Wilderness has an uncanny ability to bring people together. And sometimes, they’re people that would never have met in any other circumstance.
Such is the case in Mothered By Mountains, one of the 10 short films to be showcased at the SRYCL Wild & Scenic Film Festival. The movie finds two unlikely partners—a punk rock icon from America named Sareena Rai and Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita, Nepal’s leading female mountain guide—teaming up for a Kathmandu adventure. Though coming from very different worlds, the two women form a lasting bond that transcends culture, background and upbringing.
“Mothered By Mountains,” like many films in the festival, is a movie filled with both awe and humor. The women begin their journey with a motorcycle trip to the mountains. Then they begin the slow, methodical process of climbing toward Rai’s first ascent. Akita, an experienced guide, is familiar with the process. But more unexpected is the depth of friendship that forms between the women over issues like motherhood, family and the pressures of society on women. It’s a bond that only deepens as things begin to go wrong.
“So this was supposed to be a film about, like, empowering women, about bringing two of my friends on this adventure,” said director Ben Ayers. “But it all kinda went horribly wrong.”
Tickets for the Wild & Scenic Film Festival are now sold out. But if you got yours early, prepare for a night of fun, emotion and remembering why we work to save our wild backyard.
