Go climb a rock (or look at films about brave souls who do)
Did watching fearless athlete Alex Honnold climb to the top of El Cap without a safety net in “Free Solo” make you a hot mess?
Here’s a film fest to keep that heart a-pounding. Select Bay Area theaters are hosting Reel Rock 13, an intense, visually spectacular film fest celebrating adventurous outdoor feats.
This year’s slate is particularly appealing to climbers and adventure film lovers. It is made up of four titles, one of which — “Queen Maud Land” — features 33-year-old Sacramento native Honnold. He, along with “Solo’s” co-director and National Geographic photographer Jimmy Chin, are two of the six intrepid climbers appearing in “Queen.” The short shows the brave team venturing onto a new route up the frozen towers of Antarctica.
Other films include: “Up to Speed,” which looks at the relatively new sport of speed climbing; “Age of Ondra,” focusing on 25-year-old climbing sensation Adam Ondra from the Czech Republic; and “The Valley of the Moon,” showcasing the planning stages and the collaborative spirit that were part of creating a 1,800-foot route in the Jordanian desert.
In addition to the shorts, Reel Rock 13 will put on a number of events and activities.Can’t make it this month? Reel Rock 13 returns in key locations come December.
Details: All showtimes are at 7 p.m.; Nov. 7 at Berkeley’s California Theatre (sold out); Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 at San Francisco’s Castro Theatre; Nov. 8 at Stanford’s Cubberley Auditorium; Nov. 9 at Santa Cruz’s Rio Theatre and Nov. 12 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. For tickets and more information: reelrocktour.com.