2021 - Previous edition

Aventure Découverte > Session 2021

2021

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April

2021

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After the first cancellation of the 24th edition of the Festival International du Film Aventure et Découverte in 2020 and despite the unstable situation throughout the winter of 2021, Val d’Isère Tourisme has decided to maintain the Festival in a 100% digital format. Having a medium that easily adapts to this type of distribution, we had to redefine our Festival and transpose it online.

Faced with a health crisis where the whole of France found itself confined for the third time, our wish was to transpose the energy of a real cultural event into digital where the interaction with spectators, but also directors and partners is possible.

The main objective was to organize an exclusive online festival, conveying its values and energy on the screen.

Prize list

Le Grand Prix du Public 2021

LE CAVALIER MONGOL

Direction: Hamid Sardar

This is the Grand Prix of the festival. The winning film will be screened after the closing ceremony.

See the trailer

In the Darhat valley in northern Mongolia, the horses of nomadic tribes are disappearing. Bandits steal horses from their owners, and sell them for a few rubles in Russian slaughterhouses. But Shukhert, a vigilante Darhat horseman, pursues them relentlessly, all the way to the edge of Mongolian taiga, on the border with Siberia.

Documenting the life style of the last nomads for over ten years, director and ethnographer Hamid Sardar is this year, invited to follow Shukhert on his eternal journey. Between tribal rivalries, smuggling and gold searching, Hamid wonders what horse stealing means about Mongolia today.

 

Prix Espoir TITRA FILM 2021

THE AMERICAN HIKE

Direction: Virgile Woisard

See the trailer

At the age of 21 years old Virgile Woisard commits itserlf in the attend of crossing America entirely on foot aiming to cover 27 000 km (17 000 miles) within 2 years and a half, from Ushuaia to Arctic Ocean. Beginning in September 2017, he makes his way up north amid some of the wildest scenery on Earth. By hikking unsuppported at a path of 30 km per day, he succed in traversing the longest mountain range in the world from end to end, then running through centrale America to eventually  get back back to mountain in the heart of thee  USA. He will have to face many challenges on this long journey, but he will also discover many natural and human treasures, and this inner journey will become the means to send a strong message for the protection of the environment.

 

Films in competition

Monday19April
AMBROCELA, ÉLÉVATION EN TERRE CONNUE
Schedule18 H 00
DirectionJérémie Reuiller
LanguageVF
Duration22 minutes min.
THE AMERICAN HIKE
Schedule19 H 00
DirectionVirgile Woisard
LanguageVF
Duration58 minutes min.
PIANO TO ZANSKAR
Schedule20 H 30
DirectionMichal Sulima
LanguageVOSTFR
Duration86 minutes min.
Tuesday20April
LESS IS MORE
Schedule18 H 00
DirectionMathias Joubert
LanguageVF
Duration52 minutes min.
LES AILES DE PATAGONIE
Schedule19 H 30
DirectionChristophe Raylat
LanguageVF
Duration52 minutes min.
PLANÈTE MÉDITERRANÉE
Schedule21 H 00
DirectionGil Kebaili
LanguageVF
Duration90 minutes min.
Wednesday21April
EARN YOUR TURN
Schedule18 H 00
DirectionArthur Ghilini et Alexis Blaise
LanguageVF
Duration23 minutes min.
WATER GET NO ENEMY
Schedule19 H 00
DirectionDamien Castera & Arthur Bourbon
LanguageVOSTFR
Duration47 minutes min.
LE CAVALIER MONGOL
Schedule20 H 30
DirectionHamid Sardar
LanguageVOSTFR
Duration90 minutes min.
Thursday22April
NUIT POLAIRE
Schedule18 H 00
DirectionThomas Tirtiaux
LanguageVF
Duration36 minutes min.
NOMADES D’IRAN, INSTITUTEUR DES MONTS ZAGROS
Schedule19 H 00
DirectionLouis Meunier
LanguageVOSTFR
Duration52 minutes min.

