When most people hear “storm,” they head indoors. When Belgian climbers hear it, they apparently grab their mates and aim for one of Patagonia’s most notorious big walls. This checks out.
Let’s set the scene: Patagonia’s Torre Central. The East Face. A route called Riders on the Storm that’s been taunting climbers since it was first climbed in 1991. It’s steep, it’s complex, it’s in one of the windiest, most temperamental climbing zones on Earth, and—here’s the kicker—no one’s ever free climbed it. Until now. Maybe. If the weather holds. (Spoiler: the weather never holds in Patagonia.)
Enter Siebe Vanhee, big wall climber and apparent glutton for punishment, who’s enlisted a dream team of fellow Belgians to have a crack at what everyone else deemed too gnarly: Nico Favresse, and Sean Villanueva O’Driscoll. They take token American, Drew Smith along for the ride to document their attempt. If those names sound familiar, it’s because these guys have a reputation for climbing absurdly hard routes in absurdly beautiful places while somehow maintaining an absurdly good attitude about the whole thing.
Riders on the Storm, screening across Australia this May as part of the 2026 Banff Mountain Film Festival Tour, documents their attempt at the impossible—with all the suffering, setbacks, and surprising moments of brilliance that come with trying to make history on Patagonian granite.
The Route That Broke Hearts (and Fingers)
Riders on the Storm isn’t just any climb. Since its first ascent over three decades ago, it’s earned a reputation as one of Patagonia’s most elusive prizes. The East Face of Torre Central is the stuff of climbing nightmares and fever dreams—towering granite, weather that changes faster than you can say “retreat,” and technical challenges that make most climbers think twice about even attempting the route.
Free climbing it? That’s the holy grail. Aid climbing uses gear to make upward progress. Free climbing means using only your hands, feet, and questionable life choices—the gear is just there to catch you when (not if) you fall. It requires strength, skill, perfect conditions, and the kind of mental fortitude that makes normal humans question your sanity.
So naturally, Vanhee thought, “Yeah, let’s give that a go.”
The Dream Team (Or: Four Men Who Clearly Enjoy Pain)
Vanhee couldn’t attempt this alone—big wall climbing in Patagonia is a team sport, if by “sport” you mean “collaborative suffering in vertical spaces.” He assembled a crew that reads like a who’s who of Belgian climbing royalty:
Nico Favresse: A veteran of multiple Patagonian expeditions with a CV that includes first ascents and hair-raising adventures across the globe. The kind of climber who makes the impossible look merely very, very difficult.
Sean Villanueva O’Driscoll: Known for bringing his tin whistle (yes, the musical instrument) on climbs and serenading his partners from portaledges hundreds of metres up. Because why wouldn’t you add a soundtrack to your suffering?
Drew Smith: The token American, not only is he handy with a camera, he is also a seasoned campaigner with the technical skills and mental game required to spend weeks on a wall in some of the worst weather on the planet.
Together, they form the kind of team that doesn’t just attempt hard climbs—they redefine what’s possible while somehow maintaining the camaraderie and humour that makes you forget they’re literally dangling off the side of a mountain in a storm.
Patagonia: Where Dreams Go to Get Windblasted
If you’ve never climbed in Patagonia, here’s what you need to know: it’s beautiful, it’s brutal, and it absolutely does not care about your plans. Climbers often spend weeks waiting for weather windows measured in hours. The wind can hit 160 km/h. The granite is impeccable, but the conditions are categorically not.
It’s the kind of place that separates the dreamers from the truly committed (or truly mad—the line is thin). And Riders on the Storm sits right in the heart of this chaos, demanding not just climbing excellence but also patience, adaptability, and an almost zen-like acceptance that nature holds all the cards.
The film captures this beautifully—the waiting, the false starts, the moments of doubt, and the raw determination required to keep trying when everything (weather, body, gravity) is telling you to sod off home.
Why This Matters (Beyond the Bragging Rights)
Free climbing Riders on the Storm isn’t just about ticking a box or claiming bragging rights. It’s about pushing the boundaries of what’s achievable in big wall climbing, in one of the most challenging environments on Earth. It’s about teamwork, perseverance, and the willingness to fail spectacularly in pursuit of something extraordinary.
It’s also about the joy of the process and climbing itself—something this crew embodies. Watch enough footage of Favresse, Villanueva O’Driscoll, and Vanhee in action, and you’ll notice they’re not grim-faced sufferers. They’re climbers who genuinely love what they do, even when it’s objectively terrible. Especially when it’s objectively terrible.
That perspective—that climbing is as much about the journey, the friendships, and the wild places as it is about success—shines through in the film.
Big Screen, Big Wall, Big Inspiration
Riders on the Storm is the kind of film that reminds you why adventure matters. It’s beautifully shot, emotionally honest, and full of the kind of jaw-dropping climbing footage that makes you simultaneously want to book a flight to Patagonia and never, ever leave your couch again.
The Banff Mountain Film Festival Tour brings these stories to audiences worldwide, celebrating the full spectrum of human-powered adventure. This year’s lineup is stacked, but Riders on the Storm is one you absolutely don’t want to miss—especially on the big screen, where the scale of the wall and the exposure of the climb can be fully appreciated.
Time to Answer the Call
The 2026 Banff Mountain Film Festival Tour is hitting Australian cinemas this May, bringing Riders on the Storm and a brilliant collection of adventure films to towns and cities across the country. Whether you’re a climber, an adventurer, or just someone who appreciates watching humans do extraordinary things in extraordinary places, this is your event.
Visit https://banffaustralia.com.au/tickets/
to find screenings near you and snag your tickets before they’re gone. Bring your climbing crew, bring your non-climbing mates who need convincing that you’re not completely mad, and prepare to be inspired by three Belgians who looked at an impossible wall in the worst conditions imaginable and said, “Yeah righto, let’s have a crack.”
See you in May. The mountains are waiting—and so is the popcorn.
All images are credited to Drew Smith and are used with permission
