Krzysztof Wielicki: When climbing was exploring

He was the fifth mountaineer in the world to complete the ascent of 14 “eight-thousanders” and theleading exponent of a generation of Polish mountaineers who in the 1980s first tackled the planet’s giants in the winter season.

But mountaineering at that time, especially in Poland, did not feed. And rope work, in 1980s Poland, was not that much in demand.

“We were good at making up homework,” laughs Krzysztof. With a handle, roller and bucket they go out and paint the walls of tall buildings, cooling towers or smokestacks lending their super-skilled labor.

“With these activities we were able to support our families, despite the fact that by law only a small portion of the income from our share work could be allocated to us and the maintenance of families.”

The first theater of the challenge to the giants of the earth was indeed Everest, climbed by Wielicki with Leszek Cichy on February 17, 1980.

Then with Jerzy Kukuczka came Kangchenjunga in 1986 and Lhotse in December 1988, solo from Camp 3. As expedition leader, until 2018 he was no less, leading other generations of climbers up Broad Peak in winter in 2013 and attempting K2 in 2018.

New Worlds Festival: a story of rebirth in the mountains

Born in 2012 from an idea of the cultural association Kosmoki and the Municipality of Valloriate, the New Worlds Festival is a unique event.

It is in fact a mountain film festival that takes place entirely in the mountains, in the MontagnaFutura Cultural District, consisting of the municipalities of Rittana, Valloriate, Roccasparvera and Moiola.

The challenge is ambitious: to create a major cultural event in a peripheral setting, capable of attracting visitors from all over Italy and breathing new life into an often forgotten mountainous area.

The festival features a selection of documentaries participating in the International Documentary Competition .

In addition to cinema, the festival also offers a rich program of events with important cultural and mountain personalities.

All with the aim of creating a dialogue between different forms of art and culture and exploring new worldviews.