Sit back and prepare to meet some amazing women from across the world. Meet the adventurers and sportswomen and hear their stories. These films will make you think, make you cry, make your heart sing, and hopefully make you want to go on your own adventures.
8 Great Films To Keep You Company This Autumn
The films all have a common theme: the extraordinary women featured in them have an extreme passion and drive. The films are unique in showcasing the women’s beliefs, the paths they follow and the monumental determination that is hardwired into them. Mental toughness and resilience are a common thread throughout.
YOU don’t have to walk across the desert, swim the channel or sail across the sea. The key is to do your adventures your way.
Note: How to watch links are correct as of October 2023 – viewing platforms change all the time and you may need to search for alternative viewing options.
1. A Land Shaped By Women (2018)
Film type: Documentary
Length: 52mins
Summary: Anne-Flore Marxer and Aline Bock travel around Iceland in search of icy adventures and stories. Both women have spent the past two decades as professional snowboarders and both are passionate feminists who’ve fought hard for gender parity in a male-dominated sport. Iceland has been ranked first in gender equality by the U.N. nine years in a row and was the first country in the world to democratically elect a female president. Anne and Aline explore the unique surf and snow in Iceland, and enjoy inspiring conversations with the women they meet along the way.
Notes: A powerful mix of snowboarding, surfing, and feminism! In Anne’s words “I wanted to give the podium to Icelandic women themselves, to plant little seeds of inspiration to empower all women to follow their hearts”.
2. Hold Your Breath – The Ice Dive (2022)
Film type: Documentary
Length: 40 minutes
Summary: Follow Finland’s pioneering freediver, Johanna Nordblad in this documentary as she attempts to break the world record for distance traveled under ice with one breath.
At the time the documentary begins, Johanna Nordblad already holds the world record for the most distance traveled under freezing-cold water in a single dive and breath in the women’s category, having traveled 50 meters – but she wants to travel further and break a world record!
Notes: Beautiful footage and a sense of calm throughout. It makes you wonder what drives Johanna to set her sights on such a scary goal! I love her relationship with her sister and like all big dreams, you need lots of people to make it happen.
You can follow Johanna Norblad on Insta
3. Stumped with Maureen Beck
Film type: Documentary: Independent Film Production
Length: 25 minutes
Summary: Maureen Beck is part of a group of adaptive climbers who believe the sport could be taken to new levels, by disabled people. Maureen was born without her lower left arm and this film shows her powerful determination and her ability to push climbing to new heights. She shows what is possible by climbing super tough and technical routes.
This lady is on another level – you can’t help but be inspired.
Notes: The film was voted Best Climbing Film at Kendall Mountain Festival. Maureen was awarded National Geographic Adventurer of the Year 2019
Read more about Maureen in National Geographic.
4. The Deepest Breath (2023)
Film type: Documentary: New Release
Length: 108 minutes
Summary: The Deepest Breath is a recently released documentary film that profiles Italian free diver Alessia Zecchini on her quest to break a world record with the help of safety diver Stephen Keenan.
Notes: This film feels more like a thriller. Beautiful ocean footage and an insight into the scary world of free diving. You may need your tissues at the end!
5. Wild (2014)
Film type: Documentary
Length: 115 minutes
Summary: The film is based on Cheryl Strayed’s book, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. Reese Witherspoon plays Cheryl Strayed, who took it upon herself to hike solo across 1,800 kilometers of the Pacific Crest Trail on a personal journey of discovery and healing.
Notes: Reese Witherspoon was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance. Cheryl Strayed makes a cameo appearance at the beginning of the film as the woman who drops off the character of Cheryl at the motel where she stays before beginning her hike. The book was published in 2012 and reached No. 1 on the New York Best Sellers List.
6. Tracks (2014)
Film type: Documentary
Length: 110 minutes
Summary: This is the story of Robyn Davidson and her 2,000 mile trek across Australia in the mid-1970s with her dog and four camels. It’s based on the book of the same title.
This is a totally captivating story from beginning to end!
Notes: Robyn was on the front cover of National Geographic in May 1978
Read more about the photographer Rick Smolan who covered her trek for National Geographic.
