The Alpinist

Marc-André Leclerc is an accomplished climber who has made solo climbing a central part of his life and icy terrain his primary environment. In filmmaker Peter Mortimer's documentary, the camera is initially positioned at the base of a cliff in British Columbia, waiting for Leclerc to descend and answer questions. Marc-André, somewhat uneasy, prefers to retreat into the forest, where he resides in a tent with his girlfriend, Brette Harrington. During winter, Mortimer captures footage of Leclerc performing daring solo climbs on fragile ice formations. He attempts to set up meetings with the climber, who is often absent and appears indifferent to the presence of the camera. Leclerc explains, "For me, it would not be a solo if there was someone else." Described as the "pure light" of contemporary mountaineering, Leclerc is admired by figures such as Barry Blanchard, Alex Honnold, and Reinhold Messner, who are interviewed in the film. The documentary presents a compelling portrait of an extraordinary individual.