Gilbert Dassonville

Making of the film 'Le pilier de la solitude', a film that recreates the historical ascent of the southwest pillar of the Drus (the Bonatti Pillar), in the Mont Blanc Massif, by Walter Bonatti in 1955. A 800 meters high vertical wall that Bonatti did solo over the course of six days with provisions for only three days. In the film, the notorious swiss alpinist Michel Vaucher plays the role of Bonatti. Unlike the film Le Pilier de la solitude, which was shot in black and white, the making of was shot in beautiful color.

Two young women dive into an underground cave in the coast, walk through it, come out of the water, and then take the rock climbing gear to climb the spectacular walls of the Calanques, in Marseille. They end climbing the spectacular pinnacle of the Grande Candelle. The film was directed by Gilbert Dassonville in 1970 and produced by Cérès Films. It features Dany Badier, Françoise Dassonville. The film won the first prize in the Trento Mountain Film Festival in 1967.

Roberto Sorgato and Ignazio Piussi relive their adventure while climbing the north face of the Cima Ovest di Lavaredo, in the Dolomites, in 1961. Roberto Sorgato had an accidental 60 meters fall when they were preparing his third bivouac, and found himself hanging in the void at the end of the rope. By dint of perseverance, ingenuity and courage, the man succeeds in hoisting himself up to his companion. The movie, filmed eleven years later, is a re-enactement with the protagonists of the story acting in its own role.