REEL ROCK 19 | Death of Villains

DEATH OF VILLAINS — Feature Documentary

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OVERVIEW

Death of Villains is a feature climbing documentary that follows a former child prodigy as he confronts disordered eating and attempts a lifelong goal: a 5.15 first ascent.

Originated, directed, shot, written, and produced by Gareth “Gaz” Leah, the project was developed independently before being brought into Reel Rock for global release as part of Reel Rock 19.

The film blends elite performance with deeply personal storytelling—expanding the boundaries of what climbing films can explore.

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CHALLENGE

Climbing films traditionally center on achievement and progression.

This story required a different approach:

- Addressing disordered eating within elite sport
- Balancing vulnerability with high-performance climbing
- Building trust with a complex and controversial subject

The film needed to deliver both:

- World-class climbing cinematography
- A narrative with broader human relevance

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STRATEGY

The story was built around a core tension:

What happens when identity, performance, and personal struggle collide?

Rather than separating climbing from the narrative, the physical objective—a 5.15 first ascent—became a vehicle to explore internal conflict.

Key principles:

- Honesty over heroism
- Process over outcome
- Character-led storytelling over spectacle

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EXECUTION

The project began as an independent production and evolved into a full-scale feature.

Gareth Leah led:

- Direction
- Principal photography
- Writing and development
- Production

Production included:

- Multi-year filming across locations
- Athlete-led documentary capture|
- Integration of archival and contributed footage

The film was later brought into Reel Rock, expanding through a full editorial and post-production pipeline.

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DISTRIBUTION

Released globally as part of Reel Rock 19, the film benefited from one of the most established distribution platforms in adventure media.

Reel Rock’s distribution model includes:

- Worldwide theatrical tour (hundreds of screenings annually)
- Screenings across North America, Europe, UK, Australia, and Asia
- Partnerships with climbing gyms and independent cinemas
- Digital release via **Outside TV and Reel Rock’s on-demand platform

Typical annual reach for Reel Rock:

- 300+ live events globally
- 50,000+ in-person attendees per tour cycle
- Hundreds of thousands of digital viewers worldwide

This positions Reel Rock as the leading global platform for climbing storytelling.

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RESULTS

Selected and released as part of Reel Rock 19, a highly curated global film series

Reached tens of thousands of viewers through theatrical screenings and hundreds of thousands via digital distribution

Distributed across multiple continents and platforms, extending reach far beyond traditional climbing media

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AWARDS + RECOGNITION

Audience Award — 5Point Film Festival (2025)

Official selections across major adventure and mountain film festivals, including:

- Banff Mountain Film Festival
- Kendal Mountain Festival
- Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival

These selections position the film among the leading works in global adventure storytelling.
Impact

Death of Villains expands the scope of climbing storytelling:

- Brings mental health into the forefront of elite climbing narratives

- Challenges traditional representations of performance and success

- Demonstrates the viability of character-driven stories within high-performance sport

For audiences, it offers a more honest portrayal of climbing.
For the industry, it raises the bar for storytelling depth.

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DELIVERABLES

- Feature documentary film
- Global theatrical release (Reel Rock 19)
- Digital / streaming distribution
- Campaign and promotional assets

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TEAM

Directors: Gareth “Gaz” Leah, Nick Rosen

Executive Producers: Connie Lightner, Josh Lowell, Peter Mortimer, Nick Rosen

Editor: Joshua Steele Minor

Principal Photography: Gareth Leah, Brett Lowell, Chuck Fryberger

Drone / Photography: Gareth Leah

Produced by: Halle Johns

Additional Editing: Alex Ferrante, Peter Mortimer

Post Production Supervisors: Emily Lea, Alex Ferrante

Color: Roo Smith

Sound Mix: Taylor Marvin

Key Takeaway

The most powerful stories in sport aren’t about success—they’re about what it takes to get there.

This project demonstrates the ability to originate, develop, and deliver a story from independent concept to global distribution.

“The hardest routes aren’t always on the wall.”