LONG-09. Champions of the Golden Valley
US, Feature Documentary, 2024, 81 min
Winner of Grand Prize and Audience Choice Award at the 2024 Banff Mountain Film Festival
In the remote mountain villages of Bamyan, Afghanistan, a newfound passion for skiing attracts young athletes from rival ethnic groups to the slopes. With minimal gear, makeshift wooden skis, and a rigged tow rope, the determined ski coach Alishah Farhang organizes a thrilling ski race that fosters camaraderie, joy, and triumph. However, after the shocking collapse of their country and the Taliban takeover, many of the skiers are displaced across the globe as refugees. Champions of the Golden Valley captures the thrill of a sports rivalry intertwined with a poignant portrait of a community in profound transition -- parallel stories converging to explore what it means to be a champion, in all its forms. Subtitled.Directed by Ben Sturgulewski
Boulder PremiereA Call2Action selection
Buy tix for Friday, March 14, 2025, 7:30 pm at Grace Commons Church | Export to Outlook/iCal
In person: Ben Sturgulewski & Katie Stjernholm
Talkback at Grace Commons Church
Buy tix for Sunday, March 16, 2025, 3:00 pm at Longmont Museum’s Stewart Auditorium | Export to Outlook/iCal
In person: Ben Sturgulewski & Katie Stjernholm