A witty and thought-provoking documentary that asks a deceptively simple question: Who decides climbing grades? After adaptive climber Maureen Beck finally achieves her long-sought first 5.12 route, the celebration is short lived when the climb is downgraded. The experience leaves her wondering whether grades are objective measures of difficulty, or reflections of ego, bias, and the culture surrounding climbing. Determined to find answers, Maureen sets her sights on Far From God, a notoriously difficult Kentucky testpiece.

Grade A Bullsh*t (2026)

November 20, 2026 13 min

Documentary

Director: Gareth Leah

A witty and thought-provoking documentary that asks a deceptively simple question: Who decides climbing grades? After adaptive climber Maureen Beck finally achieves her long-sought first 5.12 route, the celebration is short lived when the climb is downgraded. The experience leaves her wondering whether grades are objective measures of difficulty, or reflections of ego, bias, and the culture surrounding climbing. Determined to find answers, Maureen sets her sights on Far From God, a notoriously difficult Kentucky testpiece.

Trailer

Director

Gareth Leah

Cast

Maureen Beck Self