KENDAL MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL 2025 ANNOUNCES ITS INTERNATIONAL FILM PROGRAMME

Kendal Mountain Festival announces its much-anticipated Film Programme, celebrating filmmakers from across the globe. The Festival will screen a curation of 180 films selected from the Kendal Mountain International Film Competition. Over the 2025 Festival weekend (20-23 November), the Film Programme will screen 25 feature films and over 20 Film Collections, combining 84 Worldwide, European, and UK Premieres.
The Film Competition honours excellence in adventure storytelling and filmmaking. It presents a diverse array of entries that showcase a rich tapestry of stories, highlighting the beauty, challenges, and triumphs of the human spirit in the great outdoors.
Jacqui Scott, CEO, Kendal Mountain Festival, shared:
“This year we received a record number of entries, over 600 incredible film submissions! The calibre of entrants was extremely high; from worldwide premieres featuring the leading athletes to inspiring projects from fresh voices breaking into the industry – each driven by the shared mission to bring powerful outdoor stories to life. It’s genuinely heartwarming to know that we’re elevating this amazing community of filmmakers – I only wish it was possible to screen more films over the 4 days!”
The Competition is judged by an independent jury of film and outdoor industry professionals, with twelve prizes available. The prize categories include: ‘Best Short’, ‘Best Creative’, ‘Best Adventure & Exploration’, ‘Best Sport’, ‘Change Maker’, ‘Best Environment’, ‘Community & Culture’, ‘Best Climbing’, ‘Best Mountain’, ‘Judges’ Special Prize’, ‘People’s Choice’, and the lauded ‘Grand Prize’.
Today, we release our new 2025 Festival Trailer, believed to be the first Mountain Film Festival trailer that truly celebrates accessibility as an art form. This beautiful short film montage was created in partnership with Everyfield Films, with accessibility consultancy provided by Find it Film. This trailer signals the Festival’s strategic ambition to expand its accessibility programme.
This year’s progressive programme includes:
? The award-winning feature film, Champions of the Golden Valley, with audio
description and closed captions
? A 90 minute film collection with audio description and closed captions
? An accessibility-focused workshop for filmmakers, fostering discussion and learning around inclusive filmmaking practices.
Danielle Sellwood, Find It Film, says: “Making the trailer more accessible makes a huge statement about who Kendal Mountain Festival values, it shows respect for the experience of disabled people. I also think that it shows how creative access can create something beautiful, and arguably better, because this isn’t just about functional access, it actively seeks to create an enjoyable and uplifting experience that we hope will inspire all.”
Steve Wakeford, Editor, Everyfield Films, says: “I’ve often dreamt of the challenge of creating the Kendal Mountain Festival trailer. It’s a much-anticipated release each year — a celebration of our incredible community and the passion that goes into every film. As filmmakers, we understand the effort behind each shot, so it was important to represent as many films as possible — over 100 this year that shaped a cohesive story inspired by this year’s Festival theme, “Hope.” The immersive audio description, written as a short poem, is performed by three generations of my own family — a personal touch that reflects the heart and heritage of Kendal Mountain Festival itself. Descriptive captioning allows viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing to not only follow the poem/AD, but also understand key auditory elements that enhance the atmosphere and storytelling of the trailer.”
This year, the Festival will host a curated programme of ‘industry’ events for established and aspiring outdoor and adventure filmmakers. These events are spread throughout the Festival with the aim of supporting our vibrant community of creatives by offering unique networking opportunities, skills, and workshops, plus stimulating panel discussions with leading industry experts. This will create a space to share knowledge, ignite collaborations, and fuel the next wave of adventure storytelling.
The Kendal Mountain International Film Awards ceremony will take place to a live audience on Saturday 22 November at 6.30pm as part of the Kendal Mountain Festival. Included within the Note to Editors is a selection of highlights from the 2025 Festival Film Programme.
The 2025 Festival Trailer ‘A little story about HOPE’ can be watched here.
The 2025 Online Film Festival will be accessible via the Kendal Mountain Player, the Festival’s official streaming platform from 20 November 2025.
Kendal Mountain Festival
20 – 23 November 2025
Kendal, Cumbria, UK
Tickets are live: www.kendalmountainfestival.com
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