Mountainfilm Reveals its 2026 Minds Moving Mountains Speaker Series Lineup

Image: Ocean Symphony by Andy Mann

Telluride, Colorado (April 8, 2026) — For its 48th edition, Mountainfilm welcomes an exceptional roster of guests to Telluride this Memorial Day Weekend, May 21–25, for the 2026 Minds Moving Mountains Speaker Series.

Forward-thinking leaders in conservation, human and animal rights, the arts and the outdoors, recognized worldwide for their dedication to making the world a better place, will take the festival's stages for a series of powerful and illuminating conversations. Together they discuss big, bold ideas, taking audiences on a journey through the issues relevant in today’s world and showing how a single spark of hope can shape our future.

“We are beyond excited for this year's festival,” said Mountainfilm Festival Director Crystal Merrill. “Thanks to the vision of Guest Director Cristina Mittermeier and the Mountainfilm team, the lineup of speakers joining us in Telluride is remarkable.”
 

The series kicks off Friday morning with the marquee symposium dedicated to "Evidence-Based Hope." Mountainfilm’s 2026 Guest Director Cristina "Mitty" Mittermeier spearheads the curation of this program, guiding audiences toward the real evidence that grounds hope for a better future. Featured speakers include artist and activist Benjamin Von Wong, actor and humanitarian Sarah Wayne Callies, climate storyteller Willow Defebaugh, environmental justice leader Justin J. Pearson, conservationist Kristine Tompkins and photographer, marine biologist and activist Cristina Mittermeier. The program will also include a special live performance by celebrated bassist Garth Stevenson, accompanied by a film by Andy Mann.

Beyond the symposium, the Speaker Series continues with a special program that highlights visionary conservation leader Kristine Tompkins, whose presentation "Wild Beyond Borders: A Continental Vision" will share her unflinching dedication to rewilding and her decades-long commitment to restoring and protecting ecosystems. This program will also pair a film screening and live performance by singer-songwriter Goth Babe, who blends music and film to advocate for protections for the Tongass National Forest.

Renowned mountaineers Jim Morrison and Nima Rinji Sherpa will each give presentations dedicated to their remarkable feats in the mountains and the missions that drive them. Morrison will take audiences on a journey through his most recent achievement, becoming the first person to ski the Hornbein–Japanese Couloir on the North Face of Mount Everest. Nima Rinji Sherpa will share his experiences scaling the world's tallest peaks and his dedication to improving conditions in the mountains for communities that live among them and those who work in them. 

Mountainfilm Guest Director Cristina Mittermeier will give a presentation that brings the ocean to the mountains. Tracing her journey from marine biologist to artist and activist, she will share moments of loss and unexpected recovery. Through stunning images and personal stories, she will explore the braided relationship between mountains and sea, science and art, and grief and courage that has guided her career. 

Also joining this year, Mountainfilm welcomes filmmaker Khashem Gyal from the Amdo region of Tibet. He is currently an Asia in Action Fellow at the Weatherhead East Asian Institute at Columbia University and teaches cinema at the School of the Arts. His special presentation will include a screening and talk highlighting the impact of an increasingly digital world on nomadic Tibetan families.

The festival closes with its beloved annual program “What Now?,” which calls for time to download and reflect on the Mountainfilm weekend. The event is hosted by longtime friends and festival participants Cheryl Strayed and Tom Shadyac. Together they will unpack the weekend and help us sit with its most pressing question: Where do we go from here?

“Returning to Telluride, this time as Guest Director, is the thrill of a lifetime,” Mittermeier said. “We will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the International League of Conservation Photographers; we will bring the ocean to the mountains with brilliant speakers and an oceanic symphony; and we will celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Jane Goodall with a symposium based on the idea of ‘Evidence-Based Hope.’”

Passes are currently on sale and more programming will be announced in the weeks ahead. Don't miss your chance to experience these extraordinary speakers in Telluride. And in true Mountainfilm fashion, expect surprises along the way!

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 mountainfilm.org. To join the conversation, please read Mountainfilm’s news and follow @mountainfilm on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Photo credits, top to bottom: Ocean Symphony image by Andy Mann. Speaker composite, left to right: Benjamin Von Wong; Sarah Wayne Callies, photo by Rory Lewis; Willow Defebaugh; Justin J. Pearson; Kristine Tompkins, photo by Robby Klein; Cristina Mittermeier, photo by Anna Heupel. Jim Morrison and Nima Rinji Sherpa. Cristina Mittermeier (top); Coral Gardeners film still (bottom).