2023 Virtual Flagship festival
kick off international women’s day with films to inspire your next adventure
March 8th - 18th
[ANYWHERE YOU ARE]
What is Virtual Flagship?
After our first-ever Dever Flagship in 2020, we pivoted our platform in less than one month to bring our community a little slice of joy at the start of the pandemic. In 2021, we canceled our 6th Annual film festival and brought Flagship Festival to YOU. (What? We’re hip with the times—we even figured out TikTok, sorta. Ok, ok—our intern figured out TikTok.)
Virtual Flagship is just like joining us for a NMLFF event, except—you get to do it from home! While we know that this could never replace the true theatrical, in-person experience of a NMLFF event, we thought that this was the perfect way to gather the hearts and minds of our community together in solidarity. We are excited to continue offering the magic of our films and guest speakers to our community across the globe.
If you missed our 8th Annual Virtual Flagship Festival in Denver—we got you! Our Virtual Flagship Festival is our all-comprehensive film festival in one virtual package. With your support and ticket purchase, you will be able to rent and view panel discussions + films any time between Wednesday, March 8th (International Women’s Day) | 12:00 a.m. MST - Saturday, March 18th | 11:59 p.m. MST.
ten days. your favorite filmmakers, athletes, speakers, and a whole lot of goodness. lfg.
2023 VIRTUAL FESTIVAL PROGRAMMING
ALL PROGRAMMING OFFERS CLOSED-CAPTIONING + PANEL DISCUSSIONS ARE INTERPRETED BY ASL INTERPRETERS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY.
VIRTUAL FLAGSHIP FILM PROGRAMS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO RENT WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8TH AT 12:00 AM MST THROUGH SATURDAY, MARCH 18TH AT 11:59 PM MST (MIDNIGHT).
INDIVIDUAL FILM PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE TO RENT FOR 48 HOURS. ALL-ACCESS VIRTUAL PASSES GIVE ATTENDEES ACCESS TO RENT AND STREAM FILMS FOR 30 DAYS.
PROGRAM I
PROGRAM II
PROGRAM III
PROGRAM IV
PROGRAM V
Program VI
Program VII
Kid friendly Program
2023 guest speakers + PERFORMERS
RECORDED PANEL DISCUSSIONS FROM OUR 3.3 + 3.4 DENVER FLAGSHIP FESTIVAL ARE UPLOADED WITH ASL INTERPRETATION IN ORDER TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY.
this year, we proudly bring Alexis Krauss of sleigh bells to the stage for a musical performance with the effervescent n3ptune, a Denver-based based pop artist. AK has been crooning the lyrics of your favorite no man’s land trailers since 2018, and we promise it’ll be rill rill good.
ALEXIS KRAUSS //
she, her
Alexis Krauss is a longtime lover of the outdoors with a background in elementary education + human rights. She has been guiding adventures since 2016 and especially loves sharing the transformative power of nature with youth.
An avid climber, she is an AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide, Single Pitch Instructor, NYS licensed climbing + hiking guide, outdoor educator with Wild Earth, and co-founder of Kinship Climbing Collective, a leadership program for NYC girls + gender-expansive youth, and Rise Outside, a NY- based 501c3 dedicated to creating access to outdoor adventure for underrepresented communities through inclusive, qualified mentorship.
Alexis is a working musician and one-half of the band Sleigh Bells.
Photograph courtesy of Katherine Taylor.
N3ptune // HE, HIM
N3ptune is an explosive multi-hyphenate hailing from Denver, CO. Heavily influenced by his upbringing in the Baptist Church, N3ptune is a genre-bender who merges the essence of gospel, blues, and soul into an amalgamation of pop music as only his mind can create. Performing alongside his best friend and frequent collaborator, Rusty Steve, their songs are bold and brash, and their live performances are raw and captivating. Their quick ascent from the local DIY scene to performing on some of Denver's most prominent stages like Red Rocks, and supporting the likes of Rina Sawayama, Wyclef Jean, Sleigh Bells, Kennyhoopla, and Aluna (of AlunaGeorge), have made N3ptune and Rusty Steve staples in Denver's music scene.
Photograph courtesy of Future Garden.
RUSTY STEVE // HE, HIM
Rusty Steve is an artist, guitarist, producer, mixing/mastering engineer, and graphic/fashion designer. Having attended Berklee College of Music, his knowledge of music theory and music production is distinguished. Having played guitar for 12 years, he has sharpened his skills and original sound.
Photograph courtesy of Future Garden.
REAL MAGIC IS BROUGHT TO LIFE BY THE INDIVIDUALS WE BRING OUT TO LET THEIR TALENTS SHINE.
Elijah Ayers increases accessibility as he returns for his third year to interpret for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Dan Lasher joins for his first flagship. ally Weinhold shines a light on mental health in the outdoor industry. photographer Emily trombly joins us to document both evenings. Jen Gurecki from Coalition Snow and Alexis Krauss from Sleigh Bells lead the conversation.
