The Climb

How far would you go to save the Arctic? For six women, it saw them scale the 310 vertiginous metres of The Shard. In 2013, Greenpeace made headlines around the world by staging one of their most daring protests. An all-female team illegally ascended The Shard, Europe's tallest building, which towers over the Thames. Emanating from different countries, none of the women were professional climbers. What they shared was a sense of outrage at petroleum giant Shell's plans to drill for oil in the Arctic. In his debut feature, Michael Woodward employs behind-the-scenes footage detailing the preparations, combined with personal interviews and contemporary newsreel to capture the experiences of the six (extra)ordinary women who volunteered for this perilous climb. They speak with candour and humour about their reasons for the protest and what kept them going in order to undertake this mission to save an essential part of our planet. (London Film Festival)