the first all-woman + genderqueer adventure film festival
As the premier all-women + genderqueer adventure film festival, No Man’s Land Film Festival (NMLFF) has celebrated the full scope of athletes and adventurers by un-defining femininity in adventure, sport, conservation, and film since 2015. Based out of Denver, CO, NMLFF meets a need and desire to highlight and connect women + gender-nonconforming communities in pursuit of the radical. We are a collaboration of humans who are deeply engaged in enhancing the feminine presence in the outdoor adventure arena. The goal of this festival is to connect like-minded individuals who are action-oriented, wish to support a shared vision of gender equality, have a desire to experience their passions and environments through a uniquely feminine lens — and above all, love adventure.
Along with cultivating a deep interest in exploring the vastness of our planet from a groundbreaking point of view, we strive to create a history of motivating audiences to implement and inspire change through human collaboration. Our mission transcends the films presented; this festival acts as a platform for progressive thought and movement in the outdoor industry. At No Man’s Land, we stand for inclusivity and equality on all levels. The time to act and invest in more women, trans, genderqueer, and BIPOC representation is now. Discrimination exists everywhere, but we all have the power to be changemakers.
our vision + purpose
No Man's Land Film Festival seeks to break patterns and cycles of harm individually, collectively, and globally by upholding a platform for intersectional storytelling that inspires a radically inclusive, accessible, and equitable future. Through art, education, advocacy, and activism, we seek to challenge mainstream representation and work to dismantle the sexist, white-supremacist, cissexist, ableist, and other settler-colonial norms that cause harm to non-archetypal representation within the outdoor industry.
Our work is oriented by the diverse experiences of women, LGBTQ+, Black, Indigenous, and multiracial communities of all abilities. We seek to foster environments and experiences to further educate and inspire audiences globally. With strong roots in feminism, No Man’s Land champions emerging and established voices of the global majority through exclusive premieres, panel discussions, and live performance.
The Festival was founded in 2015 as a response to the lack of women-representation in the larger outdoor media and has grown to become the premier adventure film festival for women and gender-nonconforming athletes. All genders are welcome, and No Man’s Land encourages everyone to attend in expanding our collective capacity for growth and compassion.
NMLFF is a woman-led, service-minded, community-oriented arts and advocacy non-profit organization.
our commitment
At No Man’s Land, we stand for inclusivity and equality on all levels. It is our responsibility to learn, un-learn, and educate our audience while amplifying the voices of changemakers. Our words will always come with action and we are committed to becoming a deliberate part of much-needed change:
We believe that the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and countless others are inexcusable acts of inhumane police brutality and injustice. NMLFF stands in solidarity with the Black community within the outdoors and beyond in pursuit of justice and condemns the systemic racism and discrimination that prevails within our culture.
In 2020, we offered "Diversify Our Outdoors" Virtual Film Program to our global audiences. The original programming featured films that showcased Black athletes’ joy and talent. All proceeds from this event were donated to Outdoor Afro, a national non-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black leadership in nature. "Diversify Our Outdoors" was permanently added to our World Tour to continue amplifying Black, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and women of color’s voices. This film program is updated each year.
In 2020, we expanded our platform to include the experiences of and advocate for LGBTQ+ communities, especially transgender athletes. No Man’s Land seeks to destabilize the gender binary by exploring the nuances of identity through an intersectional and pluralistic lens.
We aim to amplify the voices of non-archetypical marginalized communities and facilitate them in telling their stories through their unique lens and experience. In addition to our Female Filmmaker Grants, NMLFF announced its first-ever Black Female Filmmaker Grant in 2020, followed by our Genderqueer Filmmaker Grant in 2023. Pitchfest is an opportunity for female and genderqueer filmmakers to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges. One winner is awarded the monies from our Film Fund, totaling $2,500.
We are dedicated to adding diverse voices to our staff and Board of Directors, including but not limited to women of color, trans, genderqueer, and BIPOC individuals. We always pay equal and fair wages.
No Man’s Land is committed to improving experiences for our audiences of all abilities, including those who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, in alignment with our racial equity and inclusion goals. Prioritizing equitable accessibility, all film programming includes closed captions and in-person events are accompanied by American Sign Language interpreters.
No Man’s Land is firmly committed to using our platform and privilege to advocate for justice. We consider inclusion and accessibility the drivers of institutional excellence and, therefore, it is our aim that all of our programming and platforms reflect and embrace these core values at every level.
our manifesto
We are allies. We are sunsets and alpenglow, dangerous riptides and endless singletrack. We are coffee-fueled optimists who may dance-all-night into an alpine start and laugh too loudly at jokes that no one else understands. But we are more than that. We are the vastness to the mountains, we are the horizon to the sea. We are global and there is no end to our possibility. We are rugged and determined. We are forged from a fire of passion and grit; we are nurtured by adventure. We will not be denied. We celebrate our voices and our bodies: their strength, their power, their ability to move mountains or, at the very least, to climb them to the top. We are unique. We are individual. We are human. We don’t draw lines, because everyone defines their own.
At No Man's Land, we aim to leverage our relationships, platforms, and convening power to create a future where gender equality is a given — not a buzzword. We strongly believe in a future where women, transgender, and genderqueer folk can thrive by addressing the structural challenges of gender inequality including discriminatory attitudes, behaviors, and practices.
Starting dialogue is one of the best places to begin when it comes to addressing gender inequality. Showcasing films is the second best place. These films that our platform is based upon reaffirm our right to tell our own stories. Women, gender-nonconforming, Black, Indigenous, and multiracial communities deserve this space. Our goal is to continue inspiring people to shatter stereotypes and reinforce the notion that being “feminine” is showing up as you are — and that you are capable of everything.
In Solidarity,
No Man’s Land