I’m excited to reveal news of a film competition for Women in Mountain Adventure. The British Mountaineering Council (BMC), along with Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (ShAFF), WomenClimb, Sport Is Beautiful and a range of other partners, have set up the contest to find the best films that feature women in the great outdoors.

If you visited an adventure film festival you’ll know that adventure films come in all shapes and sizes. Only imagination limits the possibilities of climbing and mountaineering film-making.

Sadly, however, only a fifth of the films screened at ShAFF feature female protagonists, or are made by women.

What’s the competition?

You can be an amateur or professional film-maker but the film has to be focused on a woman or women. Films about women and filmed by women will be even better. The films will be shown on BMC TV, where viewers can vote for their favourites.

A panel of judges, including BMC vice-president Mina Leslie-Wujastyk, Mark Turnbull (producer of the legendary Hard Grit) and ShAFF director Matt Heason will pick a winner from a viewers’ fabvourtes short list.

The film competiton prize

There’s £500 up for grabs and the film will be screened at the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival 2015.  The prize also includes free BMC goodies, two weekend ShAFF passes and goodies from sponsors.

The runner up wins £200 plus a bunch of goodies. The film will be screened at events held to coincide with International Women’s Day 2015.

Runners up (3rd, 4th and 5th place) will get a goody bag.

How to enter

• Deadline for submission is midnight Saturday January 31, 2015.
• Send a Dropbox link (or similar) to Alex Messenger at the BMC using the subject line “Women in Mountain Adventure Films competition” accompanied by the entry form.
• Excludes films already shown on BMC TV.
• Online voting will be open until midnight on International Women’s Day 2015 (Sunday March 8).
• Climbing walls around the country will be screening the films during events held to mark International Women’s Day.
• The winner will be announced on Monday March 16, ready for screening at the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (March 20 to 22).

Why has this competition been created?

In the UK, just 5% of sports coverage is of women. The BMC has demonstrated its commitment to getting more people into climbing, mountaineering and walking, and so this competition is a chance to support and encourage women to share their adventures.