The full list of 2025 Banff Mountain Film Competition Award winners are:
Grand Prize
Sponsored by WoolAid | $5,000
Iron Winter
(Australia, 2025, 101 mins)
Director: Kasimir Burgess
Producers: Repeater Productions, Morgan Wright, Ben Golotta, Chris Kamen, Enebish Sengemugaa
Best Film: Adventure
Sponsored by Eclipse Coffee Roasters | $3,000
Underland
(USA, UK, 2025, 79 mins)
Director: Rob Petit
Producers: Sandbox Films, Protozoa Pictures, Spring Films, Planet Octopus Studios, Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel, Lauren Greenwood, Jessica Harrop
Adapted from the bestselling book by Robert Macfarlane, Underland is a cinematic documentary that voyages into worlds rarely glimpsed by human eyes. Beginning in the shallow soil beneath an old ash tree, we travel alongside three intrepid ‘astronauts of the underworld’ into ancient sacred caves, flooded storm drains, melting glaciers, underwater burial chambers and a deep underground laboratory built to solve the mysteries of the universe.
"Bold, poetic, and breathtakingly original, this adventure is unlike any other—a spellbinding journey deep beneath the skin of the Earth itself. Inviting us into a hidden world of stone, sounds, and time—where the boundaries between science, humanity, and nature dissolve, it is a haunting descent into the planet’s past and future. With stunning cinematography and a spirit of profound curiosity, the film transforms the underworld into a place of enlightenment and possibility."
– Dina Mufti, 2025 Film Competition Jury
Best Film: Mountain Culture
Sponsored by Shackleton | $3,000
The Track
(Bosnia & Herzegovina, Canada, 2025, 95 mins)
Director: Ryan Sidhoo
Producers: Spirit of 84 Films, Ryan Sidhoo
The Track is a coming-of-age journey of three teenagers chasing their improbable Olympic dreams in post-war Bosnia. Training on their bullet-riddled luge track left over from the 1984 Winter Games in Sarajevo, the heart of the journey is relatable, sometimes humorous and exciting portrayal of friends striving for a better life despite rekindled nationalism, political corruption, and a murky economic future.
"At a time where there is so much turmoil in the world, this film leaves you feeling optimistic and hopeful about the future for young people living in a post war world. Shelled during the Bosnian war, Sarajevo’s 1984 Winter Games dilapidated luge track is brought back to life by a devoted volunteer coach and three teenage boys as they train and chase improbable Olympic dreams. Unfolding over five years, it's also a story of resilience and you want the boys to succeed as they strive for a better future in this coming-of-age story."
– Ava Karvonen, 2025 Film Competition Jury
Best Film: Environment
Sponsored by Nature United | $3,000
A Life Illuminated
(USA, 2025, 89 mins)
Director: Tasha Van Zandt
Producers: Sandbox Films, Tasha Van Zandt, Sebastian Zeck, Jessica Harrop, Kathryn Everett
Follow trailblazing marine biologist Dr. Edie Widder—one of the first women in her field and one of the first humans to explore the ocean’s twilight zone—as she descends 3,300 feet into the ocean’s darkest depths embarking on her most daring quest yet: to document a bioluminescent phenomenon that could forever change how we understand life on Earth.
"What secrets do the depths of the oceans hold? Through the fearless work of one pioneering scientist, we are invited into the darkest corners of nature, where sunlight never penetrates and life thrives in extraordinary forms. This story uncovers mysteries that were destined to remain unseen and illuminates vibrant worlds. The film’s immersive journey sparks curiosity, inspiring generations of young girls and boys to pursue knowledge and explore realms unknown."
– Subina Shrestha, 2025 Film Competition Jury
Best Film: Climbing
Sponsored by Arc’teryx | $3,000
Old Man Lightning
(USA, 2025, 60 mins)
Director: Dawn Kish
Producers: Dawn Kish Photo and Film, Dawn Kish, John Sherman
The best climbing, comedy, comeback ever made, with a conservation plight. It will make you laugh and cry and maybe piss yer pants.
