Following a successful World Premiere at the Tribeca International Film Festival this year, the multiple award-winning documentary Champions of the Golden Valley recently arrived at the Austin Film Festival for the Texas Premiere. On the way to Austin, the documentary won Heartland’s Overall Audience Choice Award. At the Austin Film Festival, Champions of the Golden Valley won the Audience Award for Feature Documentary.
Directed by Ben Sturgulewski, the documentary shares the story of how two Afghan villages come together through the camaraderie of mountain ski racing before their country is overrun by the Taliban, leaving many displaced across the globe.
SYNOPSIS: In the remote mountains of Bamyan, Afghanistan, a newfound passion for skiing attracts young athletes from rival villages who showcase their resourcefulness and skill on the slopes. With minimal gear and makeshift wooden skis, 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, many of the skiers are displaced across the globe as refugees and must call upon the lessons learned in the mountains of their homeland to find a way forward.
Among other awards won to date are the following: Jury Prize for Best Documentary at SCAD Savannah Film Festival, Grand Prize and Audience Choice at Banff Film Festival, Best Documentary and Audience Choice at Crested Butte Film Festival, Best Feature and Grand Prize at Wasatch Mountain Film, Jury Award for Cinematography at Port Townsend.
The film is scheduled to screen at the Denver Film Festival, with a Signature Screening on Saturday, November 9th, at 3:30 PM MT.
It will also screen at the Coast Film & Music Festival in Laguna Beach, CA, on November 17th, with details available on coastfilmfestival.com/schedule
Source: AFF, Coast Film & Music Festival