Now in its 24th year, our festival continues to attract world-class storytelling from across the globe. This year’s international film competition received 266 entries, with 63 films selected for the final programme, including 18 New Zealand-made productions and 17 world premieres.
Festival Director Whitney Oliver says the strength of this year’s programme reflects both the global appetite for adventure storytelling and the continued rise of Kiwi filmmakers.
“The calibre of films this year is exceptional, and it’s exciting to see New Zealand filmmakers continuing to push boundaries and tell uniquely local stories that resonate on a global stage.”
Grand Prize winner: K2 – Chasing Shadows
The festival’s top honour, the Grand Prize, was awarded to French directors David Arnaud and Hugo Clouzeau for K2 – Chasing Shadows.
The film follows alpinist Benjamin Védrines as he undertakes a record-breaking ascent of K2 (8,611m) in just 10 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds without supplemental oxygen. Blending raw physical intensity with a deeper exploration of risk, loss and ambition, the film captures both the scale of the mountain and the mindset required to take it on.
Festival audiences will also see guest speaker Sébastien Montaz-Rosset in action in the film, where he features as one of the cinematographers.
Celebrating Kiwi storytelling: Best NZ-Made
As New Zealand’s original adventure film competition, the festival continues to provide a platform for local filmmakers to share their stories with the world.
The Hiddleston/MacQueen Award for Best NZ-Made Film, along with $2,500 in prize money, was awarded to Dan Sutherland for 100 Days in Fiordland.
The film follows three adventurers spending 100 winter days deep in Fiordland National Park — travelling by sea kayak while towing whitewater boats in search of unexplored rivers. Sustained by hunting, fishing and foraging, the journey becomes a powerful portrait of endurance, exploration and connection to the land.
“Definitely pretty stoked!” said Sutherland on hearing the news of his win. “I think it’s also a relief having a confirmation that people are enjoying what I created after putting so much time, effort and money into the project. It was entirely self-funded, and, being my first film, it was a bit bold to sell my truck and quit my job, so I’m stoked to hear that it’s being enjoyed.”
Originally from Nelson and now based in Queenstown, Sutherland previously worked as a lead driller for a geo-stabilisation company, installing ground anchors. The role allowed him to work in intensive blocks, then take extended time off to travel and pursue his passion for whitewater kayaking.
That passion soon evolved into filmmaking.
Combining technical kayaking skills with a growing interest in photography and videography, Sutherland began documenting expeditions in remote, hard-to-reach environments — places often only accessible by navigating challenging whitewater. His work has since taken him to locations including Northern Quebec and beneath Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River.
“It’s a pretty unique combination,” he says. “Kayaking has given me access to places very few people ever see, and the camera lets me share those experiences.”
In May 2025, Sutherland made the leap to pursue filmmaking full-time, stepping away from his drilling career to focus on telling stories from some of the world’s most remote environments.
Capturing the spirit of the festival
Among this year’s standout entrants is keynote speaker Matheson Brown, whose film RedLine documents his record-breaking 2024 challenge to summit the highest peak in all 50 US states.
The previous record of 21 days 9 hours had been achieved thanks to the use of a private jet. Frustrated that this had become a “pay-to-win” challenge, Matheson went about breaking the record without the use of luxury transport or the backing of any sponsors. He completed the challenge in 20 days, 14 hours and four minutes.
Brown says that while he achieved his goal, the true measure of success is inspiring others to take on their own challenges. The NZMFF judges awarded him the Festival Spirit Award.
Many of the New Zealand filmmakers, including Dan Sutherland and Matheson Brown, will be on hand to introduce their films during the Pure NZ sessions in Wānaka and Queenstown.
The full list of film competition winners is as follows:
Grand Prize
K2 – Chasing Shadows, Directors: David Arnaud & Hugo Clouzeau, USA
Best Short Film Award
Mia, Director: Marco Noe, Australia. NZ Premiere. Ten-year-old Mia is determined to land her biggest skating trick yet — again. For Mia, practice isn’t just routine; it’s progress in motion.
Best Mountain Culture Award
Cumbira, Director: Mateo Barrenengoa, Chile. NZ Premiere. In a small Angolan village, two African brothers aged 10 and 14 prepare to become the first locals to climb a 300-metre rock climb — planting their country’s flag at the summit in a moment poised to transform their entire community forever.
