Accomplished all-round climber, Neil Gresham, seems to be the fine wine of UK climbing and at 50, he realizes his hardest traditional project: Lexicon. The steep and blank headwall of Pavey Ark’s East Gully in the Lake District has a smattering of tiny holds and notably no protection. A successful ascent would rank it as one of the most significant. Such a stunning line has not gone unnoticed from the UK’s other trad masters, as entertaining cameos from Dave MacLeod and Steve McClure bring additional depth and credibility. We also witness one of the biggest lead falls ever captured, scary stuff! The hardest moves wait at the very top of the line and dropping these low percentage moves means a potential 80ft fall into the lower vertical section.
Strap in for an incredible ride in a film that packs a classic cocktail of big lobs, hard climbing and the moment of truth as Neil completes ‘the climb of his life’.
This film was part of VIMFF 2022, VIMFF 2022 Tour and is no longer available for viewing.
Alastair Lee is a director and cameraman specializing in the outdoor world. Twenty years in the industry he is a veteran of expeditions to the likes of Baffin Island, the Venezuelan jungle and Antarctica. Producing award winning films and TV commercials with stunning photography his special talent for combining the spectacular with the human have made him one of the leading forces in his industry with over 100 international awards to his name.
Not to be confused with the disposable ‘adrenaline’ fuelled clips that dominate social media Alastair’s work is born of a deeper understanding and respect for the mountain world where a genuine passion and will to preserve these extraordinary environments is at the heart of Alastair’s work. Exploration, not only of the wild places to the furthest corners of the earth but also of the human condition. Delving into the complex psychology of the paradox of a modern person’s desire to challenge themselves in the natural arena. The quest not just for the summit but the search for purpose and meaning amongst the ever-increasing western safety and comfort.
Alastair has embraced the full gambit of modern devices at the filmmakers disposal, from drones to jibs to cineflex camera systems and 4k slow motion shooting. However, Alastair is also acutely aware that the ‘eye-candy’ means nothing without a strong sense of narrative and human depth. Alastair’s consistent success at combining world class cinematography with his trade-mark humour are testament to his true love of his art and dedication to always doing the best job possible and continually attempting to eclipse his own high standards.
In May of 2013 Alastair was awarded one of the top awards in his industry, The Grand Prize from the International Mountain Film Alliance at the Trento Film Festival IMFA website.
His work has also been broadcast on the BBC, Discovery UK, National Geographic US and featured on the Red Bull Explorers series.
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