Mountainfilm: Cheryl Strayed Named Guest Director

19 Nov Mountainfilm: Cheryl Strayed Named Guest Director

Mountainfilm, this year in Telluride May 24 – May 29, is thrilled to announce longtime festival attendee Cheryl Strayed as Guest Director for the 2019 event. Cheryl has been a part of the Mountainfilm family since 2014 when she came as a Moving Mountains Symposium presenter. In the interim years, she has returned as a theater presenter, host, judge and author.

“I’m honored, thrilled, and excited to be part of this festival that has become so important to me.”

Along with inspiring documentaries, the festival goes beyond film by bringing together world-class athletes, activists and visionary artists for a multi-dimensional celebration of indomitable spirits. Passes/tickets to the 41st annual Mountainfilm go on sale December 1.

On November 1, Mountainfilm began accepting film submissions for the 2019 event. Submit your film — short or feature — to be considered for the 41st annual festival. 

Mountainfilm is thrilled to announce longtime festival attendee Cheryl Strayed as its guest director for 2019. Cheryl has been a part of the Mountainfilm family since 2014 when she came as a Moving Mountains Symposium presenter. In the interim years, she has returned as a theater presenter, host, judge and author.

Cheryl Strayed says she “was so impressed by the festival, I’ve come back every year since then. I attend with my family—my husband, Brian Lindstrom, whose film, “Mothering Inside,” was at the festival in 2016, and our two children Carver and Bobbi, along with their friend Violet. All of us leave Mountainfilm every year feeling expanded, altered, and inspired. It’s our favorite family tradition.”

Mountainfilm couldn’t be more elated to have Cheryl participating in this very special new role.

Cheryl Strayed was catapulted to fame with her visceral 2012 memoir “Wild,” which tells the story of her life-changing hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. The book spent seven weeks in the number one spot on the New York Times bestseller list and was made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern.

Cheryl Strayed and Tom Shadyac host the “What Now?” coffee talk at the 2018 festival. Photo: Melissa Plantz.

Cheryl is also author of the bestsellers “Tiny Beautiful Things,” “Brave Enough” and the novel “Torch.” Her books have been translated into nearly 40 languages around the world and adapted for both the stage and screen. The Best American Essays, The New York Times, The Washington Post Magazine, Vogue, Salon, The Sun, Tin House and elsewhere have published Cheryl’s thoughts. She was also co-host, along with Steve Almond, of the New York Times/WBUR podcast “Dear Sugars,” which originated with her popular “Dear Sugar” advice column on The Rumpus.

Cheryl Strayed is on board with the Moving Mountains Symposium theme of “equity,” which she feels is uniquely timely:

“I think equity is a deeply important theme and one that’s so in line with Mountainfilm’s history of asking big questions about how we can evolve to become better, more compassionate citizens of our diverse planet. Pondering what equity means—whether it be in regard gender, race, class, physical ability, or any other form of difference—strikes me as essential to fulfilling Mountainfilm’s stated mission to create a better world. At its essence, honoring equity is about being willing to value the power of every story, without privileging one. I love the idea of using the theme of equity as a focal point to inform some of the films and speakers that will be featured at the festival, but also as a conversation starter as we reflect as a community how to create more equality in all the work we do.”