How does Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind person to summit Everest, use sound to “see” his next hold while climbing? What's it like to slackline between two hot air balloons floating thousands of feet above the earth? And how does Quannah Chasinghorse's connection to traditional ways of experiencing the natural world help her balance her work as a model, conservationist, and indigenous rights activist?
The answers to these questions and many other revelations from the vanguard of outdoor adventure come to life in 21 vibrant films June 1-2 at Outdoor festival in Denver. The first event of its kind, the Outside Festival is a celebration of outdoor culture with live music, speakers including Diana Nyad and Jimmy Chin, three climbing walls, bouldering competitions, equipment demonstrations, a children's zone, yoga and many interactive exhibits from popular outdoor and wellness brands. It takes place in downtown Denver's Civic Center Park, with a film lineup screening across the street at the Denver Art Museum.
Curated by producers and editors of Outdoor television, the film program highlights emerging filmmakers and the stories of athletes and adventurers from LGBTQ+, BIPOC, Latino, disabled and other underrepresented communities. Films range from 7 to 90 minutes, with live panel discussions and Q&As with the filmmakers.
Watch the trailer for the Outside Festival film program.
Here is the not-to-be-missed lineup and trailers for the Outside Festival film lineup on June 1 and 2, screening both days from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
For tickets, programming and other information, visit TheOutsideFestival.com. Outside+ members receive exclusive access to VIP concert viewing, food and drinks in a private hospitality tent, and other perks during the festival.
Saturday June 1st
Feature film: Wading in the water
Wade in the water: A journey into black surfing and aquatic culture recovers the age-old tradition of black surfing. Blending historical accounts with modern testimonies, the film dismantles the racial barriers of conventional surf culture, delves into the neglected history of Black surfing's legacy, and pays homage to its current movement, inspiring the next generation of Black surfers. This screening includes a discussion with director David Mesfin.
Short films: Adventure
Descendants: In a sport known for its lack of diversity, Dennis Ranalter has defied the odds and risen to become an exceptional freeride skier recognized and respected around the world.
Georgia Astle flips the switch: Mountain biker Georgia Astle explores what can happen when you're able to silence your thoughts and put matter over your mind to achieve great things.
In search of our nature: Sid Gopinath and his father embark on a week-long camping trip to explore Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Rocky Mountain national parks. Along the way, they talk about Prabha's immigration experience, how memories are made (and forgotten) over the course of a lifetime, and what it means to watch yourself age.
Walk on the clouds: Walking on Clouds reveals the breathtaking and dizzying crossing of a highline between two hot air balloons above the town of Praia Grande, in Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Slides On The Mountain: With the right guides, a little encouragement and boundless optimism, two teenage brothers from the Líl̓wat nation take a trip to ski Ts̓zil, a sacred mountain on their territory.
Short films: Travels
Soundscape: Soundscape features Erik Weihenmayer, a completely blind global adventure athlete and author, as he scales a massive alpine rock face deep in the Sierra Nevada.
Wade for change: For conservationist and fisherman Jr Rodriguez to become “like the pictures he saw in magazines,” he had to leave behind what he loved most.
Waterfall Hunters: Waterfall Hunters follows three Costa Ricans—Javier, Jimmy, and Miguel—as they seek to find, document, and inspire others to preserve the priceless ecosystems and habitats of the Costa Rican jungle.
Jamie: Jamie Logan, a pioneering mountaineer, has climbed some of the most dangerous climbs in the world, but nothing seemed more dangerous to her life than admitting that at age 69 she wanted to start living as a woman.
Sunday June 2
Feature film: Ashima
One of the youngest elite climbers in the world, Ashima Shiraishi spent her formative years achieving numerous age-related climbing milestones, spurred on by her number one fan and coach, her father, Poppo, retired Butoh dancer and avant-garde artist without formalities. climbing experience. When these New Yorkers travel to South Africa to solve a V14 block problem, father and daughter must confront their interpersonal struggles alongside the difficult climb. This screening includes a discussion with director Kenji Tsukamoto.
Short films: Community
Breath of Gloster: Peyton Thomas created Equitable Action Run Toward Health to give the community of Gloster, Mississippi a voice in a grassroots fight against the wood pellet biomass industry. Breath of Gloster illustrates the dangers that this industry poses to human health and tells the story of a race that was not limited to kilometers.
Out in five: More than 100 million of us do not have outdoor space near us. So REI Co-op is partnering with community organizations like Friends of Anacostia Park to help get more people outside in 5 minutes or less.
Gath & K'iyh: Listen to Heal: In Alaska, the community comes together to create music with Yo-Yo Ma as an essential part of collective healing and radical hope for the future.
Miles to go: In 2022, as several states across the country passed anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, trans trail runner Perry Cohen refused to stand idly by. By forming a trail team of trans men with the goal of competing in states with hateful laws, Perry and his team are expressing the freedom to be themselves on and off the trail.
Towards the inside: This is a film about Atlanta-based artist Michi Meko, a postmodern cartographer and artist who lives in the parallels and meridians of two distinct worlds: urban and rural.
Short films: Discovery
Walking on two worlds: Driven by an unwavering love and responsibility for the land, Quannah Chasinghorse, 20, Hän Gwich'in, and her mother Jody Potts-Joseph are taking a stand to defend their sacred lands, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Apayauq: This short film chronicles Apayauq Reitan's historic quest to become the first openly transgender woman to compete in the legendary Iditarod sled dog race across Alaska.
Short films: Resilience
Tread installers: On October 5, 2022, a group of paracyclists and adaptive athletes set out to ride Utah's White Rim Trail in one day in hopes of raising awareness of people with disabilities and developing a more inclusive cycling community.
The right to joy: After surviving a near-fatal cougar attack while cycling, Izzy Sederbaum overcame anxiety and anti-trans hatred by rediscovering the joy of cycling and promoting diversity and inclusion in the sport.
109 Below: A story of resilience and courage, this short film traces the consequences of a rescue attempt on Mount Washington, New Hampshire, in 1982.
Outside thanks our partners for Mountain film, Boulder International Film FestivalAnd Mountains of Colors Film Festival for their support in the selection of this program.