ALLY WEINHOLD // she, her
Ally Weinhold is a Los Angeles-based comedian, social worker, and alcoholic. When she’s not performing stand-up across the country (you may have seen her at major theaters in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Atlanta), Ally can be found crying in Trader Joe’s after the checker asks her how she’s doing in “a really genuine way.” Ally doesn’t care how cheesy it sounds, she believes that laughter is the best medicine and that comedy can heal trauma. She is committed to turning pain into punchlines, no matter how many family Holidays she ruins in the process.
Emily trombly // she, her
Emily is a professional photographer based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Her love for the outdoors, human connection, and sports can be seen through rock climbing, snowboarding, trail running, and hiking with her dog. When she's not out exploring the Wasatch Mountains, you can find her enjoying quality time with friends.
ELIJAH AYERS // HE, HIM
Elijah Ayers is originally from Southern California and moved to Colorado back in 2009 via the Military. At the start of his undergrad, he started as a Social Work major, but his love for language, culture, and community quickly lead him down the path to becoming an ASL Interpreter. Elijah was enamored with the Deaf community and dove head-first into a Bachelor of the Arts with a focus on interpreting. He continues to provide accessibility to a diverse and extremely complex population. When Elijah isn’t interpreting, you can find him running the various trails of Colorado. Or, up in the mountains getting fresh turns with friends.
Jen Gurecki
Jen Gurecki is the founder and CEO of Coalition Snow, a women-owned + operated ski and snowboard brand. Coalition’s mission is to put an end to shrink-it-and-pink-it and toxic bro culture and amplify a community that values camaraderie over competition and solidarity over sending. She also founded Zawadisha, a social enterprise whose mission is to provide small loans to rural Kenyan women to finance their livelihoods. She holds a master’s degree from Prescott College and dropped out of their PhD program when she realized that being a CEO was more productive than being a grad student. She’s been featured in Outside Magazine, Huck Magazine, Red Bull Magazine, and Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the top 50 Most Daring Entrepreneurs. She spends her evenings wondering what Joan Jet would do and reminiscing about that time she cycled across Africa.
dan lasher // he, him
Dan is an American Sign Language interpreter, who enjoys all things emergency management related. You can usually find him sitting near a campfire, swimming in the complex details of Water and Environmental Law in the Mountain West. When he's not working, he thoroughly enjoys being walloped by his children in a spirited game of MarioKart. If you wave your hands around wildly, you'll probably get his attention.
2023 GUEST SPEAKERS
EACH YEAR, WE GATHER THE HEARTS, MINDS, AND COMMUNITY that MAKE UP NO MAN’S LAND FOR A HECKIN GOOD TIME.
WE INVITED WOMEN + ALLIES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO EMBODY OUR MISSION TO UN-DEFINE FEMININITY AND SHARE OUR GOAL OF GENDER equality TO DENVER. YOU CAN SEE THE FOLLOWING ATHLETES, FILMMAKERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, AND ADVOCATES SPEAK ON OUR SATURDAY AFTERNOON PANELS.
BLAKE ALLEN GREEN // HE, HIM
Blake Allen Green has been learning and teaching rock climbing for the last two decades. His energy is spent in the indoor climbing industry route setting + coaching youth climbing competitions. Within the growing industry, he works to support equitable and inclusive work environments while unlearning many of the toxic and biased behaviors he grew up taking for granted. Blake has a wonderful snuggly cat named Mr. Pickles, and hail from the land of Southern sandstone and rhododendron.
Photograph courtesy of Tim Foote.
CALEB ROBINSON // HE, HIM
Professional climber, Mountain Hardwear athlete, and artist turned photographer, Caleb Robinson is a man of many passions. Based out of Salt Lake City UT, his love for life, people, and all things adventure are fueled by long walks at night, a well-defined coffee palette, getting lost in music, and the silence in between. Despite being satisfied with his way of life, he feels like he is far from reaching his potential and constantly pursues growth.
CAT RUNNER // HE, HIM
Standing at a staggering 5ft, Cat took up rock climbing to see the world from a higher vantage point. When he's not hanging from a line or falling to the ground, Cat spends his time creating pretty images, snuggling his pup, and advocating for the trans community. He's the founder of the Queer Climber's Network, an organization dedicated to uplifting and connecting queer and trans individuals in the climbing space.
Photograph courtesy of Amanda Bastien.
CHESHIRE Li // THEY, THEM
Cheshire Li is a multi-skilled filmmaker + photographer with a deep curiosity for new experiences and a heart for community. As a queer Chinese-American child of immigrants, they bring a complex, inclusive, and compassionate perspective to their storytelling. They work on commercial and narrative sets in grip, electric, and camera department, and spend their summers mountain biking and their winters snowboarding. The heart of their personal work aims to explore inclusive and intersectional ideas in film while holding the complexity and nuance of those liminal spaces.
Photograph courtesy of Alex Witkowicz.