2021 Online Festival Presenter

Stéphane Dugast

Digital version, the Festival is exceptionally presented by the director and explorer Stéphane Dugast, who happily slips into the role of presenter Sylvain Tesson, whose disconnection from lifestyle is antagonistic to the format.

Stéphane Dugast is a journalist, author and director. He collaborates on various magazine titles, including Le Figaro Magazine. He also makes documentary films for television, France Télévision in particular. With the help of Daphné Victor, daughter of the explorer, he published the first illustrated biography of Paul-Émile Victor (Éditions Paulsen, 2020). His penchant for polar worlds inspired other books, including Polar Circus, French-style polar expeditions recently published by Pocket.

Since 2015, Stéphane Dugast has been the secretary general of the Society of French Explorers. During the summer of 2020, he crossed “Re-enchanted France” by bike, via the “Diagonal of the Void”, to meet what is ultimately most beautiful about our country: its territories and its inhabitants.

www.stephanedugast.com

Ceremony' master

Sylvain Tesson

Sylvain Tesson, a member of the Écrivains de Marine, has presented the Festival since 2005. He has recounted his adventures in around twenty books, notably in L’axe du lup (Robert Laffont), Petit Traité sur l’immensité du monde (Éditions des Équateurs). , Bérézina (Éditions Guérin). He likes cats. The proof: he recently wrote La Panthere des Neiges (Éditions Gallimard, Renaudot Prize 2019).

“Over the years, I realized that the Val d’Isère Adventure Festival was becoming the only fixed date on my calendar for me. President Poivre d’Arvor, who writes books of unrest as well as all the travelers who have followed one another on the stage of the Congress Center for 24 years will understand me. What is the point of our hasty lives? We cast off, we live in our bags, we cross passes, following the winds, we run after time. And our existences slip through our fingers like a staysail sheet in wet weather (that is to say British). The years fly by, the kilometers too, we cannot choose between “stopping and the movement” as Joseph Kessel lamented at a young age.

And yet, at Christian Easter, like a resurrection, we find Val d’Isère to celebrate the adventure. This meeting ended up being my only point of reference in the navigation of the year. “A remarkable point” the sailors would say. The philosopher Immanuel Kant took a walk every day at three in the afternoon in his city of Kaliningrad (which was then called Königsberg). He never deviated from this ritual, he organized his day around this outing. She was so regular that the neighbors in her neighborhood adjusted their watches when the master passed by. So the festival. Not that I want to compare myself to the author of the Critique of Pure Reason (which we read less and less in high altitude refuges). I mean that after the festivities of the Val d’Isère festival, everyone goes back to nomad in the confines: travelers travel, adventurers venture, mountain dwellers climb and sailors sail. They don’t know what their year will be like. They will seize opportunities, they will experience joys, they will suffer sorrows.

The only thing fixed for these adventurous hearts is that we will meet here, in a year, at the foot of the slopes, to watch films of their exploits. This reunion will be our walk in Königsberg. And we are happy that this stable pulsation exists, this regular beat, this faithful appointment. Simone Weil in Gravity and Grace (sounds like the title of a Free Ride manual) knew that the big question in life was “to take the feeling of being at home in exile”. Val d’Isère helps.”

Sylvain Tesson

On the sidelines of the festival

Films not in the competition

Demonstrations & Entertainments

Exhibitions

Literature

Like every year, the Festival offers films out of competition to broaden horizons. For this 24th edition, local adventurers and athletes present: Vélocia, a documentary by journalist and mountain biker Lucy Paltz on the position of women in the world of cycling, as well as films by our downhill athlete Léo Taillefer on skis or in the airs. Paraglider Maxence Cavalade will offer a teaser of his freefly challenge. Films will be presented on the occasion of official evenings and available on the Festival website.

More information on the out-of-competition program soon.

VELOCIA

The first documentary film entirely devoted to women’s cycling, VELOCIA travels through roads and paths in the wheels of some of the best French cyclists. Who are these women who are passionate about mountain biking or road cycling, whether they are amateurs or professionals? What are the challenges, obstacles and hopes for women’s cycling in 2020?

