No Man's Land Film Festival (2025)

No Man’s Land Film Festival (NMLFF) is a platform for progress in the outdoor industry. They are a multi-racial, all-woman led team and the first-ever adventure film festival that exclusively featured gender-identified women athletes while showcasing work by both male and female filmmakers. BendFilm and Gear Fix are proud to present Program I from their World Tour showcase. Celebrate 10 years of No Man's Land Film Festival with us May 29th at VTP!PROGRAM I SYNOPSISFull Spectrum (4:18)*Director + Editor: Erin McGradyRecipient of the NMLFF 2024 Genderqueer Filmmaker GrantFull Spectrum centers the experiences of Caroline Whatley, (she/her) an autistic, queer runner based in Asheville, North Carolina, who was diagnosed with autism at the beginning of 2024. In this short film, Caroline opens up about what it’s like to find out you are autistic as an adult and how the diagnosis has impacted her.Echoes (5:17)*Director: William BinaméAlmost one year after a disastrous trip in the Chilcotin Mountains which left Celeste Pomerantz with a dislocated elbow and broken bike, she finds herself exploring a different kind of challenge: how to get your mind back into a confident space to continue to explore these longer and dangerous bike adventures.Walking in Your Footsteps – Virginie (12:28)*Directors + Producers: Louise Thaller, Stanislas GirouxVirginie's love of the mountains began when she was a young girl, following in her father's footsteps. A filial and roped-up relationship woven of high-mountain adventures, alongside a reassuring, free-spirited and cheeky father figure, shattered in an instant by a serious paragliding accident. Deprived of her only rope companion and caught up in the whirlwind of two motherhoods, a weakened marriage and a job that no longer satisfied her, Virginie drifted away from the mountains and the ties that still bound her to her father, to the point of sinking . It's to the heights that she turns to find the strength to rise again, in the hope of rebuilding her bond with her father and finding her own path in life, finally emancipated. This portrait is part of a series entitled 'Altitudes' which explores the many facets of the relationship between man and mountain across the world and cultures.Beyond the Finish Line (15:41)*Director: Matthew WilliamsBeyond the Finish Line follows the journey of Marisa Pasnick as she prepares for the grueling Bigfoot 200 race while facing the challenges of an eating disorder. Marisa's story is a testament to resilience and strength as she navigates the dual paths of training and recovery. This film aims to destigmatize eating disorders, highlighting that recovery is ongoing and that support from the community is crucial. Join us as we witness Marisa's journey and advocate for greater awareness and understanding of eating disorders.Mataperra (21:31)*Director: Rachel TrudeauYelda embarks on a quest that drives her to achieve much more than her climbing dreams. She aspires to make a mark in history by becoming the first Cuban to conquer three legendary ascents.NISEI (7:39)*Director: Iz La MotteWILDEST ADVENTURE AWARD, 2025NISEI (nee-say) is a creative exploration of the biracial experience of skier, Sierra Schlag. While in Japan, she is seen as white and while in America, she is seen as Japanese and never accepted as her full self. Through the lens of skiing, Schlag finds herself on a journey to self-discovery within the two cultures she has ties to. Nisei: a person born in North America whose parent(s) were immigrants from Japan.Pedal Pedal Pedal (17:17)Director: Justin DiamondIn this short film, cyclist Lindsey Stevenson reflects on balancing motherhood and cycling, from pregnancy to childbirth to her return to racing. She shares how resilience, adaptation, and persistence have shaped her experience and hopes to instill these values in her children. Her comeback takes place at the Wasatch All-Road, a grueling gravel race, where she tackles the infamous "Wall." As Lindsey pushes through, she proves that cycling is more than just a race—it’s a testament to facing life’s hardest moments head-on.Jamie (18:36)*Director: Darcy Hennessey TurenneAs a pioneering climber of the 1970s, Jamie Logan quietly ticked off first ascents on some of North America’s most treacherous climbs. But looking death in the face on the side of the mountain was nothing compared to the secret Jamie held that threatened to shatter her entire world. It was a secret so terrifying that Jamie stayed silent for over 60 years. Jamie Logan — the tough, dominant, successful climber and architect — wanted to be a woman. At age 69 Jamie announced to her wife and four grown children that she was going to begin the transition to becoming the woman she had always wanted to be. Now, at age 76, and living as a woman, Jamie is living a fulfilled life with more love and connection that she has ever experienced. Her climbing community has deepened, her relationship with her wife has transformed (for the better!), and her sense of self has never been so strong…nor has her sense of purpose.Jamie wants to let other trans people know that life can be OK. In fact, it can be better than you could ever imagine! And that’s what this short film is about: Jamie’s journey to allow herself to be herself.Let My People Go Skiing (17:47)*Director: Ellen BradleyBEST OF FEST AWARD, 2025Confronted with the frustration of false narratives and intergenerational trauma that surround her, Tlingit skier and scientist Ellen Bradley returns to her traditional homelands in Southeast Alaska. Here, she uses skiing as a tool to reclaim her connection to the land she belongs to. The abundance and biodiversity of Lingít aaní (Tlingit land) have shaped the people of the tides since time immemorial, molding all aspects of traditional and contemporary Tlingit life. Meanwhile, the outdoor industry depicts Alaska as a resource-rich landscape waiting to be conquered and exploited.Just like the ancestors of Ellen’s paternal clan, the Dog Salmon, have always done, people are meant to live in a reciprocal relationship with the land in gratitude of the abundant life they are gifted. Weaving ancestral knowledge, scientific understanding, and passion for her sport, we follow Ellen’s journey to help her community reclaim its place at the forefront of the stories told about their homelands. By dismantling barriers to access to snowsports for Alaska Native youth, she empowers a generation to reclaim their relationship to the land in hopes that the mountains can teach them what it will take to endure the fight to protect their culture, language, and home forever.