On Friday, October 25th, 2019, Patagonia Vancouver will play host to ‘Rotpunkt’, a climbing film that features Alex Megos and the history of Redpointing. The night will also feature Bishop-based filmmaker Ken Etzel. Ken has been filming and shooting Alex Megos across the globe for the better part of a decade and will be answering questions before and after the film.
We had a chance to review the film before the showing as here is what we thought.
Warning: Spoiler Alert
Rotpunkt: Alex Megos and the Art of the Redpoint
We begin our journey at the base of Clark Mountain, where Alex Megos is visiting the area for the first time with the anticipation that he will flash Chris Sharma’s Jumbo Love (5.15b). His trainer and mentor, Dicki Korb, stands with his back to the cliff (and the bravado of german climbing on full display!) says to the camera,
‘He wants to flash that route? Fast, Flash, whatever’
‘I just give slack today … rope, rope, rope, rope, anchor, bam, thats it … Starts here, end up there, in between, just climbing’
This is where we depart from the idea that this film is going to be a send-fest.
Pan to a shot of Alex Megos falling, yelling, throwing his shoe, and then a declaration about being weak. A send of Jumbo Love was not in the cards for this trip. We are left with a dejected Megos leaving empty handed. Perhaps this film is not about the ‘Art of Rotpunkt’ at all, but rather, the ‘Art of Failure’, which, in fact, is always a much more interesting story.
Through the lens of filmmaker Ken Etzel, we see the amount pressure that Alex Megos puts on himself to perform and the havoc that occurs when those expectations don’t match his performance. The story of Alex is a classic tale. As a young child, he stands out from the rest only to be take under the wing of Dick Korb, trainer and owner of Kraft Climbing in Nuremberg, Germany. Met with continued success, Alex finds himself at the top of the climbing world with no place to go but forward. As he pushes the limits of our sport, he also takes on all the failures and all the complexities that encompass pushing one’s self to the limit.
Featured in the film, is footage of Alex’s first ascent of Perfecto Mundo (5.15c). To complete Perfecto Mundo, it took Alex 16 days, the longest he has ever spent on a project, confessing that when it becomes this raw he is not fun to hang around with. The film does a great job of showing that sending a project on the 16th day of repointing is never a fully flared adrenaline rush, but rather, a choreographed dance that requires patience, underscored by the music choice for this section.
Rotpunkt is a well executed film that gives a true glimpse into the ups and downs of being on top of a sport that is unforgiving in nature. It captures the intensity of Alex Megos through the words of the people around him and the pressure he puts on himself to function at the top of the climbing world. This film is a must watch and should be on the shelves of every climber. Filled with beautiful cinematography, it leaves us inspired to exit the theatre and begin our own journey of success and failure. The takeaway message: The art of repointing is more failure than success; and only through the art of failure can we realize our true capabilities.
Doors for this event open at 7pm and the film starts at 730pm. Get there early!
