Friday, December 13, 7pm

Aspen Film Isis Theatre | 406 E Hopkins Ave, Aspen

About the Film

Documentary | 81 MIN | US, Afghanistan, Germany

Q+A with the film’s Director, Ben Sturgulewski, and Producer, Katie Stjernholm. PLUS extra special guest, the film’s main protagonist, Afghan ski coach Alishah Farhang

“The ultimate underdog story!” – Variety

In the remote mountains of Afghanistan, a newfound passion for skiing attracts young athletes from rival villages to the slopes. With minimal gear and makeshift wooden skis, the determined coach, Alishah Farhang, organizes a ski race like no other that unites the community in a moment of joy and triumph just before the country’s collapse. CHAMPIONS OF THE GOLDEN VALLEY captures the spirit of a classic underdog sports story with the heartfelt portrait of a community finding hope amid disrupted dreams. Revealing a stunning unseen side of Afghanistan, it is an uplifting exploration of what it means to be a champion – in all its forms.

Following its World Premiere at Tribeca, this captivating documentary received the prize for Best Documentary at SCAD Savannah, Overall Audience Choice at Heartland International Film Festival, Grand Prize at Banff Mountain Film Festival, and a number of Audience Awards from festivals including Austin, Banff, Crested Butte, and Denver. Learn more on the film’s website HERE.

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Nurture and develop the current ski culture and community in Afghanistan by supporting the Bamyan Alpine Ski Club (BASC). BASC makes wooden skis for children, assists in ski training, and organizes an annual ski race for the youth. Just $30 is enough to gift a pair of wooden skis to a local athlete!

View details

• Credits
• Festivals

Director	Ben Sturgulewski
Produced By	Katie Stjernholm, Baktash Ahadi

• Tribeca Film Festival 2024
• DC/DOX Film Festival 2024
• Woods Hole Film Festival 2024

Event Details

Wintersköl, Aspen’s annual “toast to winter,” dates back to a quiet January in 1951 when locals chose to commemorate Aspen’s distinctive mountain way of life with a diverse weekend of events.  The multi-day festival showcases on-mountain activities, special screenings at the AF Isis Theatre, snow sculptures, a soup contest, a craft beer festival, a torchlight descent, and fireworks on Aspen Mountain, plus much more.

Meet the Filmmakers + Special Guest:

Sayed Alishah Farhang | Protagonist

Alishah Farhang was born in the Hindu Kush mountains above Bamyan, Afghanistan. He soon fell in love with skiing, and it became his dream to be the first person to represent Afghanistan as an alpine ski racer in the Olympics. He went to Switzerland several times for professional training, but fell just short of qualifying. Undeterred, he returned to his hometown of Bamyan to further develop the sport of skiing there. At the Bamyan Ski Club, he worked to develop a women’s skiing program, a first for the country. He became the race director of The Afghan Ski Challenge, which brought athletes and media from around the country in a celebration of peace and sport. In August 2021, amid the collapse of Afghanistan, Alishah was forced to leave this life behind, fleeing the country with his wife and two children. He now lives in eastern Germany with his family, where they are studying and trying to rebuild. He still dreams of being a mountain guide and professional ski racer, as a refugee representing Afghanistan. His story is explored in the feature documentary CHAMPIONS OF THE GOLDEN VALLEY.

Ben Sturgulewski | Director

Ben ‘Sturge’ Sturgulewski grew up on a rugged and remote island in Alaska’s Aleutian Chain, inspiring a life dedicated to exploring the world’s wild side and the people who call it home. Ben has created a portfolio of award-winning short films that have appeared at festivals around the globe, taking home dozens of awards for cinematography, editing, creativity, and storytelling, as well as overall Grand Prizes and Audience Awards. He has directed, filmed, and edited acclaimed content for clients such as Patagonia, Arcteryx, YETI, Rivian, NFL Films, and Red Bull. Ben has produced a library of Vimeo Staff Picks, and his ski film VALHALLA was recently named ‘The Greatest Ski Film of All Time’ by Outside Magazine. His collaborations with brands, agencies, production houses, and passion projects continue to take him on new and unexpected adventures. CHAMPIONS OF THE GOLDEN VALLEY is his first feature documentary.

Katie Stjernholm | Producer

Katie Stjernholm is a producer and impact strategist motivated by stories worth telling. She has had the privilege of creating commercials, short documentaries, and impact campaigns for a range of clients, including the Smithsonian Institute, Exposure Labs, Arc’teryx, Samsung, Oceanic Preservation Society, BBC, Discovery Channel, Lonely Planet, and the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Her work has been featured in the National Geographic Short Film Showcase and over 50 film festivals worldwide. Her short film EDGES won Heartland’s Grand Jury Prize for Short Documentary and the Audience Choice Award at the Sedona International Film Festival. She lives in the mountains outside of Boulder, Colorado, and is the owner of Tideshift Studio, a production company and consultancy. CHAMPIONS OF THE GOLDEN VALLEY is her first feature documentary.

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