Awards

We work incredibly hard at ShAFF to make sure that we have the best selection of adventure films we possibly can.

We announce the winners ahead of the festival to allow the audience to make sure they see the best films of the year and decide whether they agree with our judges.

You can see which films won awards in previous years in our archive.





Best Film

Our Grand Prize


Best film gold lurel
A group of four Afghan women run on rocky ground beside a lake, they are wearing headscarves, trail shoes and running packs.

Free To Run

Free To Run - a mission to tell the stories of women using sport to transform the world around them. After completing the TOR330 race four times, Stephanie Case’s next goal in sight was the TOR450, all while working behind the scenes to organize an all-women expedition in Afghanistan with Free to Run. These women include Zeinab and Zahra, who represent not only Free to Run’s ethos but the spirit of many other women in Afghanistan who believe in education and progress. Captured by the lenses of Dream Lens Media, this is a truly unique moment in history documenting Stephanie’s unshakeable strength and incredible belief in the power of the women around her.

Best Film silver laurel

The Ice Mile

The Ice Mile follows Becca over a year of her life, from coming out of the solitude of lockdowns, to being back in buzz of the swim community events as she trains toward her Ice Mile, exploring grief, healing, community, and the power of cold water.

Best film bronze laurel

Lessons from Jeju

Seven months pregnant and apprehensive of the effect motherhood would have on her career as a professional freediver, Kimi Werner took a trip to the island of Jeju in South Korea to meet her heroes, the haenyeo – a group of freediving and fishing women often regarded as Korea’s first working mother’s whose culture dates back centuries. Expecting her first child, Kimi will explore how the haenyeo represent feminine strength and resilience as a self sufficient sisterhood of diving mothers and grandmothers. As Kimi transitions from a solo underwater adventurist to a mother cultivating a family, she longs to learn from the haenyeo elders - many of which are well into their 70’s and continue to dive. Join Kimi on her journey in Lessons from Jeju, where she gains a deeper understanding of what it means to pass on her own legacy and learns motherhood for a professional athlete isn’t a roadblock but instead a path forward.





Best Activism Film

Best activism film


Best activism film gold laurel

Stronger Together

It has taken time for Alexandera Houchin to weave layers of her identity together. First and foremost, Alexandera is an Ojibwe woman. She’s also an artist, a farmer, a mechanic, a cyclist.

Best activism film silver laurel

To The Hills & Back

A new film from Sherpas Cinema. At a remote backcountry cabin, a veteran mountain guide and his daughter connect and reflect upon a lifetime in the mountains. A torch is being passed within their family’s legacy of guides and they discuss the history of those that have come and gone, some too soon. Avalanche accidents have been happening in the mountains since humans first started traveling within them and we learn about this evolution of winter recreation and avalanche safety. Stories unfold, from the early pioneers to modern day hard charging enthusiasts, and we hear from several characters including those with life shattering events. Many of these stories share striking similarities that those who follow can learn from. Unfortunate mistakes, common pitfalls, and decision points where things may have gone astray. Know about those who have succumbed to unfortunate endings. Learn from the wise who have journeyed a long life in these mountains. In a quest to avoid avalanche accidents in your life path, learn, and know before you go.

Best activistm film brinze laurel

Lessons from Jeju

Seven months pregnant and apprehensive of the effect motherhood would have on her career as a professional freediver, Kimi Werner took a trip to the island of Jeju in South Korea to meet her heroes, the haenyeo – a group of freediving and fishing women often regarded as Korea’s first working mother’s whose culture dates back centuries. Expecting her first child, Kimi will explore how the haenyeo represent feminine strength and resilience as a self sufficient sisterhood of diving mothers and grandmothers. As Kimi transitions from a solo underwater adventurist to a mother cultivating a family, she longs to learn from the haenyeo elders - many of which are well into their 70’s and continue to dive. Join Kimi on her journey in Lessons from Jeju, where she gains a deeper understanding of what it means to pass on her own legacy and learns motherhood for a professional athlete isn’t a roadblock but instead a path forward.





Best Bike Film

Sponsored by Rab Equipment

Best Bike Film






Best Climbing Film

Sponsored by Petzl

Best Climb Film

Petzl logo





Best Made in Sheffield Film

Sponsored by Buffalo Systems

First awarded in 2015 to reflect the increasing quality and quantity of films being made in and around Sheffield and/or featuring local athletes.






Best Running Film

Sponsored by Ledlenser

Best Running Film






Best Short Film

Best Short Film






Best Soundtrack

An award created in 2015, judged by Sheffield DJ and producer Paul Hodgson, aka Grievous Angel.






Best Spirit of Adventure Film

Sponsored by Komoot

Best Spirit Of Adventure Film






Best Women In Adventure Film

Sponsored by BMC

Created in 2015 to reflect our drive to encourage more female producers, directors and featured athletes on the big screen.

BMC logo

Best women in adventure film gold laurel
A group of four Afghan women run on rocky ground beside a lake, they are wearing headscarves, trail shoes and running packs.

Free To Run

Free To Run - a mission to tell the stories of women using sport to transform the world around them. After completing the TOR330 race four times, Stephanie Case’s next goal in sight was the TOR450, all while working behind the scenes to organize an all-women expedition in Afghanistan with Free to Run. These women include Zeinab and Zahra, who represent not only Free to Run’s ethos but the spirit of many other women in Afghanistan who believe in education and progress. Captured by the lenses of Dream Lens Media, this is a truly unique moment in history documenting Stephanie’s unshakeable strength and incredible belief in the power of the women around her.

Best women in adventure film silver laurel

The Ice Mile

The Ice Mile follows Becca over a year of her life, from coming out of the solitude of lockdowns, to being back in buzz of the swim community events as she trains toward her Ice Mile, exploring grief, healing, community, and the power of cold water.

Best women in adventure film brinze laurel

Chilly Dipper

When Britain goes into lockdown at the start of the pandemic, Hannah picks up her camera and begins to film family life with young children. At first it feels like they are living a whole heap of delightful low key Sundays in a row, but just like zoom calls even a delightful never-ending succession of low key Sundays can start to lose their shine. Throw covid health anxiety, pregnancy during lockdown and postnatal rage into the mix and life becomes a struggle. That is until a red envelope lands on Hannah’s doorstep which forges a new and special friendship with a wonderfully bonkers lady in America. The friendship helps Hannah to refocus attention on cold water swimming adventures and ice baths in the garden. Filmed and directed by Hannah Maia, who also stars in this heartwarming tale of family life, cold water, postnatal rage and friendship during the covid-19 pandemic.





Judges Special Mention

Every year at ShAFF the judges meet to decide on the top three films in each of our prize categories, but invariably there are a handful of films that come up time and time again in discussion, but don't make it onto the podium. These are those films.