Lucy Paltz, sports journalist and passionate about mountain biking, went to meet these passionate and talented athletes who fight every day to push the limits of sport and inspire the younger generations.

The film will be available from Monday April 19 to Thursday April 22, 2021, during the International Adventure and Discovery Film Festival. Lucy Paltz will be present during a live evening on the stage of the Val d’Isère congrès center to speak in more detail about her project. The date of his intervention will be communicated shortly.

Password to watch the moovie : Velocia021%

FLYING SPIRIT

After setting a World Record for vertical drop in speed-riding, Maxence Cavalade is training to reach the selections and compete in the World Record for freefly upside down in Chicago in 2022.

For Maxence Cavalade, when the desire to surpass oneself wins out, the idea of difficulty seems to develop into detail. Yet the obstacles are very real. Jump after jump, training after training, progress and questioning follow one another, linked by one constant: the awareness of the work to be done to achieve your goal.

For the love of winter sports, in constant search of progress and learning, Maxence takes us on a 4-year journey under his sail, to share what makes him fly towards a new dizzying challenge.

From Killy With LOVE

This is a little clip shot in early April in Val d’Isère.

A project born out of a dream that I have shared with my team for 3 years. Showcase air and board sports with shots no one has ever seen.

A brilliant team ! Implementation through meetings with mountain and film enthusiasts.

The chance to get together and have the ideal conditions to carry out the project.

An entirely homemade film with the heart and love of the mountains.

Like every year, the Festival offers films out of competition to broaden horizons. For this 24th edition, local adventurers and athletes present: Vélocia, a documentary by journalist and mountain biker Lucy Paltz on the position of women in the world of cycling, as well as films by our downhill athlete Léo Taillefer on skis or in the airs. Paraglider Maxence Cavalade will offer a teaser of his freefly challenge. Films will be presented on the occasion of official evenings and available on the Festival website.

More information on the out-of-competition program soon.

VELOCIA

The first documentary film entirely devoted to women’s cycling, VELOCIA travels through roads and paths in the wheels of some of the best French cyclists. Who are these women who are passionate about mountain biking or road cycling, whether they are amateurs or professionals? What are the challenges, obstacles and hopes for women’s cycling in 2020?

Lucy Paltz, sports journalist and passionate about mountain biking, went to meet these passionate and talented athletes who fight every day to push the limits of sport and inspire the younger generations.

The film will be available from Monday April 19 to Thursday April 22, 2021, during the International Adventure and Discovery Film Festival. Lucy Paltz will be present during a live evening on the stage of the Val d’Isère congrès center to speak in more detail about her project. The date of his intervention will be communicated shortly.

Password to watch the moovie : Velocia021%

FLYING SPIRIT

After setting a World Record for vertical drop in speed-riding, Maxence Cavalade is training to reach the selections and compete in the World Record for freefly upside down in Chicago in 2022.

For Maxence Cavalade, when the desire to surpass oneself wins out, the idea of difficulty seems to develop into detail. Yet the obstacles are very real. Jump after jump, training after training, progress and questioning follow one another, linked by one constant: the awareness of the work to be done to achieve your goal.

For the love of winter sports, in constant search of progress and learning, Maxence takes us on a 4-year journey under his sail, to share what makes him fly towards a new dizzying challenge.

From Killy With LOVE

This is a little clip shot in early April in Val d’Isère.

A project born out of a dream that I have shared with my team for 3 years. Showcase air and board sports with shots no one has ever seen.

A brilliant team ! Implementation through meetings with mountain and film enthusiasts.

The chance to get together and have the ideal conditions to carry out the project.

An entirely homemade film with the heart and love of the mountains.

Like every year, the Festival offers films out of competition to broaden horizons. For this 24th edition, local adventurers and athletes present: Vélocia, a documentary by journalist and mountain biker Lucy Paltz on the position of women in the world of cycling, as well as films by our downhill athlete Léo Taillefer on skis or in the airs. Paraglider Maxence Cavalade will offer a teaser of his freefly challenge. Films will be presented on the occasion of official evenings and available on the Festival website.

