Shextreme the World’s First Film Festival Celebrating Women in Extreme Sports and Adventure.
The inspiring film festival celebrating women in extreme sports and adventure is back for its fifth year running in Bristol from 4-6th October 2019. Even bigger and better this year, Shextreme is partnering with Watershed Cinemain Bristol for an exciting expanded programme.
There is no shortage of amazing women in adventure. However, there is a shortage of filmmakers sharing these empowering stories on screen for all to see. This is what Shextreme addresses through the festival’s programme showcasing active women on screen and behind the camera.
This year’s film festival theme focuses on the important topic of women in adventure’s mental wellbeing drawing upon Shextreme Film Festival’s world-leading research in this field in collaboration with Women in Adventure.
Spark your sense of adventure with our three-day long programme of female-led adventure film premieres; a film school training the next generation of female filmmakers plus a pop up shop; live adventure art and adventure poetry performances. It’s an action-packed, uplifting and creative celebration of women in extreme sports and adventure.
The events begins in Bristol on Friday 4th October at Watershed Cinema with the South West premiere of Jen Randall’s hotly anticipated new feature Home documenting U.K. adventurer Sarah Outen traversing the entire globe human-powered by bike, kayak and rowing boat. Sarah is joining us for a live Q & A at our Opening night screening followed by performance poetry from our adventure poem winner of Shextreme Poetry Competition.
Then, enjoy that fun Friday feeling at our Opening Night party at Watershed Cinema’s bar showcasing local Bristol talent Kim “Piffy’ and Libby Parfitt creating live adventure art responding to this year’s important festival theme: women in adventure’s mental wellbeing. We also play host to a female-led DJ set with Bristol-based Minirigs, Shextreme adventure photography, a Shextreme Recommends concept store celebrating female-led adventure companies such as SHREDLY and Peak Jewellery.
On Saturday 5th October, join us for our Wheels, Waves & Wellbeing screening and panel discussion. Enjoy an empowering selection of female-led short films in mountain biking, motorbiking and skateboarding.
Then, feast your eyes on an exclusive World Premiere: U.K. surf documentary Undercurrents. It explores the science of mindfulness, flow and the Blue Mind movement to understand why surfing is so wonderfully addictive. This fascinating film features surfing pioneer Arlene Maltman, one of Europe’s first female surf champions, innovator Dr. Tamara Russell and surfing yogi and marine activist Natalie Fox.
Confirmed speakers for our panel discussion on women in adventure’s wellbeing include Women in Adventure researcher Hetty Key, mountain biking athlete and mental health advocate Velo Me Jess, Gemma Harrison founder of VC London: a rad women’s motorbike collective and co-star of Undercurrents film: Blue Health coach and Blue Mind advocate Lizzi Larbalestier.
Finally, on Sunday 6th October at Shextreme Film School, gain expert advice from our tutors including award-winning BBC Planet Earth 2 Director Dr. Emma Brennand and experienced sound designer Ruth Rainey from Bristol-based We Are Audio.
Our supportive Shextreme Film School based at Paintworks in Bristol provides you with an opportunity to boost your confidence and get behind the camera during our skateboarding film shoot with female athletes followed by mini masterclasses covering pre-production planning, lighting, cinematography and sound design. Our mission is to train up more women to improve gender equality in adventure filmmaking.
‘To all the wild women who answer the call of adventure: Shextreme Film Festival is dedicated to you.’ – Ruth Farrar, founder of Shextreme.
If you are not able to make it to Bristol for the festival, Shextreme is excited to be launching a nationwide Shextreme Film Tour. After two successful sell-out Shextreme Film Tours supported by BFI FAN Network in the South West, Shextreme Film Tour is now going nationwide.
For more information about Shextreme Film Festival and how to attend or get involved head to shextreme-film-festival.com, Watershed Cinema or follow Shextreme on Instagram @shextreme