The iF3 festival will be back from 4 to 7 December, bringing together great feats, safety at altitude and passionate encounters. Chamonix with a packed programme and a strong anchoring in mountain culture.
Chamonix is getting ready to vibrate to the rhythm of the images that make the hearts of mountain dwellers beat faster. For its fifth edition, the iF3 Chamonix continues its mission to bring together enthusiasts, athletes and filmmakers to explore the most inspiring aspects of mountain filmmaking.
For four days, the valley will be hosting screenings, lectures, workshops led by professionals and meetings, making this event one of the highlights of the opening season.
A demanding programme supported by enthusiasts
At the helm of this 2025 vintage are Camille Martin and Eliott Nicot, who have already been responsible for programming High Five since 2024.
Their hallmark? A precise, committed selection that blends adventure films, freeride, technical exploits and personal accounts.
In the cinema, the festival is structured around a number of themed screenings:
- Thursday - “Never Stop” by The North Face A launch with a spirit of commitment and exploration.
- Friday - Benjamin Védrines special An evening dedicated to one of the most impressive French mountaineers of his generation.
- Saturday - Freeride After-Ski The energetic and festive event, where skiing and snowboarding come together in the halls.
- Saturday - Freeride by HEAD A more technical Act II, focusing on freeride culture.
A number of athletes who won awards at the Canadian edition of the festival will take to the stage to receive their prizes, a moment always eagerly awaited by the public in Chamonix.
Benjamin Védrines, guest of honour
It's impossible to mention this year's event without highlighting the presence of Benjamin Védrines, a major figure in contemporary mountaineering.
K2 speed record-holder and the first person to successfully climb Jannu East (7,468m) last October, he will be making an exclusive behind-the-scenes presentation on this extraordinary expedition.
Its dedicated evening, on Friday 5 December at Vox, will feature two previews and an intimate discussion with the public. It promises to be one of the highlights of the festival.
Activities in the field to experience the mountains for real"
Because iF3 is not just a film festival, the organisers are also offering mountain activities, supervised by professionals:
- Open Session Workshops on progression, safety and reading the terrain.
- Training Base Camp Technical sequences designed for those who want to improve their skills.
So you can go from the big screen to fresh snow in a single day.
Safety: an essential conference on the pitfalls of risk-taking
As every year, iF3 is devoting a special event to prevention. On Saturday 6 December, the «Adventure vs Safety in the mountains» will bring together :
- Florence Roche, director of publication of Adventure: reenchanting uncertainty (PUG, 2025)
- Alain Ghersen, guide, doctor of philosophy, author of Risk and mountaineering
- Eliott Nicot, director, former high mountain soldier
- A guest of the GMHM (awaiting confirmation)
In particular, the debate will revolve around the «7ᵉ trap», a concept worked on by Eliott Nicot: a bias linked to the unconscious, amplified by social networks, which pushes some practitioners to stray from their deepest motivations... to the detriment of safety.