Private Project

MAVERICK FROM THE EDGE

At the turn of the 20th century, a silent but intense struggle for cultural influence unfolded in the Slovenian mountains. The Slovenian Mountaineering Society found itself at odds with powerful German mountaineering organizations, particularly the Alpenverein, whose activities carried undertones of national oppression. This rivalry reached its symbolic peak in the battle for supremacy on the North Wall of Triglav—a challenge taken up with boldness and pride by the young Slovenian climbers known as the “Skalaši.”
Through the determination and pioneering spirit of the Skala Alpine Club, the race for dominance on the North Face was ultimately won by Slovenian climbers—marking a victory not only in mountaineering, but also in cultural and national affirmation.

At the heart of this story is Joža Čop, a humble, illiterate man of the people who earned the deep admiration of Slovenia’s intellectual elite, his contemporaries, and generations to follow. Though a role model for the Skala Club and a guiding star for countless young climbers, Čop remained modest, famously stating:
“I never climbed for fame or newspapers, so that people could wipe their asses with me.”

This film is both a tribute to these remarkable individuals and a portrait of the birth of Slovenia’s intellectual and sporting elite—the cradle of a new national self-awareness, rooted in vitality, courage, and pride. The climbing scenes in the film are shot on location, using authentic equipment and techniques from the pioneering days of mountaineering—capturing the spirit and danger of an era that defined a nation’s character on the rock.

Director’s Statement:
The endurance of living memory is a quiet miracle. It reminds us how near and how far we truly are from one another—despite the decades, even centuries, that separate us.

  • Igor Vrtačnik
    Director
  • Igor Vrtačnik
    Writer
  • Igor Vrtačnik
    Producer
  • MIHA HABJAN
    Key Cast
    "JOŽA ČOP"
  • MARTA KREJAN ČOKL
    Key Cast
    "PAVLA JESIH"
  • KRISTIJAN VRHNJAK
    Key Cast
    "MIHA POTOČNIK"
  • MAJ PAVČEK
    Key Cast
    "MILAN GOSTIŠA"
  • LUKA BIŠČAK
    Key Cast
    "KLEMENT JUG"
  • JAKA FLIS
    Key Cast
    "STANKO TOMINŠEK"
  • MATIJA PERNE
    Key Cast
    "PRIMARIJ DEMŠAR"
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Feature, Television
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 47 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 22, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    90,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Slovenia
  • Country of Filming:
    Slovenia
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital 4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • 11th Mountain Film Festival
    Ljubljana
    Slovenia
    February 12, 2024
    World premiere
    FINALIST
  • Mojstrana
    Slovenia
    February 22, 2024
  • MESTIA Mountain film festival https://mestiaff.wordpress.com/festival-program-2024/
    Mestia
    Georgia
    July 23, 2024
    European premiere
    Special mention
  • EHO Mountain Film Festival https://www.ehofilmfest.mk/en/
    Skopje
    North Macedonia
    October 19, 2024
    Macedonian premiere
  • ALPIN MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL ROMANIA https://alpinfilmfestival.ro/
    Brasov
    Romania
    September 15, 2025
    Romanian premiere
Distribution Information
  • Zavod Film Horizont
    Sales Agent
    Country: Slovenia
    Rights: All Rights, Internet, Video on Demand
Director Biography - Igor Vrtačnik

Born in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on July 25, 1967.

Studied and graduated from the Ljubljana Film Academy, AGR FTV. Since then, he has been working as an independent film producer and director. He has made sixty documentaries, most of them for the Slovenian national television (TVS1). He has also directed five short films and one feature film - Pirandello – with cinematographer Georgij Rerberg as his DP. Rerberg is known for his work as the DP on Andrei Tarkovsky´s masterpieces such as The Mirror (1974) and Stalker (1979).

For his work (mostly student films) he has received many international awards.

He is also a passionate sailor and free-climber.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The duration and passage of living memory is a special miracle in itself, proving how close and far we actually are, regardless of the decades and even centuries that stand between us.