Podcast | Damien Schumann. “Alpine-Runner”, activist, journalist, photographer, a human truly being.

by | Sep 29, 2021 | Podcast, Run

We became aware of an upcoming film festival that a familiar character Damien Schumann was involved in. Doug knew Damien from working with him at UTCT in 2017, just before he made his monumental Cape Fold Traverse. This seemed like a good time to have Damien on the SOMETHING FRESH podcast in the lead up to the Privilege of Movement film festival. 

Little did we know of the life that Damien has lived up until his immersion in the “alpine running” world, having traveled through Africa on a less-than-shoestring budget with the goal of bringing back a photographic exhibition and a story to share. Needless to say the experience that ensued were rich and diverse among others from trips to Myanmar and Heroine dens in Mexico. Damien shared with us his stories from his time in many facets of the world of social activism.

Transitioning his focus to exploring and understanding the land that we live in, Damien’s fascination for his backyard (our Cape Fold Mountains) birthed the idea to fast-pack / alpine run the entire 1136km range from Clanwilliam to Uitenhage. Taking bare essentials and regularly topping up supplies so as to keep light and fast. He talks through the 30 day mission sharing some of the toughest and best moments.

This lead us on to the Eden to Addo corridor initiative which the Privilege of Movement film festival exists in support of. Damien explained this initiative to open up a migration corridor for elephants and other species. 3 films will be aired at the festival which attempts to harness humankind’s privilege of movement to enable other species to share equal opportunity. On of the films aired will be Unfold, the yet unseen story of Damien’s Cape Fold traverse. For info about the films and the festival itself, click on the link below.

Links from the episode:

Privilege of Movement Article – http://dev.wildair.co.za/the-privilege-of-movement-film-festival/ 

Tickets –    //   Trailer – Festival trailer 

Donate – https://www.givengain.com/cc/protect-10-000-hectares-of-land/ 

Cape Fold Website – www.capefold.co.za 

Covid ICU ward film – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-ytuuczCiU&feature=emb_imp_woyt

The Salt River Morgue – Article – https://mg.co.za/article/2014-05-01-tales-from-the-morgue/  and some more pics – https://www.behance.net/gallery/61157481/Life-is-what-death-leaves-behind

Mexican Border – https://www.behance.net/gallery/61155935/Juarez and  https://www.behance.net/gallery/1569795/Borderline

Still life – https://www.behance.net/gallery/61156099/Introspective

Extremely Drug Resistant TB – https://www.behance.net/gallery/61157299/XDR

General portfolio – https://www.behance.net/damienschumann

For more SOMETHING FRESH podcasts, click here

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