The incredible Ladek Mountain Film Festival
You probably have never heard of the Ladek Mountain Film Festival or that Poland has a very respectable climbing tradition. Neither did I, until I attended the Ladek Mountain Film Festival in Ladek, Poland. Ladek is a resort town nestled at the foot of the Tatra Mountains and close to the Czech border – a summer hiking destination and winter ski town. The town is famous for its thermal baths and spas. Once a year, the top Polish mountaineers and world-famous mountain filmmakers descend on the town to discuss new achievements in climbing and present the best films about mountain sports. This year, the highlights were the film of the first-ever solo ski descent of K2 and the Piolets d’Or award ceremony to honour the best mountain expeditions of the year. The week of films and panel discussions, featuring internationally known mountaineers, concluded every evening with a big catered party, featuring delicious local specialties. But attendees of the film festival were not only passive viewers, but also active participants in sport activities such as hands-on climbing courses and trail running, both day and night, in the surrounding hills.
HorizonSports was there to provide complete video coverage of the event, conducting interviews and featuring film teasers, as well as a ride through the surrounding mountains and some of the trail-runs and climbing classes. One of the key events was the tour through the surrounding mountains via Swedish army truck, hosted by the mayor of Ladek, finishing with a delightful hike along the Czech border and a lunch of local beer and dumplings. The venue is about one hour and a half from Wroclaw, a delightful historic town with a modern airport served by Ryanair flights.
by: Laurence F. Hopper
Watch the video: https://jwp.io/s/CVLBU8Lp