Spellbound
Wingsuit BASE jumping is often presented as a thrill seeking adrenaline rush. Spellbound takes us deeper into the more contemplative aspects of jumping, as David Walden and friends venture into the mountains around his home in New Zealand.
Beautiful scenery and hypnotic cinematography eject us from our daily lives into a world of air, earth and flight.
★★★★★
A breathtaking ode to flight.
MOUNTAINFILM
★★★★★
A film that will make your hands sweat.
WASATCH MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL
AWARDS
Best Short Film – INKAFEST Mountain Film Festival 2021
Best Short Film – Destination Unknown Film Festival 2021
Best Short Film – New Zealand Mountain Film Festival 2021
Best Short Film – London Mountain Film Festival 2021
Best Short Film – CSFF Mountain Film Unit 2021
‘Golden Nikau’ Supreme Award – AllShorts Film Festival 2021
Best Documentary – AllShorts Film Festival 2021
Honorable Mention – Mountainfilm Graz 2021
Special Jury Mention – International Air Film Festival 2021
Special Mention – Int. Mountain & Nature Short Documentary Film Festival 2021
Best Visual Effects – Outdocs 2020
Media Special Recommendation Award – Outdocs 2020
SCREENSHOTS
Spellbound offers a poetic and haunting take on wingsuit BASE jumping — the antidote to the usual narrative of the thrill-seeking adrenaline rush. Waterfalls, granite spires and mountain lakes flash under wing as the bird people of New Zealand soar past, ethereally defying the laws of nature. This meditation on the concepts of light and dark is a breathtaking ode to flight.
MOUNTAINFILM
Those who want to fly, agree to an airy dance with gravity. Aotearoa offers a phenomenal playground to wingsuit pilots: Rushing past the majestic glaciers, cascading waterfalls and steep mountain faces of New Zealand, the flying shadows seem almost otherworldly. Spellbound captures the magic of human flight in cinematic poetry.
EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FILM TOUR
To say that we were ‘spellbound’ by Spellbound would be an understatement. We signed up for VIMFF, and watched it at least once every day during our 30 day viewing. Such a beautiful piece of art – the visuals, the poem, and the music.
JAY
I really enjoyed watching Spellbound at Oltrelevette festival in Dolomites (Italy)… and I really appreciate it! Amazing photography! We loved everything, music, words, contrasts… Spellbound touched our souls… I’m looking for a copy of the poetry too… I hope it will be available on your site soon… Your work is precious!
ALESSIA
What – a – movie !!! From the first second to the last, I was there, in their moment.
GOEDELE
I just watched Spellbound (twice) at Krakow Mountain Festival, this is a great short film. Respect to the whole team and wing-suiters. I always considered their passion more like an existential experience than sport and I am glad that someone took this perspective.
RADEK
I watched Spellbound at the Wasatch Mountain Film Festival. It’s my favourite film! I bought a 30-day pass and have watched Spellbound at least a half-dozen times. I’m held spellbound! Stunningly beautiful! The way it changes from B/W to color is amazing. I LOVE the poetic narration – the interplay of dark and light, earth and flight speaks to my soul.
LINDA
This is a film that purely demonstrates the aesthetics of the extreme sport of Wingsuit BASE. The film is short but brilliant. At the same time, it brings to the audience the scenery that only a few people in the world can see. For the audience, this is a film that cannot be copied; from a film technology perspective, the film’s poetic narration and audio-visual language fully demonstrate the poetry and beauty of the movement of wingsuit flying.
NANSHAN MOUNTAIN FILM UNIT
Spellbound. Wow, what an incredible experience wingsuit flying must be. These beautifully filmed images make you feel like you’re flying too.
LAURA
Spellbound had a really unique poetic direction. I don’t think I could ever be comfortable with the idea of wingsuit BASE jumping but it was a beautiful presentation and an insight into a person’s experiences of the activity.
GREG
The questions run deep in this magical ensemble of the spoken word, haunting music and breathtaking footage.
LONDON MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL JURY
CREDITS
Written & Narrated by David Walden
Inflight Cinematography by Gregory Noonan
Directed & Edited by Richard Sidey
TRANSLATIONS
Spanish subtitles courtesy of Luciano Bernacchi
FILM FESTIVAL SCREENINGS
10.2020
Echo Mountain Film Festival
11.2020
Nordic Adventure Film Festival
12.2020
OUTDOCS China
BBK Mendi Film Festival
Krakow Mountain Festival
Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival
Pakistan International Mountain Film Festival
01.2021
Torelló Mountain Film Festival
02.2021
Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival
Fort William Mountain Festival
03.2021
China New Media Short Film Festival • Mountain Film Unit
04.2021
Wasatch Mountain Film Festival
05.2021
Trento Film Festival
London Mountain Film Festival
Hory a Mesto • Mountains and City
MOUNTAINFILM
06.2021
Destination Unknown • Voss, Norway
XXI CINEMA FIA • International Air Film Festival
New Zealand Mountain Film Festival
08.2021
Peebles Outdoor Film Festival
09.2021
Coupe Icare
Mostra Filmes de Montanha
Carpathian Mountain International Film Festival
ONA Festival, Venice
The Wild Fest
Destination Unknown • Bergen & Empuriabrava
10.2021
European Outdoor Film Tour
Mostra de Cinema de Muntanya de Palma
Galil Adventure Film Festival
11.2021
European Outdoor Film Tour
Mountainfilm Graz
Festival Image Montagne
17th INKAFEST Mountain Film Festival
EATSA Art & Tourism Film Festival
Kendal Mountain Festival
12.2021
European Outdoor Film Tour
AllShorts Film Festival
01.2022
European Outdoor Film Tour
02.2022
European Outdoor Film Tour
Fernie Mountain Film Festival
FILM POSTER
LINKS
IMDb | TMDb | Letterboxd