7. Into the Sea (2015)
Film type: Documentary: Independent Film Production
Length: 52 minutes
Summary: Three young women introduce surfing to Iran. Irish pro surfer Easkey teaches Iranian pro snowboarder Mona and Iranian diver Shalha how to surf in the remote southeastern region of Iran. All three women share a passion for sport, and embrace it as a way to break down social and cultural barriers. Through the eyes of these young, pioneering sportswomen the film explores why it so important for women to practice sport and how the simple act of surfing can become a powerful creative medium for change.
Notes: Fee to View. The aim of the film is to challenge the norm. The film does not have a big budget but the surfers have BIG beliefs in the power of surfing and the changes it can bring.
8. Swimmers (2022)
Film type: Documentary
Length: 134 minutes
Summary: The film follows the true story of teenage Syrian refugees Yusra Mardini and her sister Sarah Mardini, who swam alongside a sinking dinghy of refugees to lighten it, and eventually help 18 refugees to reach safety across the Aegean Sea towards Lesbos.
They slowly make their way to safety to in Germany. Swimming is a guiding force in the sisters’ lives and opens up opportunities along the way. Yusra Mardini’s swimming career sees her reaching the Rio 2016 Olympics as a member of the Refugee Olympic Team. Sarah, who returned to Lesbos as part of voluntary efforts to assist incoming refugees in 2016, had been arrested and faced charges carrying potentially long-term prison sentences, if convicted.
At times this is hard to watch as the events are very close to home and still happening! Watch out for the haunting images of 1000’s of life jackets on the beach after they land in Lesbos.
Notes: Read more about Swimmers in Time Magazine
Bonus Viewing: Joanna Lumley Jewel in the Nile (2010)
Film type: 4 Part Series
Length: 45 minutes per episode
Summary: Joanna Lumley is on the trip of a lifetime: to travel and explore the River Nile, the longest river in the world, from sea to source. Travelling upstream, in the direction of the earliest explorers, she journeys along the Nile, discovering the stories of the people who live and work along the river. She follows the Nile through Egypt, makes her way across the deserts of northern Sudan to Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, and ends her journey in Uganda, where she follows the White Nile up to the famed Murchison Falls. She crossed five different countries in her quest to find the source!
Notes: After watching this you will want to book a trip to the Nile – so many adventures in one trip. I wonder how many of us could ever find the source of the Nile?
To keep you busy over the autumn take a look at the film festivals below and sign up to support them in bringing amazing footage to us around the world and into our front rooms.
- Banff Film Festival
- Banff/tickets
- Banff/virtualTickets
- Ocean Film Festival
- Ocean Film Festival/tickets
Drop your film recommendations in the comments!
Happy Viewing!
Want more? Check out 10 Christmas Travel Movies
My very first adventure was on a Tall Ship called The Sir Winston Churchill when I had just turned 18.
I have loved adventures ever since. Although I still get seasick 30 years on!
I would describe myself as an everyday adventurer. I try to squeeze adventure into my every day, from walks, swims, and runs to films, podcasts, and books. I am always on the lookout for communities to connect with and adventures to be found.
I have just hit 50, and my adventure journey has changed so many times over the years. From a 20-year-old canoeing and sailing instructor to a Mum with young children teaching them to embrace the outdoors through camping, building dens, and cooking on open fires, to a mum of young teens when we surfed, coast-steered, climbed Ben Nevis, and swam in the North Sea!
My boys are in their late teens now and are slowly flying the nest, it is here I find myself now, ready to embrace the next stage of my adventure journey.
Embracing my new found freedom and loving being outside, I am ready to do some exploring!
My adventure journey has included Moonwalks, marathon walks along Hadrians Wall and the South Coast, firewalks, abseiling down castles, coast steering, a cross country ski marathon in the Arctic Circle, a wing walk and training in an Environmental Cold Chamber at the University of Sussex at minus 20!
I have just come back from running a 1/2 marathon in Greenland – the biggest and most extreme event I have ever taken part in. This Arctic adventure has definitely left me with a fire in soul for more adventures.
This year I am off trekking in Peru, visiting the Amazon Rainforest, hiking around the Isle of Wight and organising a mega sea swim for over 500 “mermaids” to celebrate International Women’s Day.
Work with me:
I am an experienced Project Manager specializing in initiatives within the adventure and outdoor industry. My specialist areas of expertise include:
- Fundraising strategies
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- Unique and compelling marketing campaigns leading up to expeditions and charity events
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With a deep understanding of the unique demands and opportunities in the adventure sector, I am dedicated to bringing your projects to life and success to your adventure missions.
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