Mountainfilm Announces Extraordinary Roster of 2026 Films

Film Still: Teeth to the Wind

Telluride, Colorado (April 30, 2026) – In just under one month, people from around the world will gather in Telluride, Colorado, nestled in the majestic San Juan Mountains, for Mountainfilm's 48th annual festival, celebrating cutting-edge documentary films and impactful guest speakers.

In addition to the world-premiering films announced last week, Mountainfilm has unveiled its full 2026 lineup of exceptional documentary films. The festival will screen more than 120 docs, including over 28 world premieres and 56 North American, U.S. and Colorado premieres. This year's program will take audiences on a global journey, shining a light on the people who are making a difference across realms from ocean conservation to journalists exposing human rights injustices to the raw experiences of some of the world's most influential climbers. The films share the kind of inspiration that lingers long after the weekend in Telluride.

“I'm especially excited about this year’s films because there is something for everyone — whether you’re a diehard adventurer, a lifelong learner or someone passionate about the environment,” said Robin Robinson, Mountainfilm's senior programmer. “I’m proud of the range of perspectives we’re able to share. We had an incredible time discovering and shaping this selection, and I hope audiences feel that same sense of excitement and connection when they experience the program.” 

Mountainfilm is honored to announce the world premiere of Teeth to the Wind, directed by Drew Smith and Ben Knight, which realizes the original vision of two legendary but under-the-radar alpinists, Michael Gardner and Sam Hennessey. The film offers a joyful and unassuming glimpse at what Mike and Sam called “the spirit.” In keeping with the theme of films that celebrate achievements and life among the peaks, Mountainfilm will screen The Ascent, directed by Edward Drake, Scott Veltri and Francis Cronin, which shares the extraordinary story of Mandy Horvath, a Colorado resident and bilateral amputee attempting to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro. The festival will feature a special screening of The Dark Wizard, directed by Peter Mortimer and Nick Rosen, which is an in-depth, multi-part unflinching portrait of the mind-blowing achievements and legendary feats of Dean Potter, a beloved Mountainfilm guest. Audiences will have the opportunity to join in conversation with guests in attendance for this program, as with many of the films included at the festival. 

Shifting from the mountains to people working to make the world a better place: The [Conserv]atives, directed by Nadia Gill and Dominic Gill, chronicles four unlikely activists, conservative voices who cross the political aisle to fight for the planet. Your Attention Please, directed by Sara Robin, shares the quiet revolution that is underway as AI reshapes every part of our lives and ordinary people push back against addictive tech. Kikuyu Land, directed by Bea Wangondu and Andrew H. Brown, exposes a multinational corporation, the echoes of a past that refuses to stay buried and a community's quiet defiance.

Additionally, featured in this year's program is a selection of short films that embody Mountainfilm’s programming guidepost of “celebrating indomitable spirit.” Submitting Tigers, directed by Luke Kellerhouse, is a gritty portrait of professional MMA fighter Julija Pajic, whose journey to Tanzania unexpectedly becomes one of healing and rediscovering her own strength. Yu & Me, directed by Esther Chan and Claudine Cho, demonstrates what can happen when a community comes together to rebuild a beloved bookstore after a devastating fire. The Butterfly Lab, directed by Sean Grasso, takes place inside Oregon's only women's prison and its innovative program dedicated to restoring endangered butterflies. Furthermore, Mountainfilm’s 2026 Emerging Filmmaker Fellow, Elif Koyutürk Hazen, is premiering Guardians of Anatolia. Following one of the last female-led nomadic communities in Türkiye, this film traces a 600-kilometer migration through the Taurus Mountains where a centuries-old way of life persists against the pressures of a modern world. 

Mountainfilm is also bringing back its popular Global Indigenous Stories shorts program, presented in partnership with 4th World Media Lab, featuring visionary films that are made by Indigenous filmmakers. Featured in this program is Are You Native?, directed by Victoria Cheyenne (Aymara), featuring moccasin maker Shauna White Bear (MHA Nation: Arikara/Hidatsa), who revisits a VHS tape she recorded 30 years ago for her father. In Listen, directed by Malakye Tsosie (Diné), viewers are transported to Gallup, New Mexico where a local radio station is keeping Díne Bizaad (the Navajo Language) alive, broadcasting news, sports and events in Navajo to thousands of listeners.

Mountainfilm will host two bilingual programs in Spanish and English. Mujer Santuario (Sanctuary Woman), directed by Alan Domínguez, follows Colorado-based mother Jeanette Vizguerra, who sought sanctuary in a church basement to avoid deportation and keep her family together. Screening in the same program is La Tierra del Valor (Home of the Brave), directed by veteran Mountainfilm filmmaker Cristina Costantini, which highlights singer NEZZA, who made headlines with a groundbreaking performance standing up for immigrant rights.

Several recipients of Mountainfilm’s Commitment Grant appear in the 2026 lineup, including features Best Day Ever, Buckskin, Frost: The Story Of A Lifetime, Gladice, Guardians of Anatolia, A New Inferno, Panther Pat, Papertown, Sonia, Stalin Boys and Yu & Me. 

See Mountainfilm’s full lineup of films on the Mountainfilm website. Mountainfilm’s full festival schedule will be announced in early May. Purchase your passes today and join us for an unforgettable festival May 21–25, 2026. 

About Mountainfilm: Established in 1979, Mountainfilm is one of North America’s longest-running documentary film festivals, held annually over Memorial Day weekend in Telluride, Colorado. Mountainfilm is dedicated to using the power of film, art and ideas to inspire audiences to create a better world. The festival offers an immersive experience featuring a wide range of filmmakers, speakers, adventurers and activists in addition to screening cutting-edge, award-winning documentary films from around the world. Mountainfilm is an Academy Award® Qualifying Festival in the Documentary Short Film category. Mountainfilm on Tour also reaches audiences year-round through its global film program, and through Mountainfilm for Students, an educational outreach initiative for youth. Simply put, Mountainfilm has the power to change lives. To learn more, visit www.mountainfilm.org. To join the conversation, please read Mountainfilm’s news and follow @mountainfilm on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and LinkedIn.