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Bravo Marcel - The Century Climber

Still climbing on the sharp end of the rope at 99 years of age, Marcel Remy is a truly unique climbing super hero of our time that shows us in an incredible way that you are really never too old to achieve your goals in climbing and lead an inspiring life.

Learning how to skateboard at 90 years of age, still climbing a 450m multipitch at 95, still lead climbing at nearly 100 years of age. Those incredible feats of Marcel Remy seem as inspiring as they can be daunting for everyone who might be afraid of aging. Narrated by Claude Remy, our uncanny super hero Marcel takes us along in a slow but steady pace film as we can witness what effect this stone old climber has on his environment and peers. Being the father of the infamous Remy Brothers who are true legends on their own for establishing hallmark first ascents in climbing, we start to understand how their character (and lastly modern sport climbing alike) was shaped by necessity and tenacity.

We are meeting Marcel's friends along the way to learn about how he affected their lives, like 84 year old mountain guide George Payot and befriended Nini Grangier with Swiss climbing legend François Nicole. After successfully climbing a lead route on his 99th birthday, celebrated by all his close friends, he even accomplishes a meeting of the superlatives: Marcel Remy and Adam Ondra meet for a historic climb together. As we see the oldest and the strongest climber celebrating together an ascent that should become known as his Marcel's last one.

Climb in Peace, Marcel.

  • Hannes Tell
    Director
  • Andrea Vescovi
    Producer
  • Claude Remy
    Producer
  • Hannes Tell
    Producer
  • Hannes Tell
    Cinematography
  • Andrea Vescovi
    Cinematography
  • Remi Degenne
    Cinematography
  • Marcel Remy
    Key Cast
  • Claude Remy
    Key Cast
  • Yves Remy
    Key Cast
  • Georges Payot
    Key Cast
  • Danielle Grangier
    Key Cast
    "Nini Grangier"
  • François Nicole
    Key Cast
  • Adam Ondra
    Key Cast
  • Dylan Chuat
    Additional Characters
  • Cédric Lachat
    Additional Characters
  • Matthias Koben
    Additional Characters
  • Daniel Rebetez
    Additional Characters
  • Martin Rebetez
    Additional Characters
  • Pierre Morand
    Additional Characters
  • Louis Piguet
    Additional Characters
  • Family Remy Archive
    Additional Material
  • Nicolas Falquet
    Additional Material
  • RTS Archive
    Additional Material
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Outdoor, Sport, Climbing, Portrait
  • Runtime:
    21 minutes 36 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 1, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    8,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Switzerland
  • Country of Filming:
    Switzerland
  • Language:
    French
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital S35
  • Aspect Ratio:
    17:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (VIMFF)
    Vancouver
    Canada
    March 5, 2023
    Official Sellection
  • London Mountain Film Festival (LMFF)
    London
    United Kingdom
    Official Selection
  • Boundless Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    January 23, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Leonidio Climbing Festival
    Leonidio
    Greece
    November 4, 2022
    Greece Premiere
Director Biography - Hannes Tell

Hannes Tell
Director's bio

1986 - Born in Berlin (GER)
2006 - Started self-taught photography
2010 - Started grass roots movements in Berlin neighborhoods, worked as climate scientist 2012 - Graduated in theoretical physics, started (but abandoned Ph.D.)
2014 - Dropped out of science, started as a full time photographer
2016 - Started film making
2021 - became film producer with Mammut (CH)

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Everyone is terrified of aging and, eventually, dying.

We try to exclude people of age as much as possible in our societies, mark them as disabled almost, judged by our societies ideal of being young and healthy and able.

But what if we slowed down more and listened to our elder people's stories? Their lives and passions do not only exist as faded memories in sepia coloured photo albums. They are alive! Bravo Marcel is slowing down to the slow but constant pace of Marcel Remy. We come to appreciate but also admire the super human achievement of getting so old and yet being such an integral and social part of a passionate community of climbers.

Bravo Marcel!