NZ Mountain Film Festival brings awarding-winning Kiwi-made films to the adventure capital

NZ filmmakers once again proved their talents, picking up several prestigious awards at this year’s NZ Mountain Film competition and Queenstown audiences will have the chance to watch their films when the doors open on the NZ Mountain Film Festival on 29 June. None of the films have been screened in Queenstown before.

Get a taste of the action with the official festival trailer here.

Image (Supplied): 'Changabang' - Winner of the Best NZ-Made Film

Running for two nights, on 29 and 30 June at the Queenstown Memorial Centre, the festival includes three shows and an exciting lineup of films and guest speakers.

World-leading ski mountaineers Brette Harrington (USA) and Christina Lustenberger (CAN) headline the opening night show and will be sharing stories from some of their death-defying missions making daring first ski descents while climbing and skiing impossibly steep lines.

Opening night also features the winner of the Best NZ-Made Film, Changabang: Return to the Shining Mountain, directed by Nick Kowalski.

The film features three climbers from the New Zealand Alpine Team as they try their luck on this infamous climb, not conquered since British alpinists Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker made the first ascent of the West Wall in 1976.

Kowalski also picks up the award for Best Climbing Film, for Enchainment, following 2022 festival speakers Alastair McDowell and Hamish Fleming on a quest to enchain New Zealand’s 24 highest mountains above 3000 metres in a continuous 31-day push. Enchainment will screen as part of the Pure NZ show on Friday 30 June 3.30 – 6pm.

This session features several familiar views and faces. Set in Queenstown, Flow State, winner of Best Cinematography award and directed by Jacob Bowling and produced by Will Nelson, is a short documentary traversing the highest line of extreme sport as two friends challenge each other, and themselves, to overcome past trauma and become better men, 1000 metres above ground.

Mountain Turks, directed by Mark Johansson, tells the tale of Erik Bradshaw, an avid mountaineer who turned his crazy idea of building backcountry huts out of water tanks into New Zealand’s first ski traverse, in the mountains between Wanaka and Queenstown, and in the process built a thriving alpine community. Erik will also be the MC of the Pure NZ show.

The Snow Show, an audience favourite, is on Friday 30 June, doors open at 7pm. Audiences are promised an exciting ride all the way from the Scottish mountains to the wilds of Alaska and the volcanoes of Chile. There is also the chance to watch guest speakers Christina Lustenburger and Brette Harrington in action as they climb and ski gnarly first descents on Baffin Island.

The festival is aimed at adventure lovers of all ages and stages, from thrill-seekers to those of us who prefer a gently stroll, and even those who prefer simply to watch it all on screen. There’s even has an online option if you’d rather not leave the couch!

The NZ Mountain Film and Book Festival will run in Wanaka June 23 to 27 and in Queenstown 29 -30 June. The event will also be broadcast online in New Zealand and Australia from June 24 until July 24, 2022.

A selection of film trailers is available to watch here.

Main image (Supplied/Will Nelson): Set in Queenstown, Flow State, winner of Best Cinematography award and directed by Jacob Bowling and produced by Will Nelson, is a short documentary traversing the highest line of extreme sport as two friends challenge each other, and themselves, to overcome past trauma and become better men, 1000 metres above ground.