19/20)

Kayaker, Photographer, & Adventurer. Erik Boomer joined Sarah McNair-Landry and Ben Stookesberry in INTO TWIN GALAXIES, crossing the Greenland ice sheet on snowkites and kayaks. It wasn't his first polar expedition; a 104-day ski and kayak circumnavigation of Ellesmere Island already earned the professional paddler from Idaho an Adventurer of the Year nomination. Boomer has kayaked all over the world and set many first descents. (E.O.F.T. 17/18)

“IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ABOUT YOURSELF, YOU HAVE TO TAKE RISKS.”

Alpinist & Ski Mountaineer. On the expedition to Hkakabo Razi (DOWN TO NOTHING), Hilaree did not find it easy to maintain her role as expedition leader among the large group of adventurers, but she made alpine history with the first ski descent of Lhotse with her partner Jim Morrison (LHOTSE). In September 2022, she died during an expedition in the Himalayas. (E.O.F.T. 19/20)

“EVERYONE LIKES TO KEEP THEIR GARDEN CLEAN, BUT WE CLEAN UP THREE TONS FROM OUR FRONT YARD.”

Winter Surfers & Environmentalists. In the surf documentary NORTH OF THE SUN, Inge Wegge and Jørn Nyseth Ranum spent a winter searching for the best waves. They lived in a small self-built hut in a (now not-so-secret) bay in the Lofoten Islands. The firewood for the stove was supplied by the ocean in the form of driftwood that washed up onto shore as well as a lot of plastic that littered their little paradise, which the two set about cleaning up... (E.O.F.T. 13/14)

“SINCE I STARTED FREERIDING, I LOVE GOING FAST.”

Steep Wall Skier. In LA LISTE, Jérémie Heitz lay down some lines in the Alps that no one will be able to follow anytime soon—barreling down a 50-degree slope at up to 120 kilometers per hour is not for everyone. And having a helicopter drop him off at the summit is not an option for Jérémie; he prefers to take a good look at the terrain before heading down, so he ascends the mountain on foot. (E.O.F.T. 16/17)

“OUR STRENGHTS ARE ALSO OUR GREATEST WEAKNESSES.”

Adventurer. In INTO TWIN GALAXIES, Sarah McNair-Landry crossed the Greenland ice sheet with Erik Boomer and Ben Stookesberry. Sarah knows her way around sled dogs and snowkites; she is the youngest person to reach both the North Pole and the South Pole on her own. She is also the first woman in the world to be recognized as a "Master Polar Guide." Sarah is an adventure guide at heart, and most recently, she has discovered a new passion—kayaking and climbing in warmer climates. (E.O.F.T. 19/20)

“I'M NOT IN COMPETITION WITH MEN BUT WITH MYSELF.”

Alpinist. Tamara started out as a ski mountaineer in her native South Tyrol, but she soon heard the calling of the big mountains of the Himalayas. In 2010, she was the youngest woman on Lhotse. In TAMARA she successfully climbed K2, and in LA CONGENIALITÀ, she had to abandon the Kangchendzönga traverse with her former mentor and now equal expedition partner Simone Moro. Currently, she is exploring her passion for winter ascents. (E.O.FT. 15/16)

“DO WHAT YOU CAN'T!”

One-Legged Summiteer. Tom's left leg had to be amputated at age eight due to bone cancer, but he has never let this limit him. Instead of using it as an excuse or holding him back, he climbed Kilimanjaro—on crutches!—proving there is always a little more possible than you might think. (E.O.F.T. 18/19)

“NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU LOOK FOR SOLITUDE, YOU STILL CAN'T FIND IT.”

Solo Adventurer. Xavier "Robinson" Rosset traveled to Tofua Island to live as a hunter-gatherer for 300 days. When he gets there, he finds that the romance of a deserted island is an illusion. Instead, the former professional snowboarder struggles in a very real way with the lack of resources and the loneliness. After a while, however, he unexpectedly makes a couple of new friends—a dog and a baby wild boar. (E.O.F.T. 10/11)