Ascend

Mar 29, 2023

0h 20m

★ 0.0

Forced to flee the Taliban, Afghan women find a home in climbing

Overview

Mina Bakhshi, Haniya Tavasoli and Rabia Hussain had a fair amount of latitude for women in Afghanistan, able to pursue their education, go to work, and explore hobbies and interests. Joining Ascend, a nonprofit organization teaching leadership and rock climbing to women, gave them the chance to test their personal and cultural limits and explore the mountains of their home country. But when the Taliban took over in August 2021, Ascend became their one chance to escape a regime that would restrict their freedoms and future.

Genres

Documentary

Production Companies

Patagonia

Ascend Trailers

Cast

No Cast found.

Twelve talented young mountaineers, five geologists from the University of Lausanne and four mountain guides take an unprecedented risk in Patagonia. Trained by the great climbers Ralf Weber, Ueli Steck, Denis Burdet and David Fasel, the young people are collecting rock samples from the granite walls of the Paine Towers, which are up to 1000 meters high, on behalf of science. The challenges are enormous: Climbing a big wall at the highest level of difficulty, cloudy weather, relentless wind that tears at material and nerves - and an urgency that also pushes the group to their emotional limits. "Flying High" not only documents an extraordinary undertaking, but also shows up close what happens when something happens that can happen after every meter of altitude climbed: a fall.

8.0

Addicted in Afghanistan

Nov 24, 2009

An intimate and uncompromising portrayal, filmed over a year, of the day to day struggles of a new generation of children addicted to heroin, trying to find their way in the new Afghanistan.

0.0

Sons of Haji Omar

Feb 14, 1978

Haji Omar and his three sons belong to the Lakankhel, a Pashtoon tribal group in northeastern Afghanistan. The film focuses on his family: Haji Omar, the patriarch; Anwar, the eldest, his father's favorite, a pastoralist and expert horseman; Jannat Gul, cultivator and ambitious rebel; and Ismail, the youngest, attending school with a view to a job as a government official.

8.0

Canine Soldiers: The Militarization of Love

Oct 1, 2016

A documentary exploring the experience of going to war with a Military Working Dog, trained to find bombs before they can kill or maim soldiers, often at the expense of the dog's sanity.

8.3

Hollywoodgate

Jul 19, 2024

Immediately after the US pullout from Afghanistan, Taliban forces occupied the Hollywood Gate complex, which is claimed to be a former CIA base in Kabul.

6.0

Legion of Brothers

May 19, 2017

Afghanistan, immediately post-9/11: Small teams of Green Berets arrive on a series of secret missions to overthrow the Taliban. What happens next is equal parts war origin story and cautionary tale, illuminating the nature and impact of 15 years of constant combat, with unprecedented access to U.S. Special Forces.

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10.0

Afghanistan: War without End?

Jun 22, 2011

Key decision makers reveal the inside story of how the West was drawn ever deeper into the Afghan war. Reporter John Ware charts the history of a decade of fighting and looks at when the conflict may end.

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0.0

Afghanistan: The Battle for Helmand

Jul 30, 2011

Mark Urban tells the inside story of Britain's fight for Helmand, told with unique access to the generals and frontline troops who were there.

7.3

Martha

Aug 31, 2024

Told in her own words, this candid documentary charts the unstoppable rise, sudden fall and hard-won comeback of lifestyle icon Martha Stewart.

6.8

King Lines

Mar 1, 2007

King Lines follows Chris Sharma on his search for the planet's greatest climbs. From South American fantasy boulders to the sweeping limestone walls of Europe, Sharma finds and climbs the hardest, most spectacular routes. Off the coast of Mallorca he discovers his most outrageous project yet, a 70 foot arch rising from the Mediterranean Sea...

10.0

Masterclass Part 2: Skills and Tactics for Sport and Trad

Nov 1, 2005

Are you tired of burning out on steep routes and unsure whether it’s due to lack of strength or poor technique? Do you still feel nervous about pushing above bolts or trusting your feet on slabs? If you’re fed-up with making the same old mistakes then why not settle the score using this two-part instructional video series, hosted by Britain’s leading climbing coach Neil Gresham. Whether you climb F5 or F7c, these films are packed with tips to help you improve every aspect of your climbing performance. Part 1 shows you how to develop your technique and how to train more productively and Part 2 shows you how to put it all together and get the most from yourself on the cliffs. There are right and wrong examples to help you identify your weaknesses and case studies from some of Britain’s best climbers. Those dream routes may be closer than you think and watching these films might be all you need to turn them into a reality.

