Mr Sedon has been asking "rock climbing legend" Lynn Hill to speak at the festival for 15 years and when it was announced she would be speaking at this year's event the tickets sold out in under 12 hours.
"We have never had that happen before. Not only did they sell out fast but we had people buying them online from Australia and all over New Zealand," he said.
Ms Hill has been rock climbing for 44 years and was the first person to ascend what is known as the most famous big climb in the world, the 1000m high El Capitan in Yosemite Valley.
She started climbing when she was 14 years old in what was a very male dominated sport and in 1989 survived a near death experience when she fell 22m wall rock climbing in France, bouncing a metre off the ground before landing face down between two boulders.
Ms Hill said that experience changed her perspective on life and gave her an even greater sense of purpose to share her story with young, aspiring rock climbers.
"Rock climbing might be scary, it might even be slightly painful when you are pushing yourself, but that is part of life."
She said rock climbing was more than just movement on the rock, it was also about the journey, the people you meet, and the growth you experience as a person.
"When you challenge yourself you grow, and the only way to grow is to go outside of your comfort zone."
Ms Hill has climbed all over the world on sandstone, limestone and granite but this weekend she climbed on schist for the first time.
"I have an idea of what the style of rock climbing will be like, small holds and not as steep but plenty challenging."
The 17th NZ Mountain Film and Book Festival is on in Wanaka from June 28 to July 3, Queenstown July 4 to 6 and Cromwell July 7.
Mr Sedon said the festival was small but what made it different from other mountain film festivals around the world was the speakers who gave the films "reality".
This year there are 21 speakers as well as films and workshops.
