Adventurous women in adventurous endeavors

Personally, I would not consider myself to be an “adventurer”. Sure, I like to push myself and try new things, but climbing Everest is not on my bucket list. Climbing Kilimanjaro and hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc are, but they are in a whole different category.

Maybe that is why I was blown away this week when I attended the Women in Adventure Sport Film Festival. Held in Arlington, MA, the event was organized by CMPZ Productions, who have hosted the Banff Film Festival for 16 years. The two guys (!) behind the festival uncovered an amazing array of films that ranged from Annapurna: A Woman’s Place — the story of the team of 13 women who were the first Americans and the first women to climb Annapurna in 1978 — to Kick Like A Girl — about a team of 8-years old soccer players who play in the boys’ league in order to get some competition.

The stories told in the 11 films (screened over 2 days) varied considerably but a single theme ran through them: perseverance. In each film, women took on a challenge to do something different. In some cases, it was to take on a physically difficult endeavor — like rowing across the Indian Ocean — while in other cases, it was to go against cultural traditions — such as participating in motocross in Indonesia. In all cases, the women were inspiring for what they accomplished.

Some highlights:

• The “Heartstrings” Award goes to Heart of the Sea, a film about Rell Sun, a pioneering pro surfer, who battled breast cancer for 14 years. She never let go of her passion for surfing, even when she was too weak to paddle; she simply got someone to push her board into the surf so she could the ride the wave while lying down.
• The “Which Way is Up” Award goes to Women at Work, a self-filmed odyssey about three women who free climb Mount Proboscis in the Cirque of the Unclimbables (in the Northwest Territories). From the helmet-mounted camera, we have a view down to the valley floor — 2000 feet below — and up to climbers above — who look like they are working their way along a roof of granite thanks to the angle.
• The “Look Out World” Award goes to girls of the Mighty Cheetahs soccer team from Kick Like A Girl, one of whom said: “When we play together as a team we are superheroes and we can do anything.”

I’ve always felt that sport can be transformative. You push yourself physically and mentally to succeed, which can give you a self-assurance that translates into all parts of your life.

Many of the women in the films talk about the confidence they have now thanks to their sport. In addition to pushing personal boundaries, many of these women were pushing cultural norms, which can be transformative not just for the individual but for society. Breaking norms and creating greater acceptance of what women can accomplish will only make our world a better place.

Learn more about the films and the filmmakers on the festival website. The organizers — Kevin Shea and Paul Fitzpatrick-Nager — are planning to take the festival on the road. Be sure to let them know you want to see it in your town.

You can also check out some of the films online:

• Women at Work — three women free climb in the Cirque of the Unclimbables (in Canada's Northwest Territories).
• Kick Like A Girl — adorable and articulate 8-year old soccer girls take on the boys
• Shattered: Rescue on The Grand — an unexpected rescue get capture on film
• Send It Sistah — beautifully shot film about "highlining", the art of balancing on a 1" web slackline strung high above the ground
• The Eighth Parallel — young Indonesian women who challenge convention by participating in rock climbing, motocross, mountain biking and surfing

“Do one thing every day that scares you.”

Eleanor Roosevelt