05 May Mountainfilm 2026: World Premiere, “burn, scar”!
Based in Telluride, for the 48th edition, Mountainfilm welcomes an exceptional roster of docs and guests to Telluride over Memorial Weekend, May 21–25 – including several world premieres such as Hillary Bachelder’s “burn, scar.”
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For more information about Mountainfilm 2026 and upcoming program announcements, visit mountainfilm.org.
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Hillary Bachelder. Credit, Center for Independent Documentary.
Hillary Bachelder is an award-winning documentary director, cinematographer, and editor based in Taos, New Mexico.
Hillary began her career with the renowned social issue documentary company Kartemquin Films, where she was the former Director of Production and earned credits on over a dozen critically acclaimed films and series, including the Emmy-winning “Trials of Muhammad Ali”; POV’s “Raising Bertie”; and the Oscar-nominated “Minding the Gap.”
After founding Backbone Films in 2016, Hillary earned cinematography credits on films such as “The Dilemma of Desire” (which premiered at SXSW in 2020); Frontline’s “American Voices: A Nation in Turmoil”; and the award-winning “Any Given Day.”
She also served as editor on National Geographic’s Emmy-winning “The Flagmakers” and Frontline’s Emmy-nominated “American Reckoning.”
As a director, Hillary helmed the critically acclaimed feature documentary “Represent,” which premiered in over 60 theaters across the country and broadcast nationally on PBS’ Independent Lens in October 2020.
Given her deep roots in New Mexico and her track record with socially engaged documentary work, “burn, scar” must have felt like a natural fit for Hillary Bachelder.
From “burn, scar.” Credit Backbone Films.
Credit, Backbone Films.
Credit, Backbone Films.
Prescribed fire – the practice of setting small burns to clear ecosystems of overgrowth – is a critical tool for climate resiliency and forest health. But in 2022, a burn set by the U.S. Forest Service in the mountains of northern New Mexico escaped its fire lines and spiraled out of control to become the largest wildfire in the state’s history.
Hillary’s “burn, scar” weaves together both sides of the story: the locals impacted by the fire and struggling to rebuild and the Forest Service’s efforts to resume stewardship of the land following their tragic misstep.
In the end, “burn, scar” is a personal and nuanced story of resilience, resistance, and our enduring connection to the land and each other.
To learn more, listen to our conversation. with Hillary Bachdelder.
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