More information on the out-of-competition program soon.

VELOCIA

The first documentary film entirely devoted to women’s cycling, VELOCIA travels through roads and paths in the wheels of some of the best French cyclists. Who are these women who are passionate about mountain biking or road cycling, whether they are amateurs or professionals? What are the challenges, obstacles and hopes for women’s cycling in 2020?

Lucy Paltz, sports journalist and passionate about mountain biking, went to meet these passionate and talented athletes who fight every day to push the limits of sport and inspire the younger generations.

The film will be available from Monday April 19 to Thursday April 22, 2021, during the International Adventure and Discovery Film Festival. Lucy Paltz will be present during a live evening on the stage of the Val d’Isère congrès center to speak in more detail about her project. The date of his intervention will be communicated shortly.

Password to watch the moovie : Velocia021%

FLYING SPIRIT

After setting a World Record for vertical drop in speed-riding, Maxence Cavalade is training to reach the selections and compete in the World Record for freefly upside down in Chicago in 2022.

For Maxence Cavalade, when the desire to surpass oneself wins out, the idea of difficulty seems to develop into detail. Yet the obstacles are very real. Jump after jump, training after training, progress and questioning follow one another, linked by one constant: the awareness of the work to be done to achieve your goal.

For the love of winter sports, in constant search of progress and learning, Maxence takes us on a 4-year journey under his sail, to share what makes him fly towards a new dizzying challenge.

From Killy With LOVE

This is a little clip shot in early April in Val d’Isère.

A project born out of a dream that I have shared with my team for 3 years. Showcase air and board sports with shots no one has ever seen.

A brilliant team ! Implementation through meetings with mountain and film enthusiasts.

The chance to get together and have the ideal conditions to carry out the project.

An entirely homemade film with the heart and love of the mountains.

Like every year, the Festival offers films out of competition to broaden horizons. For this 24th edition, local adventurers and athletes present: Vélocia, a documentary by journalist and mountain biker Lucy Paltz on the position of women in the world of cycling, as well as films by our downhill athlete Léo Taillefer on skis or in the airs. Paraglider Maxence Cavalade will offer a teaser of his freefly challenge. Films will be presented on the occasion of official evenings and available on the Festival website.

More information on the out-of-competition program soon.

VELOCIA

The first documentary film entirely devoted to women’s cycling, VELOCIA travels through roads and paths in the wheels of some of the best French cyclists. Who are these women who are passionate about mountain biking or road cycling, whether they are amateurs or professionals? What are the challenges, obstacles and hopes for women’s cycling in 2020?

Lucy Paltz, sports journalist and passionate about mountain biking, went to meet these passionate and talented athletes who fight every day to push the limits of sport and inspire the younger generations.

The film will be available from Monday April 19 to Thursday April 22, 2021, during the International Adventure and Discovery Film Festival. Lucy Paltz will be present during a live evening on the stage of the Val d’Isère congrès center to speak in more detail about her project. The date of his intervention will be communicated shortly.

Password to watch the moovie : Velocia021%

FLYING SPIRIT

After setting a World Record for vertical drop in speed-riding, Maxence Cavalade is training to reach the selections and compete in the World Record for freefly upside down in Chicago in 2022.

For Maxence Cavalade, when the desire to surpass oneself wins out, the idea of difficulty seems to develop into detail. Yet the obstacles are very real. Jump after jump, training after training, progress and questioning follow one another, linked by one constant: the awareness of the work to be done to achieve your goal.

For the love of winter sports, in constant search of progress and learning, Maxence takes us on a 4-year journey under his sail, to share what makes him fly towards a new dizzying challenge.

From Killy With LOVE

This is a little clip shot in early April in Val d’Isère.

A project born out of a dream that I have shared with my team for 3 years. Showcase air and board sports with shots no one has ever seen.

A brilliant team ! Implementation through meetings with mountain and film enthusiasts.

The chance to get together and have the ideal conditions to carry out the project.

An entirely homemade film with the heart and love of the mountains.

Photo reportage