Best Film on the Environment
Chasing Time, Director: Jeff Orlowski-Yang & Sarah Keo, USA. NZ Premiere. Over 15 years, a photographer and his team captured over a million images of retreating glaciers — a landmark climate project now drawing to a close, exploring time, mortality and the power of visual evidence.
Best Climbing Film
The Queen Swing, Director: Thibaut Marot, France, NZ Premiere. An American speed climber and a French big-wall specialist team up to attempt the first all-female ascent of Yosemite’s legendary Triple Crown: El Capitan, Half Dome, and Mount Watkins. 72 pitches and over 2,200 metres of climbing, a feat previously achieved only by men.
Best Snow Sports Film
Hunter’s Moon, Director: Christina Lustenberger & Gee Pierrel, USA, World Premiere. Long-time friend of the festival, Christina Lustenberger, and fellow mountaineer Gee Pierrel are the first to ski an extremely steep line on the East Face of Aoraki.
Best Film on Adventurous Sports & Lifestyles
Mountain of Mystery, Directors:Jake Hopfinger, Justin Fann & Eric Parker, USA. Deep in British Columbia’s most remote landscapes, a group of friends ski, kayak and surf their way through wild country. More than an extreme sports film, this is a story about shared challenge, laughter and the kind of unforgettable moments that only happen far from the beaten path.
Special Jury Awards
Beyond Parallels, Directors: Ariane Moisan & Laurent Poliquin, Canada, NZ Premiere. A 6,900 km expedition across Canada’s Far North runs parallel to an unexpected story — twelve people living with chronic pain covering the same distance together, united by perseverance and shared purpose.
The Five Treasures of the Snows, Directors: John Porter & Dom Bush, UK, NZ Premiere. In 1955, a landmark expedition climbed to within five metres of Kangchenjunga’s summit, stopping short out of respect for local beliefs. A story exploring culture, class and the unsung heroes of mountaineering.
Robson, Director: Philip Forsey, Canada. Two of the world’s most accomplished ski mountaineers set their sights on Mount Robson — the Canadian Rockies’ highest and most formidable peak — retracing pioneering footsteps while battling ice, unpredictable weather and the weight of a dream that has challenged generations.
Better Up There, Director: Mathis Dumas, France. The moving story of pro skier Léo Slemett. Rising through the Freeride World Tour, Léo wages an incessant battle against adversity, carrying the devastating loss of two life partners.
Falling into Place, Directors: Todd Jones & Steve Jones, USA. Born into the iconic action sports production company Teton Gravity Research, co-founded by his acclaimed filmmaker father, Todd Jones, Kai Jones became a professional skier at just 12 years old. At 16, he suffered a near-fatal backcountry injury. Facing multiple surgeries and learning to walk again, he confronts the hardest question of all: does he still want to ski?
Dissidence, Director: Rama Dio Syahputra, Indonesia, NZ Premiere. Twin brothers from Indonesia emerge as unlikely contenders at the Climbing World Championships — crossing the globe on their own resources, from Jakarta’s training walls to a route in the French Alps.
The Fast Line, Directors: Jochen Schmoll, France, NZ Premiere. Swiss climber Nicolas Hojac and Austrian Philipp Brugger attempt to set a new speed record for ascending the north faces of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau in one day.
NZ Award Winners:
Hiddleston/MacQueen Award for Best NZ-Made Film
100 Days in Fiordland, Director: Dan Sutherland.
Grassroots Award
Packraft Paradise, Director: Charlotte Barry-Walsh, NZ, World Premiere. Three paddlers packraft a hidden spring-fed gorge in New Zealand’s North Island. They navigate crystal-clear rapids, moss-lined walls and a standout three-metre drop in one of the country’s most stunning hidden waterways.
Festival Spirit Award
Project RedLine, Director: Matheson Brown. World Premiere.
Spirit of Adventure Award
The Pole of Inaccessibility, Directors: Danny Warley & Ned Bannigan, World Premiere. A paraglider embarks on a multi-day bivouac flight across New Zealand’s Southern Alps, navigating glaciers and vast wilderness to reach the country’s most remote point, the Pole of Inaccessibility. He then faces the challenge of getting back out.
(not) Making an Impact Award
Greensteam: More Than A Movement, Director: Chris Chase, World Premiere. What started as seven friends biking to the ski field in Wānaka has grown into a zero-carbon movement spanning two mountains and two cities. A grassroots story about taking care of the places we love.