Champions of the Golden Valley

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Champions of the Golden Valley

2025

1h 21m

Documentary

Sports

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2 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

In the remote mountains of Bamyan, Afghanistan, a newfound passion for skiing attracts young athletes from rival villages who showcase their resourcefulness and skill on the slopes. With minimal gear and makeshift wooden skis, the determined ski coach Alishah Farhang organizes a thrilling ski race that fosters camaraderie, joy, and triumph. However, after the shocking collapse of their country, many of the skiers are displaced across the globe as refugees, and must call upon the lessons learned in the mountains of their homeland to find a way forward. The film captures the thrill of a sports rivalry intertwined with a poignant portrait of a community in profound transition -- parallel stories converging to explore what it means to be a champion.

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

10/12/2024

3.5/4.0

Champions of the Golden Valley is a necessary film that invigorates, challenges, demands thought, and inspires hope.

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Soham Gadre

Film Inquiry

06/24/2024

For all the shiny camerawork and nicely rendered imagery and the jarring juxtaposition of footage of the Taliban’s and Al-Qaeda’s war with the United States, this documentary tends to treat these nationally catastrophic events as happenstance.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Oct 31

Real footage in 1 hour and 23 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dubbed and subtitled in worldwide studios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Filmed in 2025 in color!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Celebrating 5 years on: October 31st, 2030!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Ben Sturgulewski

Director

Katie Stjernholm

Producer

Baktash Ahadi

Producer

Douglas Blush

Executive Producer

Chris Temple

Executive Producer

Zach Ingrasci

Executive Producer

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Synopsis

In the remote mountains of Bamyan, Afghanistan, a newfound passion for skiing attracts young athletes from rival villages who showcase their resourcefulness and skill on the slopes. With minimal gear and makeshift wooden skis, the determined ski coach Alishah Farhang organizes a thrilling ski race that fosters camaraderie, joy, and triumph. However, after the shocking collapse of their country, many of the skiers are displaced across the globe as refugees, and must call upon the lessons learned in the mountains of their homeland to find a way forward. The film captures the thrill of a sports rivalry intertwined with a poignant portrait of a community in profound transition -- parallel stories converging to explore what it means to be a champion.

Director: Ben Sturgulewski
Producer: Katie Stjernholm, Baktash Ahadi
Distributor: Sturgefilm
Production Co: Sturgefilm
Genre: Documentary, Sports
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 31, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 1h 21m