GENEVIVE WALKER // SHE, HER
Mountain Hardwear Athlete Genevive Walker began climbing in the Shawangunk Mountains in 2012, sparking a love for steep routes with drippy tufas, roofs, and anything that requires kneebar trickery. She is a Single Pitch Instructor certified by the American Mountain Guides Association and currently pursuing her Rock Guide to further her career in order to build community, help people acquire skills, competency, and confidence to safely enjoy the outdoors, and increase equity + access for underrepresented groups. When Genevive isn’t climbing, she loves to slackline, cook and drink good wine with friends, and binge-watch Netflix.
Photograph courtesy of Scott Clark.
JULES JIMREIVAT //
SHE, HER
Jules is a professional climber, photographer, and filmmaker based out of Bend, Oregon. Navigating the intersection between outdoor spaces, adventure sports, and anthropological place in the natural world, Jules’ work creates meaning using digital media. When she’s not dangling from cliffs, Jules can be found backcountry skiing, biking, and/or stoking the fire on personal projects.
LINA KRUECK // SHE, HER
Lina Krueck is an Oglala Lakota + Chicana artist, writer, and activist based in Denver, Colorado. Lina is a transracial adoptee on a journey of reconnection, learning about her culture and ancestral history. She is passionate about social + climate justice work, and is devoted to the land, coffee, and her four-legged animal kin. Lina hopes to open a community center to provide support for mental + emotional health, cultural education, resources for trauma survivors and those living with addiction, and a safe space for Indigenous, Black, and Brown folks to build community.
Photograph courtesy of Janelle Paciencia.
MARLEY BLONKSY // SHE, HER
Marley Blonsky is a self-proclaimed fat adventure cyclist. As the Co-Founder of All Bodies on Bikes, she's working to make the bike industry more welcoming and inclusive for people of all sizes, shapes, and abilities to experience joyful movement on a bike. Marley’s work is supported by companies including Cannondale, Pearl Izumi, Shimano, Ride with GPS, and more!
MICHELI OLIVER //
SHE, HER
Micheli Oliver is a photographer, filmmaker, + human rights activist. Their hope is to facilitate connection with the world + to help people fall in love with the land we must protect. They center BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ voices + work to create intentional safe spaces for honest + joyful storytelling. They look for loud voices that refuse to be silenced in order to paint a story with their lightbox. Micheli has worked on "Spirit of the Peaks" + "Who Is a Runner". Their photo + writing has been published in Backcountry Magazine, Powder Magazine, Freeskier Magazine, Sisu Magazine and featured with Fujifilm, Patagonia, Hydroflask, Solomon, Backcountry, REI, and more.
PALMER MORSE // he, him
Palmer Morse is a multi-disciplinary award-winning filmmaker interested in stories of humans, our planet, and the interactions of the two. As a Director, Producer, DP, and Editor, his work has been showcased in publications such as National Geographic, PBS, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Outside Magazine, and in film festivals around the world. He currently lives on the homelands of the Ohlone people, in what is now known as Oakland, California, and is the Co-Founder of Spruce Tone Films.
PAULA CHAMPAGNE // she, her
Paula Champagne is a Visual Storyteller specializing in film, documentary photography, illustration, and graphic design. Champagne’s multimedia work communicates authentic human experiences. Inspired by her own experiences in the outdoors—her most recent projects explore and honor the intersection of Blackness, nature, and rest. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her spouse, daughter, and their dog.
RACHAEL BURKS // she, her
Mountain Hardwear athlete Rachael Burks is a professional skier based out of Utah. She competed on the Freeskiing World Tour internationally and has since appeared in several Warren Miller and Teton Gravity Research Films. She has also starred in several all-women's ski films and love to speak to the power of mentorship. Rachael sits on the board of a non-profit called The Billy Poole Foundation designed to inspire youth to spend time outside. She can be found at either Alta or Snowbird most winter days at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon.
rosalie fish // she, her
Rosalie Fish is a student-athlete from the University of Washington, and a national advocate for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit. Rosalie grew up on the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation in Auburn, Washington, and dedicates her races to Indigenous struggles to raise awareness.
Photograph courtesy of Camp4 Collective.
TAYLOR BENNETT-BEGAYE // SHE, HER
Taylor Bennett-Begaye is a Diné citizen from the New Mexico side of the Navajo Nation. She resides on the original homelands of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho (also known as Denver) where she recently obtained her master’s degree in media + public communications from the University of Denver. Taylor’s overall goal is to create and foster a community to lower the barrier for Indigenous people in the outdoors while also being fairly new to the space. When she is not outdoors, you can find her sewing, enjoying DIY projects, putting to use her Masters Degree working for TURNER PR, binging shows, cooking new recipes, or sneaking away to see her family in New Mexico or friends around the US.
perry cohen // he, him
Perry Cohen is an avid backcountry skier, biker, runner and aspiring surfer and river rafter. He realized a lifelong dream of combining his love of the outdoors, his commitment to social justice, his own identity, and his professional life when he founded The Venture Out Project, Basecamp at Beaver Falls, and Transhealth Northampton.
Perry and his partner, Amy, have four children and love to travel and adventure but make their home in the hills and trails of Western Massachusetts.
Photograph courtesy of Palmer Morse.