Mountainfilm Announces Impactful Lineup of Speakers for its 47th Year

Telluride, Colorado (April 29, 2025) – Mountainfilm brings together leading luminaries, journalists, activists, adventurers and Indigenous leaders for its Minds Moving Mountains Speaker Series this Memorial Day weekend in Telluride, Colorado. The Speaker Series will cover poignant topics from critical conservation efforts, global exploration and so much more — all centered on Mountainfilm’s mission to inspire audiences to create a better world. Mountainfilm will celebrate its 47th year of indomitable spirit in the heart of the San Juan Mountains May 22-26, 2025.

This year’s Minds Moving Mountains Speaker Series kicks off with Friday’s Symposium: A New Era of Conservation: How Indigenous Leadership Is Reshaping What We Thought We Knew About Land Management. This flagship panel will focus on the movement to re-Indigenize conservation and the vital role of Indigenous voices, knowledge and history in conservation efforts. Panelists include Jade Begay (Diné and Tesuque Pueblo) Indigenous rights and climate policy expert, Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) gubernatorial candidate for governor of New Mexico, Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Ernest House Jr. (Ute Mountain Ute) Senior Policy Director, Center for Tribal & Indigenous Engagement, Keystone Policy Center; Board of Trustees, The Nature Conservancy, Dr. Len Necefer (Diné) CEO, NativesOutdoors, Ken Lucero (Zia Pueblo and Cochiti Pueblo) Senior Director, Tribal & Indigenous Lands Initiative, Trust for Public Land, Brooke LaRae Woods (Dlel Taaneets) Climate Adaptation Specialist, Woodwell Climate Research Center and Konwanahktotha Alvera Sargent (Mohawk Nation) The Opening Address Co-Director, as they explore collaborations between tribes and conservation-focused organizations, opportunities to improve practices and steps to reshape policies. 

The Speaker Series will continue throughout the weekend with legendary explorers Mandip Singh Soin and Edmund Stump, who will present stories and lessons from a lifetime exploring the globe — from the Arctic to the Antarctic and countless places in between. Mountainfilm’s 2025 Guest Director Sophia Bush will host a thoughtful conversation centered on women’s rights, climate action and the transformative power of collective voice. Palaeoanthropologist, explorer and evolutionary biologist Ella Al-Shamahi and climate economist Sage Lenier will take us deep into our origins to explore humanity’s journey thus far as well as our future. And longtime festival friends and supporters Cheryl Strayed and Tom Shadyac will wrap up the weekend by asking, “What Now?” They will lead a talk about how to take the valuable learnings and insights from the festival and incorporate it into real life in ways that are meaningful and transformative.

“Mountainfilm is more than a festival — it’s a gathering of curious minds and passionate hearts,” said Mountainfilm Program Manager Lauren Howie. “We welcome you to Telluride this Memorial Day weekend to experience powerful storytelling, connect with changemakers and be part of the conversations that move us forward.”

In addition to the Minds Moving Mountains Speaker Series, Mountainfilm will host its popular Coffee Talk panel discussions on Saturday and Sunday mornings for all the early risers. These programs offer intimate conversations with festival guests, sparking meaningful discussions on everything from wild adventures to wildlife advocacy and matters of the heart. Doc Talk sessions return as part of Mountainfilm’s commitment to filmmaker support, offering practical tips and tools as well as industry insights for early-career and established filmmakers. These panels are hosted by industry experts and filmmakers. Mountainfilm will also feature special presentations focused on timely and urgent topics from the war in Ukraine to the increasing threat of wildfires. These programs highlight powerful films and will be followed by in-depth conversations.

Mountainfilm’s full lineup will be announced in early May. Purchase your passes today and join us for an unforgettable festival May 22-26, 2025. 

About Mountainfilm: Established in 1979, Mountainfilm is one of North America’s longest-running documentary film festivals, held annually over Memorial Day weekend in Telluride, Colorado. Mountainfilm is dedicated to using the power of film, art and ideas to inspire audiences to create a better world. The festival offers an immersive experience featuring a wide range of filmmakers, speakers, adventurers and activists in addition to screening cutting-edge, award-winning documentary films from around the world. Mountainfilm is an Academy Award® Qualifying Festival in the Documentary Short Film category. Mountainfilm on Tour also reaches audiences year-round through its global film program, and through Mountainfilm for Students, an educational outreach initiative for youth. Simply put, Mountainfilm has the power to change lives. To learn more, visit www.mountainfilm.org. To join the conversation, please read Mountainfilm’s news and follow @mountainfilm on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and LinkedIn.