An important conversation
Over the last few weeks, an important conversation has been taking place in the climbing community around sexual abuse, safety, and accountability. With the recent high-profile and horrifying cases of convicted sexual abuser Charlie Barrett and several other predators in the climbing world, we recognize this is an extremely sensitive and critical issue. It pains us to know that discussions around one of our films that is currently in production has stirred up trauma and anger among some SA survivors and advocates. We hear the voices of those who have spoken out and we take these concerns very seriously.
The film in question is called The Cobra and the Heart, and is set to be released this spring as part of Reel Rock 19. It tells a story that began twenty years ago, with Swiss climber Didier Berthod’s legendary failure on a project called Cobra Crack. That moment was featured on the very first Reel Rock Tour, and we’ve been following his journey ever since. It’s a saga that includes a whirlwind romance, starting in 2005, between Didier and the Canadian boulderer Thomasina Pidgeon; Didier’s decision, following a devastating injury, mental breakdown, and religious transformation, to abandon Thomasina - who was pregnant with their child - and spend the next decade in a Christian cult; Thomasina’s struggle to raise her daughter as a single mom living the nomadic life of a full time climber on the road; And Didier’s eventual determination to leave the church, face his mistakes, and attempt to reconnect with his estranged family, and with climbing.
The issue that has come under scrutiny is the inclusion of Thomasina Pidgeon in the film, given her past support for Charlie Barrett. He was someone she considered a friend for decades, who had supported her during her toughest times on the road. When Barrett was convicted on rape charges, Thomasina, at the urging of Barrett’s friends and family, wrote a character reference letter on his behalf for consideration in his sentencing. The letter was based on Thomasina’s personal experience with Barrett over many years. In June, 2024, Barrett was sentenced to life in prison. When the official court records were released, Thomasina’s letter was made public, along with similar letters from several other respected climbers. She has also been called out for subsequent comments that could be seen as supportive of Barrett, or questioning the fairness of his trial.
Following our announcement of the film’s upcoming release, there have been strong reactions from some SA survivors and allies about our decision to include Thomasina in the Reel Rock 19 lineup, as part of The Cobra and the Heart. To be clear, our film does not involve Charlie Barrett or address issues of abuse in any way. But some have called for Reel Rock to be more cautious about who we feature in our films.
We have been reflecting internally about questions of accountability and responsible storytelling, and we are engaging in conversations with survivors, advocates, and partners. This process has helped us recognize the pervasiveness of sexual abuse in the climbing world, and it’s reinforced our commitment to building a safer, more inclusive community for all climbers.
We’ve also been communicating with Thomasina to understand her thinking around the issue. She has expressed that she’s been going through a gradual and painful process of realizing that she’d been lied to, deceived, and manipulated by Barrett for many years. She described tough conversations with concerned friends who helped her see things from a different perspective. And she recently released a public statement acknowledging her mistakes and apologizing to survivors.
We respect that with the sensitivity of this issue, some folks who are close to it may prefer not to watch The Cobra and the Heart. But from our perspective as filmmakers, this project is aligned with our longstanding commitment to telling complex human stories that are rooted in climbing, but also transcend climbing. This film in particular addresses themes of human fallibility, forgiveness, and trying to do better, all of which seem especially relevant in light of this ongoing conversation.
We deeply appreciate the brave and selfless work of survivors and allies who are standing up and raising their voices to demand change. By speaking out, they have created the opportunity for growth and learning in our community. Thank you for making us more aware of, and sensitive to the concerns, fears, and frustrations of those whose voices have often been silenced. We hear you, we believe you, and we stand with you.
—The Reel Rock team