ShAFF proudly presented by Patagonia
30th Jan 2012
The 2012 Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (March 9-11) is delighted to announce a partnership with Patagonia, the Californian outdoor gear and apparel company.
Now in its 7th year, ShAFF’s 2012 programme is bigger and better than ever with a record-breaking 75+ of the best adventure, travel and extreme sports films hand-picked for you from around the world screened over one weekend at Sheffield’s art deco Showroom Cinema - the UK’s biggest independent cinema outside London. Plus lectures, competitions, live music and much more.
To get a taste of what’s in store, check out award-winning adventure film maker Al Lee’s cracking trailer which has so far had 70,000+ hits on You Tube.
Jonathan Petty, Patagonia European Marketing Director said: “We are very happy and proud to present the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival. Patagonia’s involvement in film festivals is growing, so the partnership with ShAFF was obvious.”
Sheffield Adventure Film Festival Director Matt Heason said: “ShAFF is also over the moon to have partnered up with Patagonia as Presenting Sponsor for the 2012 festival. It’s the first time that the festival has had a presenting sponsor, and reflects its growing status as a major international adventure film festival. Patagonia have a very well respected place within the adventure community and ShAFF is proud to be working with them."
NEW FOR 2012:
- New awards category ‘Best Viral’ to reflect the surging popularity and quality of shorts posted on You Tube and Vimeo.
- New ‘Adventure Bites Loop’ - an hour long repeat screening of the festival’s best shorts.
- Extra ski/board films screening to accommodate the strong field of ski/board entries.
- Extra Young Adventurers showing - afternoon matinee in addition to the Saturday and Sunday morning showings which sold out last year.
- Feature length movies - 3 feature length film screenings including big budget ski hits All.I.Can and The Art of Flight.
- New charity auction on behalf of Community Action Nepal.
Sheffield Adventure Film Festival Director Matt Heason had a record-breaking, broadband-straining 230 plus films to choose from. Traditionally other festivals like Kendal and Banff are held during the winter months, meaning Sheffield’s spring festival has a wider pool of films to choose from. The judges award prizes in categories including Best Film, Best Adventure Film and Best Spirit of Adventure Film.
Matt said: “I’m amazed how the entries get stronger and stronger every year. I reckon I was downloading around 10GB of film a day in the run up to the submission deadline. I’m really excited about this year’s programme. Climbing films are traditionally strong but this year the ski and snowboard films have blown me away. We’re holding two separate screenings as well as showing two feature length ski films. We’ve also created a new virals prize category to reflect the huge increase in popularity of video sharing. And so people can pack even more into their weekend we’ve programmed an hour long ‘Adventure Bites Loop’ of the best shorts that people can slot in between the usual two hour multi-film, themed screenings.”
“And that’s just the films. We’ll soon be ready to announce our programme of talks and lectures on epic climbs, runs and rides by world-class adventurers. And if you can’t wait til March, we’ve got three Running, Biking and Climbing Expert Nights in February.”
“To make it a genuine festival experience we also have stills photography and video shorts competitions with great prizes as well as art and photography exhibitions, the ever-popular second-hand kit sale, a cracking live music line up in the bar and plenty more besides.”
Can’t wait for your adventure film fix? check out the Heason Events Facebook page for a Daily Adventure Dose www.facebook.com/heason.events. Follow us on twitter at @HeasonEvents and @Heason_Lissa #dailyadventuredose #shaff
Click here to download a pdf version of this press release
About Patagonia
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Patagonia, Inc., the Californian outdoor gear and apparel company founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973, is noted internationally for its commitment to product quality and environmental activism. Incorporating environmental responsibility into product development, the company supports the ambitious mission statement: “To make the best product, cause no unnecessary harm and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” Patagonia has, since 1996, used only organically grown cotton in its clothing line and is using recycled materials in a growing number of products.In 2005, we launched the Common Threads fibre-to-fibre recycling program, recycling an increasing quantity of its textile range into new products, forever capturing the petroleum used in making virgin fibre. As of July 2011, any worn-out Patagonia product can be returned to us, for recycling or repurposing. In September 2011, we launched the Common Threads Initiative, a partnership with our consumers focusing on 5 R’s - Reduce, Repair, Reuse, Recycle and Re-imagine. The company also advocates corporate transparency through its interactive website, The Footprint Chronicles®, which outlines the environmental and social footprint of individual products. With its Environmental Grants Program, the company dedicates annually 1% of its sales to environmental protection ($43M in cash and in-kind donations to grassroots environmental activists were attributed since the program began in 1985). In order to convince other companies to follow his path, Yvon Chouinard co-founded the 1% for the planet club in 2001, gathering about 1500 companies worldwide, all giving 1% of their sales to environmental groups. Patagonia’s sales for last fiscal year (end of April 2011) were $414 million. |
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- 2012 PRESS IMAGES HERE or cut and paste: http://www.shaff.co.uk/press-filmakers-volunteers/press-images/2012-images/ (email Matt or Lissa for high res versions)
- ShAFF is the weekend of 9-11 March 2012 (www.shaff.co.uk) at the art deco Sheffield Showroom cinema - the UK’s biggest independent cinema outside London. (15 Paternoster Row, Sheffield, S1 2BX / tel 0114 275 7727 or book online at www.showroomworkstation.org.uk/) Film screenings are mixed in with talks and lectures on epic climbs, runs and rides by world-class adventurers.
- It’s great value - one ticket buys you a multi-film screening so you can see several films in one hit. Passionate about your sport? Then try our specialist selections. Want a high energy hit? Then book our Adrenaline showing. Fancy inspiration and escapism? Try the Adventure Medley.
- For a family friendly weekend try our morning Young Adventurer showings were both sell outs last year so this year we’ll also have afternoon matinees with urban orienteering afterwards.
- Chill out in the bar/cafe between screenings with live music, comfy-seating and free wifi. During the day grab a light lunch and coffee with friends and in the evenings, book dinner made by experienced chefs with fresh, local produce. Why not try the great selection of on tap or bottled beers, wines and ciders - not forgetting the awesome cake cabinet!
- Getting there’s easy - We’re just across the road from the mainline train station with regular services to the Peak District, Manchester and the UK, there are also local buses, trams and a plenty of nearby car- parks.
- We’re growing in the face of a global recession. Now in its 7th year, for the past six years 100% of the audience said they’d come back again and recommend it to a friend. ShAFF 2011 was our best ever year with a 77% increase in ticket sales, an amazing film programme and a packed series of lectures including the legendary Steve Peat.
- Contacts: Festival Director, Matt Heason, Heason Events - matt@heason.net or 1433 639378 / 07966 529219 or Lissa Cook, PR & Media consultant, Heason Events - lissa@heason.net / or 01663 751 126 / 07818 411 791 or Follow us on facebook and twitter at @Heason_Lissa and @HeasonEvents.
