Mountainfilm 2017 Commitment Grant Winners Announced

2017 COMMITMENT GRANT WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Mountainfilm supports a record number of projects.

Mexican villagers who find themselves at the center of a deadly environmental battle. A bold simulation of life on Mars. A gut-wrenching look into the motivations of refugees desperate enough to board flimsy rubber boats, bound for unknown fates. And a seaside town in the U.K. where millions of Lego pieces, spilled by a container ship, have begun washing ashore.

These are some of the compelling, fascinating and deeply important stories being told by Mountainfilm's 2017 Commitment Grant winners. "The pool of applicants was better than ever in 2017 -- professional, top-notch, filled with stories that need to be told -- which meant the judges had an extra tough job," Program Director Katie Klingsporn said. "While it was extremely difficult, the judges ultimately selected a batch of exemplary projects that are full of potential. We're so excited to support them."

As part of the nonprofit's commitment to help creatives tell stories that matter, Mountainfilm with the support of the American Alpine Club, awards Commitment Grants each fall to filmmakers, photographers, artists and adventurers whose projects are intended to inspire audiences to create a better world. This year, Mountainfilm added $7,500 to the prize money for a total of $32,500. The boost allowed judges to give larger grants to more projects than ever. (Mountainfilm is also awarding Apple laptop computers to five of the winners.)

The Commitment Grant initiative has supported projects ranging from art installations to feature documentaries and photographic explorations. Join us May 25-28 to celebrate commitment grantees who make up some of the festival's most memorable screenings. 

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After the festival, Mountainfilm on Tour takes some of the best-loved films to 150 locations around the world. Wherever Mountainfilm is on tour, we offer Mountainfilm for Students, our free education initiative, to K-12 public schools reaching over 20,000 students annually.