The hiking boom under scrutiny

PalmHiking and trekking are more popular than ever. But success must also be accompanied by responsibility. This year's 16th edition of the Colonya Palma Muntanya Film Fest will lay the groundwork for this collective reflection. "Where do we come from, where are we, and where are we going?" summarizes its director, Bartomeu Tomàs. Between October 18 and 28, eight documentaries and twelve short films from eleven different countries will be screened, and sixteen guests will participate in discussions with the aim of bringing the Balearic public closer to mountaineering culture and leaving no questions unanswered.

Reflection and debate

The conference kicks off with the 1st Balearic Symposium on Hiking and Trekking, organized by the Balearic Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing (FBME) and the festival. It will take place on October 18 at the Galatzó Refuge. "We want to analyze the current situation and identify future challenges, which may include promoting the conservation of mountain habitats in a way that is compatible with their public use, as well as moving toward inclusive, safe, and sustainable hiking," Tomàs emphasizes. Also, he adds, "the role of technology in this sector, regulation, and new models of collaboration between clubs, institutions, and the federation" will be addressed.

20 premieres in the Balearic Islands

However, the main attraction is the documentary film premieres, in which social criticism is intertwined with the epic nature of this way of life and the overwhelming beauty of nature. A showcase that will range from vertical dancing to swimming in icy waters, without turning a blind eye to climate change and the need to protect local communities and vindicate the role of women in the mountains. Among the most notable sessions (the program can be consulted on the following pages), is the presentation, on October 24 at the Xesc Fortesa municipal theater, of the famous documentary Everest Invaders, a denunciation of the commercial invasion and touristification of this peak, which is on its way to becoming the highest landfill in the world. The documentary's director, Jean-Michel Jordà, will participate in the screening. In parallel, on October 28th, Tomeu Rubí's documentary will be shown about the new climbing route opened by the FBME Mountaineering Development Group in Santa Cruz Chico (5,800 m) in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru. Rubí will participate in the event alongside mountaineer Cati Lladó.

Journalism and Literature

There is also room for prestigious journalism and literature. On October 27th at 6 pm at Ca n'Oleo (Palma), the journalist fromThe Country and high-mountain guide Óscar Gogorza will offer a talk on ethics and mountaineering. The following day, Sílvia Vidal, the first female climber in Spain to receive the Piolet de Oro, will be at the Teatro Principal in Inca presenting her latest book, There is light between the stringsHe will discuss the limits of human capabilities, solitude in the midst of nature, and the strength of will, at a time when mountaineering enthusiasm is on the rise. "According to data from the FBME, the Balearic Islands currently have over 5,600 members and 127 clubs, some with more than 50 years of history; it is currently the third-largest federation in the Balearic Islands in terms of the number of members," explains Tomàs. "These are very significant figures, but they certainly don't reflect the reality of mountaineering enthusiasm; there are probably many more people who hike and walk who are not members," he emphasizes. In this regard, he affirms that "in recent years, there has been a progressive increase in the number of people who go to the mountains to practice sports, to walk, or simply to maintain close contact with nature, away from the daily life that absorbs us and mentally exhausts us." This makes it even more necessary to offer mountain culture and make the goals of its heroes known to the general public.

Three awards for short films

Tomàs summarizes what drove the organizers to create this festival. "The initial motivation for carrying out this project stemmed from the desire to bring mountain cinema to Mallorca," he explains: "This genre, essentially documentary, offers us the opportunity to learn about different realities, often far removed from our everyday lives: from the practice of extreme sports to the life of local mountain communities, the obvious effects of change, their biodiversity, and many other aspects." It also encourages creativity. For the seventh consecutive year, the festival will have a competitive section, with three awards presented. Of the 453 films from 74 different countries that were submitted, twelve from six countries have been officially selected. The awards will recognize the film with the most votes from the public, the best mountain film, and the best nature and ethnography film.

A world apart

"I don't know if we could say that mountaineering is a world apart," explains the festival director: "I think it's a world that reflects the same virtues and flaws that we have as a society." For the festival, this world will be transported to six urban spaces: from the Galatzó refuge to the CineCiutat in Palma and several theaters: the Principal in Palma, the Xesc Forteza, and the Principal in Inca. "Interest in the programming continues to grow," emphasizes Tomàs. "It's important to contribute to raising awareness regarding the conservation of natural spaces and cultures, as well as to vindicate values such as honesty, ethics, and solidarity, which have been present in mountaineering since its beginnings," he asserts. Therefore, there will be no shortage of authoritative voices to contribute their knowledge. From Barcelona native Carme Magdalena, known as Coconut, to Piti Capella, a teacher, psychotherapist, and mountain guide. Both have made history by participating in women's expeditions in the Himalayas. Documentary filmmaker and doctor in art history Miquel Pérez and climber Alfonso García will also be at the festival. Also present will be Esporles mountaineer Lluís Dietrich; climber, dancer, and artist Janire Etxabe; climber and mountaineer Hugo Biarge; firefighter Gianmarco García; and the very young climbers Miquel Àngel Lorente and Guillem Anguera. Different profiles but united by an unbreakable love of the mountains.