Allta (Wild in Gaelic) is a film about rewriting who gets to develop outdoor climbing and thus shape the progression of climbing. Women from diverse climbing backgrounds come together in the Scottish Highlands to develop new boulders, forming an intimate space where open, honest, and difficult conversations emerge about how outdoor climbing culture must evolve to become more welcoming and accessible. From these conversations, the group hosts a community open day that invites local women to experience Scottish climbing and route development firsthand.
Why This Film Matters Now: Bouldering is one of the fastest-growing forms of climbing worldwide, yet outdoor participation can still feel intimidating or inaccessible to many newcomers, particularly women who don’t see themselves as welcome in spaces traditionally shaped by performance-focused sporting culture.
Allta documents a grassroots shift already happening within climbing: a movement away from exclusivity and toward participation, curiosity, and shared experience through connection with nature
The film culminates in a community open weekend to get more people outdoors bouldering in the highlands
Director’s note: I have been madly in love with climbing for the past 16 years. Yes, we have fought and bickered; had our grievances and disputes, but she is mine, just as I am hers, and I can’t help but wish something similar to my relationship with climbing onto everyone I meet, as it is the most beautiful constant that my life holds. This film will introduce outdoor climbing to new people, which I have come to realize is my career goal. To be a filmmaker is to spread your passion with others, and I know how positively transformative outdoor climbing can be to one’s life. At the root of the film is female friendship, love, and community.