"What begins as a seemingly simple, irreverent climbing film soon careens into a narratively rich madness. It becomes an exploration of the blinding depths of obsession, and the futile human resistance to the ravages of time—especially if one has, over the course of their lifetime, enjoyed a minimum of three delicious pilsners per day. Equal parts roll-on-the-floor comedy and star-crossed tragedy, it subverts adventure filmmaking cliches around achievement and legacy, and reminds us that it is never too late to discover your life's true calling."
– Ben Sturgulewski, 2025 Film Competition Jury
Best Film: Mountain Sports
Sponsored by Lolë | $3,000
Best Day Ever
(USA, 2025, 47 mins)
Director: Ben Knight, Berne Broudy
Producers: Richmond Mountain Trails, Berne Broudy
Best Day Ever follows the stories of adaptive mountain bikers Greg Durso and Allie Bianchi as they navigate the relentless challenges of their disabilities with humour and attitude. Along the way, they embrace the tremendous support, friendship, and joy they find in their rural Vermont riding community.
"This film had me smiling from start to finish. It’s not just the story of bikers pushing themselves after an accident…it’s above all the story of a community that sticks together, invents solutions, and shares every moment, every fall, every progress. You can feel the power of friendship, support, and the pure joy of reclaiming freedom on a bike. This film reminds us that we can push our limits, whether physical or mental, when we are supported and encouraged."
– Sébastien Montaz-Rosset, 2025 Film Competition Jury
Best Film: Snow Sports
Sponsored by the American Alpine Club | $3,000
Le Moulin des Artistes – A Home for Free Spirits
(France, 2025, 25 mins)
Director: Pierre Cadot
Producers: Yucca Films, Patagonia, Pierre Cadot, Julia Schellekens
Some people make a living from their craft. Others can’t live without it. In a 16th century mill in the Chamonix valley, Peter and Anati run Le Moulin des Artistes: a ski workshop, art space, and gathering place for like-minded free spirits. Le Moulin des Artistes shows us how creative expression can bring purpose, build lasting community, and even help overcome disaster.
“Oftentimes these days, it seems as if the whole world is on fire—whether literally or figuratively. This film eloquently highlights the necessity of art and community to sustain us through the most difficult of times. A poet with both words and woodworking, a craftsman and his wife distill their essence into the making of skis, forming deep bonds within their village. Later, that community helps them navigate unimaginable loss. We’re shown that: 'when you’ve got love, you’re able to build things.'"
– Ben Sturgulewski, 2025 Film Competition Jury
Best Short Film
Sponsored by Switzerland Tourism | $3,000
Borrowed from the Earth
(USA, 2025, 15 mins)
Director: Zach Johaneson
Producers: Boulder, Chad Dawson
Throughout their respective histories, both horse and Indigenous people have been corralled. Fences put horses in pens and the Blackfeet on reservations, but the centuries long attempts to subdue both was also successful in strengthening the connection between horse and man.
"Our stories create culture, and they create identity. And stories are transferred down through the remarkable power of language. On the surface, this film may seem to be about the relationship between the Blackfeet Nation and the horse. But it soon submerges us into an ethereal and mythical landscape, guided by a mesmerizing voiceover and breathtaking cinematography—and it becomes clear that this story is doing visceral work to build pride around Native culture and knowledge."
– Ben Sturgulewski, 2025 Film Competition Jury
Best Feature Film
Sponsored by Ambler Mountain Works | $3,000
The Last Expedition
(Poland, 2024, 85 mins)
Director: Eliza Kubarska
Producers: Braidmade Films, Monika Braid, Kaspar Winkler
The Last Expedition is the story of Wanda Rutkiewicz, one of the first women to climb the highest peaks on earth. Rutkiewicz entered the men's world of mountaineering uninvited and paid the highest price for it when she disappeared 30 years ago. Her body was never found. After discovering a strange audio recording where Wanda claims "I know perfectly well, that there's no way back for me," the film's director, herself a climber, sets off to the Himalaya to uncover the mystery of her death.
