Press Release / Awards Ceremony

22nd Tegernsee International Mountain Film Festival, 15–19 October 2025

“Champions of the Golden Valley” wins Great Prize of the City of Tegernsee 

The winner of the 22nd Tegernsee International Mountain Film Festival has been announced: the €3,000 Great Prize of the City of Tegernsee goes to “Champions of the Golden Valley” by Ben Sturgulewski. The Prize by the German Alpine Club (DAV) for the Best Alpine Film in the category Mountain Experience is awarded to Eric Bissell for “Flashed”. In the categories Mountain Nature, Mountain Life, and the Otto Guggenbichler Young Talent Award, “Requiem in White,” “Climbing Never Die,” and “Going East” each receive €1,000. The newly established “Emerging Documentary Filmmaker Award” goes to Hanna Schneider and Paul Schweller.

 Ben Sturgulewski is the top winner of this year’s festival. His film “Champions of the Golden Valley”—considered a potential contender for the 2026 Oscar for Best Documentary—rose above more than 70 international entries to claim the €3,000 Great Prize. The film follows the dreams of skiers in the mountains of Afghanistan, a country on the brink of collapse. Dedicated coach Alishah Farhang organizes a ski race for boys and girls, creating an event that fosters joy, ambition, and solidarity. But after the Taliban’s takeover in 2022, many of the skiers become refugees, scattered across the globe. According to the jury, “Champions of the Golden Valley” is “told with urgency, striking visuals, and coherent sequences. The film deepens our understanding of the refugee experience.”

 A Historic Climb by a Female Athlete
One attempt. That’s all Babsi Zangerl needed to climb the 3,000-foot big wall route “Freerider” on El Capitan with her partner Jacopo Larcher. The film “Flashed” tells the story of this extraordinary achievement by a native of Austrian Vorarlberg. Babsi becomes the first person ever to flash a route on El Cap. “The film,” the jury notes, “portrays this feat with both impact and restraint, exploring the dynamics of a climbing partnership, the interplay of success and failure, and a historic ascent.” “Flashed” receives the German Alpine Club’s Prize for the Best Alpine Film in the category Mountain Experience.

A Powerful Portrait of Glacier Loss
“Requiem in Weiß” (Requiem in White) delivers a sobering look at the immense pressure facing glaciers worldwide. Austrian director and former professional athlete Harry Putz leaves viewers to draw their own conclusions: We must not lose time. But is there still time? “The music of the requiem has already begun to play,” the jury writes, awarding “Requiem in Weiß” Best Film in the category Mountain Nature.

A Courageous Journey into a War Zone
“Climbing Never Die” is a deeply moving and timely film. It shows that climbing is more than a sport—it can be a source of strength and connection in times of crisis. “The filmmaker’s personal relationships and conversations with the protagonists give the film depth. His journey into war-torn Ukraine is extraordinarily brave yet never feels sensationalized. The focus remains on the people and how they strive to live with their circumstances,” the jury states, unanimously awarding “Climbing Never Die” Best Film in the category Mountain Life.

Young Talent Award for “Going East” by Loic Isliker
The Otto Guggenbichler Prize for a Junior Filmmaker 2025 goes to 27-year-old Loic Isliker for “Going East”. His film shows that a ski trip by public transport offers more than just climate benefits—it’s an adventure in itself. “He’s created a compact film where athletic performance and protagonists don’t take center stage but instead guide us through a story that leaves room for complexity, invites more sustainable travel, and showcases the thrill of getting there,” the jury notes.

Best Cinematography, Special Film, and Honourable Mentions
The Prize for Most Outstanding Camera Work goes to director Vladimir Petrovíc and cinematographer Ivan Čojbašić for “Dieses gute Land” (Goodlands). The Prize for the Special Film is awarded to “Tian – Generation Farmfluencer” by Thomas Schäfer and Meike Hollnaicher. Two films receive Honourable Mentions: “Farming Turns” by documentary filmmaker Anthony Bonello and “The Future of Climbing” by director Guillaume Broust.

This year’s Bayern 2 Audience Award goes to “Buhl – Über alle Gipfel hinaus” (Buhl – Beyond all peaks) by Werner Bertolan.

New: “Emerging Documentary Filmmaker Award”
The newly launched €5,000 Tegernsee Incentive Prize for Emerging Documentary Filmmakers, initiated by the Tegernsee International Mountain Film Festival and Bavarian sports shoe manufacturer LOWA, is awarded to Hanna Schneider and Paul Schweller. Their film project “Strahlesuecher” (Crystal Seekers) impressed Festival Director Tom Dauer: “Crystal hunting is a compelling topic, and although it’s been explored on film before, I’m excited to see a fresh perspective. The approach described by the awardees feels both dramaturgically and aesthetically convincing, promising a distinctive documentary voice. The production itself is small-scale, sustainable, and very much in tune with the times.” The finished film will premiere in October 2026 at the 23rd Tegernsee Mountain Film Festival.

Festival Director Tom Dauer Reflects on the Event’s Success
At Saturday’s Award Ceremony, new Festival Director Tom Dauer shared a positive outlook: “The festival was very well attended, with many sold-out events. Beyond the numbers, there’s a personal sense that the audience truly embraced the programme. “From my perspective, the festival was cinematically fresh and deeply engaged with the pressing political issues of our time.” The 23rd Tegernsee International Mountain Film Festival will take place from 14–18 October 2026. Mark your calendars!

 

Further Information: Sonderbüro Bergfilm-Festival Tegernsee, phone +49(0)8022-1801 – 27; bergfilm@tegernsee.de, online: www.bergfilm-tegernsee.de