2025 Aspen Filmfest Announces Audience Winner | The Aspen Times
September 30, 2025
The 2025 Aspen FilmFest Audience Award goes to the documentary “She Runs the World.” Aspen’s 46th annual FilmFest, which ran Sept. 16-21 at the Aspen Isis Theatre, featured 15 films from around the globe.
The film follows the journey of track and field athlete Allyson Felix. At the peak of her athletic career, she faced a life-threatening pregnancy that exposed the harsh realities confronting female athletes in professional sports. The situation became starkly clear when Nike imposed a nearly 70% pay cut, revealing the absence of maternal protections or support systems for female athletes.
Felix took on the challenge. She transformed her personal adversity into a catalyst for systemic change. Through her activism, she sparked a movement that put a spotlight on gender equity and maternal rights in professional sports.
This 86-minute documentary, directed by Perri Peltz and Matthew O’Neill, premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival before being shown at the 2025 Aspen Filmfest. The Women’s Desk at Aspen Public Radio served as the community partner for the screening.