"With my fellow jury members, we were all deeply moved by this rare and mesmerizing film, which turns the mountain movie into something far more intimate. A real investigation that grabs you and doesn’t let go until the very last minute, exploring the mysterious disappearance of a great Himalayan climber. Guided by her own voice, like a ghost from beyond, the film unfolds like a mystery: every discovery reveals a new facet of her disappearance. The director's personal journey into Wanda's world brings suspense, tenderness and a quiet intensity that stays long after the credits roll. A deeply human and captivating film."
– Sébastien Montaz-Rosset, 2025 Film Competition Jury
Creative Excellence Award
Sponsored by Core Values Cider Co. | $3,000
A Little Story About Forever
(USA, 2025, 10 mins)
Director: Max Romey
Producers: Trailbound Sketches, Jennifer Langille
This short film about forever unfolds from the POVs of a father and son as they attempt to write a book about what forever means. The father feels overwhelmed by all of the threats to forever and calls an unlikely hero—Mark Ruffalo—to ask for help seeing the big picture.
"The jury felt that this film was a shining example of creative excellence—an exquisite visual composition, where every frame was crafted with care. Centred around a charming father and son relationship with just a dash of Hollywood, the work reminds us that artistry lies not only in big spectacle, but in the ability to reveal the extraordinary within the everyday. A tender, visionary achievement, it’s a testament to the power of the imagination—and reminds us that sometimes, big messages can come in small packages."
– Dina Mufti, 2025 Film Competition Jury
Audience Choice Award
Sponsored by Drop Caramel Co. | $3,000
Best Day Ever
(USA, 2025, 47 mins)
Director: Ben Knight, Berne BroudyProducers: Richmond Mountain Trails, Berne Broudy
Best Day Ever follows the stories of adaptive mountain bikers Greg Durso and Allie Bianchi as they navigate the relentless challenges of their disabilities with humour and attitude. Along the way, they embrace the tremendous support, friendship, and joy they find in their rural Vermont riding community.
Special Jury Mention
Deeper
(Australia, 2025, 90 mins)
Director: Jennifer Peedom
Producers: Stranger Than Fiction Films, Blayke Hoffman, Paul Ryan, Jennifer Peedom
Explorer Richard Harris, key in the Thai cave rescue, risks all diving New Zealand's potentially deepest cave system. As he pushes his way deeper underground with limited air, he questions his motivations and impact on loved ones.
"In a remote part of New Zealand, an obsessive diver convinces a team to help him explore what could be the deepest cave in the world. This documentary pushes the limits of cave diving and human endurance while examining what it takes to tackle extremely high-risk pursuits and accomplish something that hasn’t been done before."
– Ava Karvonen, 2025 Film Competition Jury
Special Jury Mention
Run Again
(France, 2025, 65 mins)
Director: Alexis Berg
Producers: Little Hell Production, Alexis Berg
Dave Pen is the singer of Archive, an English rock band that has been selling out Europe's biggest venues for 30 years. At 45 years old, Dave is looking for a new lease of life. He signs up for England’s toughest event, the 460-kilometre Spine Race in winter. It's the race of a lifetime and a multi-faceted quest that, in the end, may never end.
"Seeking a new lease of life, a middle-aged man undertakes Britain’s toughest challenge—a 460 kilometre race in brutal winter conditions. What begins as a test of endurance becomes a journey of self-rediscovery. With beautiful cinematography and a distinctive score, the film captures the beauty, pain, and perseverance of one man’s race of a lifetime—powered by reinvention and the unending quest to keep moving forward. An exploration of inner and outer landscape, woven together by music—this is more than just a race film."
– Dina Mufti, 2025 Film Competition Jury
