11 Jan Mountainfilm: Hilaree Nelson Guest Director for 2021 Festival!
Telluride’s Mountainfilm is honored to announce longtime festival guest, attendee, elite mountaineer and Telluride local Hilaree Nelson as Guest Director for 2021. In the position, Hilaree will be an ambassador for Mountainfilm, have programming input, as well as playing a role in festival events.
Go here for Telluride Inside…and Out’s 2019 interview and podcast with Hilaree.
And please scroll down for other Mountainfilm news, including film submission deadline.
Hilaree Nelson newly named Guest Director for Mountainfilm 2021.
“With a resume of big mountain ascents almost too lengthy to list, the subject of countless Mountainfilm films, and her far-reaching activism, Nelson is the perfect choice to guide us through this time,” said Suzan Beraza, Mountainfilm’s Festival Director. “We’re hoping to spend a lot of time together outside this year.”
In typical fashion, we caught up with Nelson while adventuring locally in the San Juans.
“Having lived in Telluride for nearly 20 years, Mountainfilm means the world to me,” noted Nelson. “It marks the transition from winter to summer and, like the natural swing of the seasons, the festival is about growth, it’s about being inspired: a community seeking to change the world for the better through shared ideas and exploration. It’s a time when we come out of our winter shells and engage with people through films, on the sidewalk and on the trails.”
Nelson is not only an adventurer with expeditions to the far reaches of the globe, but she is also passionate about wild places and a dedicated activist, specifically working with Protect Our Winters Allegiance (POW). Nelson holds to the philosophy that such places have huge significance to the well-being of our planet and the human psyche.
After one year in Chamonix in her 20s led to five, Nelson discovered a calling that would take her to some of the world’s tallest and most challenging summits. She is now The North Face’s Athlete Team Leader and has several notable accomplishments under her belt, including the first ski descent of Lhotse.
“What I love the most about Mountainfilm is it’s a special few days where I can see old friends and make new ones, hear stories and watch inspiring films. I love dragging my kids to the adrenaline films in the park and to the ice cream social, seeing their eyes go wide when they connect a person from a film to the person walking down the street of their little town,” Nelson adds.
“Mountainfilm is excited that Hilaree will join us as the guest director this year,” Program Manager Lucy Lerner said. “She is not only an icon as a world-renowned mountaineer, but is also an activist dedicated to making the world a better place. What could be more Mountainfilm? We look forward to collaborating with Hilaree on some really fun, engaging and impactful programming.”
Final film submission deadline approaching.
The final deadline for 2021 festival film submissions is February 1. Mountainfilm accepts and screens documentary feature and short films on a broad range of subjects. The nonprofit is always interested in work that focuses on mountains, mountain culture, and mountaineering, but also showcases films celebrating adventure, activism, social justice, culture, the environment and people dedicated to changing the world.
Help Mountainfilm create a better world:
Mountainfilm has helped foster connection and empathy for over 40 years — something we need now more than ever. We will continue working hard to support filmmakers, provide student resources and program content to move audiences to connect deeply with the critical issues facing the world today. We believe in documentary film as a tool to heal division. We hope you’ll join us in our efforts by making a donation.
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