Kendal 2009 Part II
Alastair Lee introducing his film 'The Asgard Project' at Kendal 2009. This film was voted 'The People's Choice'.
A packed house on Saturday night enjoyed the engaging format Nial Grimes arranged to provide 'an audience with Jonny Dawes'. A mixture of questions from Nial, open forum and readings from Jonny's new book provided plenty of opportunities for banter and a good lead in to the Saturday night in the pub. It also provided the first of 2 rather more surreal moments from the festival...
Questioner to Dawes: "Do you like Coco-Pops?"
Dawes: "Er, Yes"
Questioner: "Do you like Rice Crispies?"
Dawes: "Eerrr, yeah….?"
Questioner: "Do you like Coco-Pops and Rice Crispies together?"
Dawes: "Er, I don’t know I'm not really a cereal...." (Sic)
What was all that about!
The films at this years festival seemed to be of an overall higher standard than previous years and the 3 hour marathons passed remarkably quickly. Inevitably the cream of the crop was Alistair Lee's film about Leo Houlding's epic 'Asgard Project'. This just simply needs to be seen to appreciate the adventure this small, talented team had in a mind blowing place. The time lapse scene of bivvy ledge head torches fading into the dusky bulk of Asgard set against the shooting stars and Aurora over the Northern Skies had the audience simply spellbound.
Much closer to home and on a more recognisable scale to the audience was the snappy editing and great British climbing banter on offer in 'Welsh Connections'. Nick Bullock saying of his belayer, Graham Desroy on their new and loose E6 on Anglesey.
"Well at least he gets out and he can belay, smoke a few fags & eat some chocolate...It's better for him than being in an old peoples home I suppose..."
