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History of EFS

The Kendal Mountain Film Festival competition attracts many new films each year. Often the film-makers come to Kendal to premiere their films and to see the audience's reaction. This tradition began at the very first Festival in 1980 which premiered Jim Curran's The Bat, a film which went on to become one of the most successful climbing films of all time with screenings on TV and at international Festivals taking place 25 years later. Other notable firsts include the UK gala première of Touching the Void in 2003 and the UK première of David Breashears's IMAX film Kilimanjaro in 2002.

In 2002, with David Breashears' visit to the Festival to launch his film, it was decided to make more of the opportunities to use the visiting world famous film-makers as trainers and/or as inspiration for UK-based first-time film makers. The Festival had always had well-attended lunchtime seminars and the progression was obvious.

What was not anticipated was the demand for the film makers' day. In 2002 over 100 people attended. The event was such a success that in 2003 Graham Hoyland, a highly-respected Producer and Director from the BBC, teamed up with other notable film makers in the Kendal set up (Brian Hall - Film Festival Co-Director, Keith Partridge - renowned  adventure cameraman , Richard Else - Independent Producer/Director and Mark Batey - BBC Cameraman/Director) and developed a much more comprehensive programme. This was the birth of the Extreme Film School - its aim was to provide first-time film makers in the North West with the film-making equipment, editing suites, production support, tuition and (most importantly) the skills needed to make films professionally. Applications were taken from 14 different groups in 2003. Over the summer, the entrants attended workshops and then editing sessions, and in the end five films were chosen as finalists - all of these received screenings on the BBC and many have since been finalists at other film festivals. Of the 24 individuals involved in making the 5 films, 14 went into full time employment either in TV and production companies, or as independents. This format continued in 2004.

In 2005 it was decided to amalgamate the Film School with the main Film Festival in November to maximise the profile for the School and offer the opportunity for participants to meet and mingle with international adventure film-makers. Alongside a series of seminars the ambitious and imaginative 48-hour film marathon was created which invited individuals and teams to enter and make a two-minute short film in 48 hours with expert tuition and support from the EFS team. The marathon was over-subscribed. In the end 48 people made 11 two-minute shorts and a compilation of these films is available on DVD. In 2006 the success of this new format will be developed further. There were three day-long seminars (Monday 13, Tuesday 14, Wednesday 15 November of the Film Festival week) and a 48-hour marathon (Thursday/Friday 16/17 November).

Watch 2005 films

View the 11 films made during the 2005 48 hour film making marathon - Click here

Watch 2006 films


View the 10 films made during the 2006 48 hour film making marathon - Click here