Mountain Film Competition

A thirty-five-year industry veteran, Ava’s work has seen more than 160 worldwide screenings and received more than 70 awards.  She is a second-generation filmmaker who began her career working on wildlife films with her father. Her work as a director includes Lessons From the Sunflower, the cross Canada CBC special Keeping Canada Alive; Homefront for Global; The Lie Detective; Seeds of Change: The Eco Story; seasons one and two of the APTN series Chaos and Courage; and Albert Karvonen:  Philosophies on Life, Nature and Wildlife Filmmaking. Her works, Finding Bobbi, Wochiigii lo: End of the Peace have received critical acclaim. 

Ben ‘Sturge’ Sturgulewski grew up on a rugged and remote island in Alaska’s Aleutian Chain, inspiring a life dedicated to the exploration of the world’s wild side and the people who call it home. Ben has created a portfolio of award-winning short films that have appeared in festivals around the globe, taking home dozens of awards for cinematography, editing, creativity, and storytelling — as well as overall Grand Prizes and Audience Awards. He has directed, filmed and edited acclaimed content for clients such as Patagonia, Arc’teryx, YETI, Rivian, NFL Films, and Red Bull. Ben has produced a library of Vimeo Staff Picks, and his ski film Valhalla was recently named "The Greatest Ski Film of All Time" by Outside magazine. His collaborations with brands, agencies, production houses, and passion projects continue to take him on new and unexpected adventures around the world. Champions of the Golden Valley, his first feature documentary, follows a ski team in Afghanistan both before and after the collapse of the country. The film had its World Premiere at Tribeca Film Festival in 2024, and screened at dozens of renowned film festivals worldwide, amassing over 20 jury and audience awards. When not on the move, Ben splits his time between the mountains of Anchorage, Alaska, and Boulder, Colorado.

Dina Mufti is an award-winning Director, Producer, and Film Curator working at the intersection of traditional and XR storytelling. Specialising in cross-cultural narratives, she brings together diverse worldviews to create powerful, globally resonant films and experiences.

From the wilds of Mongolia to the High Himalayas, Dina has produced acclaimed documentaries for the BBC, National Geographic / Disney, Netflix, Red Bull, and SKY. She’s also an award-nominated audio producer and recipient of the BBC Director General’s Award for Creativity.

Dina has served on the jury of the Grierson Documentary Awards, The Royal Television Society, and the Kathmandu and Kendal International Mountain Film Festivals.  Ten years since her last visit to Banff, she’s delighted to return as a jury member and connect with the new wave of bold outdoor innovators and storytellers.

Sébastien Montaz-Rosset is an award-winning filmmaker and certified high mountain guide with over 20 years of experience across the most demanding alpine environments. With unique dual expertise in extreme sports and cinematic storytelling, he has directed and produced more than twenty expedition films and documentaries featured on global platforms such as Netflix and Disney+. A pioneer in immersive mountain cinematography, Sébastien explores the raw, emotional, and technical extremes of outdoor pursuits, often working alongside elite athletes in unforgiving terrain. His instinctive approach to filmmaking brings viewers directly into the action, combining visceral imagery with modern narrative techniques. Over the last five years, Sébastien has increasingly focused on biodiversity and the protection of fragile ecosystems, creating films with his creative and life partner Davina Montaz-Rosset through their production company, Montaz-Rosset Studio

Subina Shrestha is an award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker with over 20 years of experience reporting from some of South Asia’s most challenging landscapes. Her immersive storytelling—centered on resilience, justice, and community—has catalyzed policy reform and amplified the voices of marginalized groups. Subina’s work bridges investigative journalism and cinematic documentary, sparking global conversations on human rights, conflict, and inclusion. She was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard, a Global Media Makers Fellow at Film Independent, and an Ochberg Fellow at Columbia University’s Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma.