Director: Monica Medellin

Producers: Isabella Franca, Zeppelin Zeerip, Katie Holden

Executive Producers: Bridgette Hayes, Brian Lenz, Charlie Rosene, Tom Cartmale, Ben Bryan

Director of Photography: Zeppelin Zeerip

Editor: Anna Burns

Cast: Casey Brown, Hannah Bergemann, Vaea Verbeeck, Robin Goomes, Darren Berrecloth, Micayla Gatto

FEMALE DIRECTOR + PRODUCERS

Follow elite female mountain bikers as they make freeride history, taking on Red Bull Rampage's toughest terrain. Their story reveals their drive, push for equality and lasting impact on their sport.

Directors: Alexis Berg, Julien Raison

Producers: Sarah Stewart, Oliver Denton, Laura Mittelberg, Marion Blache

Executive Producers: Jason Israel, Scott Mellin, Nick Martini, Sarah Stewart, Meredith Rodriguez, Davey Spens

Editor: Joseph Fletcher

Director of Photography: Julien Raison

Cast: Courtney Dauwalter, Kevin Schmidt, Bob Krar, Mike Ambrose

FEMALE DIRECTOR + PRODUCERS

Ultra-runner Courtney Dauwalter is one of the greatest athletes in the history of the sport. Continuing to shatter records, in 2023 she became the first person ever to win the Triple Crown of Ultra-running (winning three iconic 100+ mile races back-to-back in one Summer). But who is the team behind Courtney and her remarkable success?

Directors: Sara Beam Robbins, Iz La Motte

Producers: Sara Beam Robbins, Iz La Motte, Erin Spong

Cast: Erin Spong

Photograph courtesy of Sara Beam Robbins

FEMALE DIRECTORS + PRODUCERS

According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of consonance means "harmony or agreement among components," as well as "correspondence or recurrence of sounds." A balance between fast and slow pacing, soft and powerful expression, CONSONANCE dances the line between harmonized breath and movement.

Director: Tami Razinger

Photograph courtesy of Andrew Muse

FEMALE DIRECTOR

This short film is about balancing work and play and the pinnacle of every season: spring in Alaska. Working late nights and rallying in the mornings to be on first tram can be super challenging and exhausting but Tami Razinger handles it with grace and doesn’t let it stop her from achieving success on the mountain. For the last few winters, Tami has been polishing her skills on her sled and making the annual pilgrimage up to Valdez. Winter was off to a slow start in Jackson this year and the snow didn’t really stack up until well into January but Tami’s sights were always set on the big mountains and spines of the great white north.

Director: Darcy Hennessey Turenne

Producer: Sarah Lee Steele

Cast: Jamie Logan

FEMALE DIRECTOR + PRODUCER

As a pioneering climber of the 1970s, Jamie Logan quietly ticked off first ascents on some of North America’s most treacherous climbs. But looking death in the face on the side of the mountain was nothing compared to the secret Jamie held that threatened to shatter her entire world. It was a secret so terrifying that Jamie stayed silent for over 60 years. Jamie Logan — the tough, dominant, successful climber and architect — wanted to be a woman.

At age 69 Jamie announced to her wife and four grown children that she was going to begin the transition to becoming the woman she had always wanted to be. Now, at age 76, and living as a woman, Jamie is living a fulfilled life with more love and connection that she has ever experienced. Her climbing community has deepened, her relationship with her wife has transformed (for the better!), and her sense of self has never been so strong…nor has her sense of purpose. Jamie wants to let other trans people know that life can be OK. In fact, it can be better than you could ever imagine! And that’s what this short film is about: Jamie’s journey to allow herself to be herself.

Directors: Stash Wislocki, Patty J Arndt

Producers: Patty J Arnt, Suzan Beraza

Editors: Carly Latcham, Stash Wislocki

Cast: Libby James

Director of Photography: Stash Wislocki

FEMALE DIRECTOR + PRODUCER

At one time Libby James held more running records than Flo-Jo and Usain Bold combined, yet most likely you have never heard of her. She is considered the grandmother of women’s competitive running despite not having started running until she was 35. Currently, she holds six American records and in 2012 was the highest point-graded runner in the world.

Directors: Timothée Callec, Thomas Palmer, Maria-Alejandra Rubio

Producers: Elisa Varlotta, Alita Contreras

Cast: Elisa Varlotta, Alita Contreras, Daniela Forero, Abi Gabriela Galindo, Katy Guzman, Marcela Avellaneda, Alba Erika Mesa

Directors of Photography: Nicolas Hambleton, Palmer Thomas

Sound Design: Adriana Moreno

Sound: Quentin Callec

Composer: Nicolas Soto

Editor: Paloma Rincon

FEMALE DIRECTOR + PRODUCERS

In a "Maloca" (House of Thoughts) at the base of the rock, seven women climbers gather around a fire. Alejandra, the facilitator, sets the tone: "We have different paths and stories. Tonight, we share our experiences in confronting our struggles. The talking circle is a safe space where the fire inspires courage. What have we been through?” In the darkness, their voices rise, recounting memories and adventures. We follow them on their groundbreaking achievements: the first female ascents on high-difficulty sport routes, scaling 5,000-meter mountains, and free solo traditional routes. Their tales of struggle and personal transformation are vividly set against the rivers and misty fog of the Colombian tropical and Andean landscapes.

As they sit in the circle, the women open up about grief, motherhood, eating disorders, domestic violence, and bicultural identity. The tension is palpable as they confront their hidden secrets, questions, and pain, building until a scream pierces the air: "This is enough." With the arrival of dawn, Alba, an indigenous Nasa woman, reflects: “I thought I was the only one who faced hardships. Listening to you all shows that you are warriors. Now I know what I am capable of.” The magic of the talking circle has manifested, revealing the strength and resilience of these women climbers.