0.0

Western Gold

Jan 1, 2012

Join Savage Films on an adventure in search of the best highball boulders on the West Coast of North America. Phenomenal cinematography takes you to five new world-class locales: Red Rocks NV, Leavenworth WA, Squamish BC, Cody WY, and Castle Rocks ID. Western Gold provides a thrilling view of the bouldering experience when climbers commit to harder moves higher and higher off the ground. From the hardest to the tallest the West Coast has to offer, get ready to see something new.

0.0

Wide Boyz II – Slender Gentlemen

Dec 31, 2014

After their success climbing the world’s hardest offwidth, the Wide Boyz, Pete Whittaker and Tom Randall, embark on their next crack climbing mission. This time their sights are set on the thinner end of the crack climbing spectrum. Their goal is the mighty Cobra Crack in Squamish BC, considered to be the hardest finger crack in the world. First climbed by Canadian ‘rock star’ Sonnie Trotter after battling it out with Didier Berthod, the route hit the media spotlight in the film First Ascent. With no local hard cracks to train on, the Wide Boyz refit their underground training dungeon and commit to a year of torturous finger training. With only a short trip to Canada planned, the Boyz face their biggest challenge yet against the sharp granite bite of the mighty Cobra Crack!

7.7

ZA

Dec 21, 2015

South Africa is home to some of the world’s best rock climbing and attracts thousands of climbers each year from across the globe. Many films have documented this emerging paradise, but ZA (Zuid-Africa) stands to become a cult classic among the climbing community. Stunning landscapes are perfectly captured through expert time-lapses and ground-breaking drone footage. World-class climbers such as Daniel Woods, Nalle Hukkataival, and Dave Graham take on V15 first ascents and terrifyingly majestic highballs. Nina Williams battles and overcomes the elusive grade of V13, while supporting climbers bring camaraderie and color to the overall vibe of the film. Candid conversations and lifestyle shots are interspersed throughout, allowing the audience to connect with the climbers and routines of the trip. ZA gives a glimpse into the world of these professional climbers, their friends, and the reason why they keep coming back to South Africa.

6.4

The Hornet's Nest

May 9, 2014

Armed only with their cameras, Peabody and Emmy Award-winning conflict Journalist Mike Boettcher, and his son, Carlos, provide unprecedented access into the longest war in U.S. history.

0.0

Do We Belong Here: The Triumphs and Struggles of Cybersecurity's Women

Sep 10, 2024

Experience the powerful stories of women in cybersecurity as they share their triumphs and struggles in this inspiring documentary, "Do We Belong Here." This film delves into the challenges faced by women in a male-dominated field and celebrates their achievements in overcoming barriers and breaking new ground. Learn about the personal and professional journeys that are shaping the future of cybersecurity.

6.9

Taxi to the Dark Side

Jan 18, 2008

An in-depth look at the torture practices of the United States in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, focusing on an innocent taxi driver in Afghanistan who was tortured and killed in 2002.

8.0

Massoud the Afghan

Sep 30, 1998

The friendship between Christophe de Ponfilly and Commander Massoud, a legendary figure of the Afghan resistance against the Soviet invader, goes back to the filmmaker's first film, "A Valley Against an Empire", made in 1981. Fifteen years later, weakened, isolated, betrayed by many of his own, the "Lion of Panshir" has not surrendered to his new and implacable enemies, the Taliban. While preparing his next offensive, he evokes his commitment and his fights, and bears witness to a history in which he has been one of the main actors for twenty years. At the same time, the director questions the role and power of the media, as well as his own approach as a filmmaker. Commander Massoud was killed in an attack in September 2001.

10.0

Åland - Baltic Sea Bouldering

Jul 19, 2004

In late summer 2003, climbers from Britain, Sweden, and Finland descended upon the sleepy archipelago of Aland in the Baltic Sea to discover for themselves, its combination of spectacularly beautiful scenery and array of climbing problems. Baltic Sea Bouldering presents an insight into how climbers tackle this fresh and exciting bouldering destination. What we receive is a fascinating look at how some of Europe's best climbers tackle an unclimbed highball project that stretches mental strength to the limits.

4.2

Dosage V

Sep 15, 2008

Big UP's Dosage Series is the definitive annual portrait of climbing's state-of-the-art. Volume V features many of the world's best climbers, including: Chris Sharma, Dave Graham, Beth Rodden, Tommy Caldwell, Dani Andrada, Patxi Usobiaga, Daniel Woods, Paul Robinson, Michael Fuselier, Ty Landman, Daila Ojeda, Randy Puro, Jason Kehl, Chris Lindner, Matt Bosley, and more.

Ascend

Overview

Genres

Production Companies

Ascend Trailers

Cast

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