Starting out on the path of risk

Our minds and bodies are always trying to keep us alive. Fortunately, we'd like to say. And yet, some of us embark on high-risk adventures. What's the justification for this? This report follows those who push themselves onto extreme paths.

Ulla Lohmann has been fascinated by volcanoes ever since she visited Pompeii as a child. Since then, she and her husband have sought out erupting volcanoes to show the power of these mountains where lava rules. She has to calculate the risk, and sometimes postpone her journeys, all the while letting herself be carried away by the desire to get as close as possible to the fire.

Documentary filmmaker Eliza Kubarska focused on the famous mountaineer Wanda Rutkiewicz, who died during an expedition in 1992. For her, climbing meant breaking out of her solitude and pushing herself, even if it meant dying. For the filmmaker and mountaineering enthusiast, putting oneself "in danger" is interesting insofar as it forces individuals to focus on the present moment, to constantly work all their senses to avoid a painful, even fatal, outcome.

The experience of peril and pushing oneself places certain artists, such as Sohei Kimya or choreographer Rachid Ouramdane, to create diverse experiences that give this sense of the present moment, of wonder and fear to the audience, who can then reflect on the notion of risk in their lives. Without putting oneself in real danger, looking for moments where the mind focuses on what's happening right now can be an interesting contribution to the human experience.

Running time: 29min25

Image : Pexels from Pixabay