Director: Justin Diamond

Producer: A As In Atticus

Directors of Photography: Zeppelin Zeerip, Justin Diamond

Editor: Erik Klein

In this short film, cyclist Lindsey Stevenson reflects on balancing motherhood and cycling, from pregnancy to childbirth to her return to racing. She shares how resilience, adaptation, and persistence have shaped her experience and hopes to instill these values in her children. Her comeback takes place at the Wasatch All-Road, a grueling gravel race, where she tackles the infamous "Wall." As Lindsey pushes through, she proves that cycling is more than just a race—it’s a testament to facing life’s hardest moments head-on.

Director: Sarah Hamilton

Producer: Colleen Canty

Cast: Dolly Chapman, Amelia Ryan, Corton Olver, Dave Harrison

FEMALE DIRECTOR + PRODUCER

2023 RECIPIENT NMLFF FEMALE FILMMAKER GRANT

Dolly's Song is a 13-minute documentary following retired trailbuilder Dolly Chapman as she passes on the art of the crosscut saw. She never had a mentor herself and is looking to give that to the next generation of stewards.

Director, Animation Sync + Director of Photography: Henna Taylor

Executive Producers: Henna Taylor, Arc'teryx

Written by: Madaleine Sorkin

Illustrators: Sophie Binder, Catrina Odom, Laurel Cheney, Gretchen Kowalczyk, Emily Barents

Original Score: Josué Vergara

FEMALE DIRECTOR + PRODUCER

Climbing a route like the Dunn-Westbay direct wasn't just a feat of athleticism, but an intimate and creative endeavor for Arc’teryx Ambassador Madeleine Sorkin. Topping out at over 13,000 Feet, there have been only four recorded ascents of the route that finds its way to the summit of Long’s Peak in Colorado’s Front Range. For Madaleine Sorkin to become the 5th person (and 1st woman), she had to dig deep. Follow along on her journey in a short film that turns 4 pitches, 1,000 feet of climbing, and an immense experience into 7229 frames of original artwork and a one-of-a-kind animated short film.

Director + Producer: Catherine Aeppel

Director of Photography: Anna Wilder Burns

Cast: Sam Gordon

FEMALE DIRECTOR + PRODUCER

Through her unique and playful approach to yoga, Sam helps people rediscover the joy in both their yoga practice and their life.

Director: Kai Axmacher

Producer: Storm & Shelter

Creative Producer + Scriptwriter: Jess Gardner

Cinematographer: Lewis Jelley

Production Coordinator: Charlotte Harris

Cast: Sofie Ekstrom-Gabb

FEMALE PRODUCER

When we were introduced to Sofie and her family through a mutual friend, we didn't really have a plan for the film, but it quickly became obvious that the film was going to be a story of strength and determination, but perhaps not in a traditional sense. The lengths that Sofie goes to stay on top of her game is an inspiration to us all. We hope that this film tells a story of how strength and beauty are one and the same, earned through the pursuit of perfection. The film was shot in three days; two in Cardiff and one at the championships in Nottingham, which Sofie's team won.

Directors: Rachel Ross, Janelle Dransfield

Producer: Janelle Dransfield

FEMALE DIRECTORS + PRODUCERS

ONSIGHT features Seneida Biendarra as she finds herself embracing her journey to accept her disability, leading her to a worldwide competition stage.

Director: Sara Price

Editor: Alana Curtis

Design: Ari Curtis

FEMALE DIRECTOR

At the peak of the 2023 Writer’s Guild strike, a television writer reflects on the isolation that can come with a Hollywood career. Seeking a means to reconnect with her community, she organizes a marathon weaving along the picket lines of ten studios through the sprawling city of Los Angeles.

Director: William Binamé

Producer: Danielle Kappy

Cinematographers + Editors: William Binamé, Laurent Bilodeau

Photographer: Joel Ducrot

Cast: Celeste Pomerantz

FEMALE PRODUCER

Almost one year after a disastrous trip in the Chilcotin Mountains which left Celeste Pomerantz with a dislocated elbow and broken bike, she finds herself exploring a different kind of challenge: how to get your mind back into a confident space to continue to explore these longer and dangerous bike adventures.

Director: Ellen Bradley

Producers: Ellen Bradley, Connor Ryan

Editor: Riley Hanlon

Photographer: Matthew Tufts

FEMALE DIRECTOR + PRODUCER

Confronted with the frustration of false narratives and intergenerational trauma that surround her, Tlingit skier and scientist Ellen Bradley returns to her traditional homelands in Southeast Alaska. Here, she uses skiing as a tool to reclaim her connection to the land she belongs to. The abundance and biodiversity of Lingít aaní (Tlingit land) have shaped the people of the tides since time immemorial, molding all aspects of traditional and contemporary Tlingit life. Meanwhile, the outdoor industry depicts Alaska as a resource-rich landscape waiting to be conquered and exploited.

Just like the ancestors of Ellen’s paternal clan, the Dog Salmon, have always done, people are meant to live in a reciprocal relationship with the land in gratitude of the abundant life they are gifted. Weaving ancestral knowledge, scientific understanding, and passion for her sport, we follow Ellen’s journey to help her community reclaim its place at the forefront of the stories told about their homelands. By dismantling barriers to access to snowsports for Alaska Native youth, she empowers a generation to reclaim their relationship to the land in hopes that the mountains can teach them what it will take to endure the fight to protect their culture, language, and home forever.