BMC Women in Adventure 2025: The Winners

Kendal Mountain Festival was buzzing this year as the 2025 Award Winners were revealed in a packed screening session that brought the Women in Adventure community together under one roof. Filmmakers, adventurers, and first-time directors filled the theatre with nervous energy and big smiles, many seeing their creations light up the big screen for the very first time. As the awards were announced, filmmakers and stars stepped into the spotlight to share exclusive behind the scenes stories and discuss the sparks of inspiration that kicked each project into life.

You can watch them all on our BMC Women in Adventure Films playlist. But first, meet this year’s well-deserved winners:

Love Notes To Nature by Joanna Suchomska and featuring Dal Kular

The short documentary follows writer Dal Kular as she walks and climbs across Stanage Edge (Peak District), reflecting on her relationship to land and the natural world. Weaving themes of ancestry, displacement, and belonging, Dal explores how her heritage and inherited histories of migration have shaped her connection to nature – and how reclaiming that connection through the practice of walking the land can be a powerful act of healing and resistance.

Red Needle by Dom Bush & Simon Sylvester featuring Sarah Gerrish

Ultra-runner Sarah Gerrish lost one ovary to cancer at 15 and the second to surgery at 36, plunging her directly into surgical menopause and a bewildering world of HRT, brain fog and loneliness. Red Needle explores the stigma, trauma and lessons learned from Sarah’s life-changing experience.

Skate Like a Lass by Juliet Klottrup

Skate Like a Lass follows female established inclusive grassroots Skateboarding communities based in the North, UK. From mountains in Lake District to Blackpool promenade. These skate collectives were created to provide a safe space & welcoming environment for female and LGBTQIA+ skaters in the area.

A Letter To Dad by Tyler Crewes featuring Katy Roberts

I lost my Dad when I was 17 to suicide. He was my hero, it shattered my world and for many years I was very lost, confused, and angry. I also felt so helpless and was unable to deal and process what happened. But things started to shift and it 2023 I wanted to do something, I wanted to help but in my way. I decided to quit my job and cycle around the coast of Britain, raising money and awareness of mental health and suicide. This film helped me to explain what and why I was doing it. This was a big deal as even some of my closest friends didn’t know how my dad died.

The Healing Sea by Jaye-Jae Wood featuring Charlotte Grace

‘The Healing Sea’ follows Charlotte, a mental health nurse who finds calm and happiness in daily swims in the North Sea. Through the simple ritual of sea swimming, she eases her anxiety and reconnects with herself and nature, helping her find balance and strength amidst the pressures of working in mental health care - and, in turn, be a better nurse for others.

Bothy by Nicola Hobbs and Sue Barrett

We asked ourselves what would it take for us to cycle to a Mountain Bothy? And beyond the planning and kit logistics, it took grit and determination to overcome the challenges of the mountain trails. We appreciated our friendship, our ability to laugh in the face of adversity and our love of remote mountain environments. Our highlights? Being in wilderness for sunset, then gazing up at a dark sky, full of stars and waking to a magical sunrise.

The following films were shortlisted:

• Their Nature by Peter Haworth starring Ailsa Brock
• Skinny by Emily Cartigny featuring Jo Moseley and Sara Barnes
• Zahrah Mahmood by Menna Wakeford and Coldhouse. Starring Zahrah Mahmood.
• Body of Water by Lily Brown and Max Cutting Featuring Theodora van Duin
• Furburger Friday by Vicki Mayes

Any questions, feedback or ideas about the competition can be sent to emma@thebmc.co.uk.