Genuine Climbing.

Back in their bodies.

The Project
Genuine Climbing takes women recovering from cancer out on the rock to help them reconnect with their bodies, rebuild confidence, and find real connection with other survivors. The organization needed an impact film that could carry the weight of that work without turning it into a story about illness. The story was about strength, trust, and the people who share the rope.

Over four days we worked alongside Eric Bates to capture the hesitation before a first move, the focus mid-climb, and the laughter and tears that came after. We took a documentary approach, staying close and unobtrusive so the climbing, the conversations, and the quiet moments in between could unfold on their own. Intimate interviews were woven between the climbing footage, grounding the visuals in each woman’s own words. The result is honest and unpolished in the right ways, as real as the connection it documents.

The Crew

Director- Eric Bates
DP- Ryland West
Stills- Ryland West
Producer- Sefanie Fournier