Ben Sturgulewski

Nature’s raw elements converge in the Westfjords of Iceland, taking us on a journey from the interstellar birth of gravity and rhythm, to their ultimate human creative expression: surfer on wave, snowboarder on peak, and musician on stage.

In the high peaks of Afghanistan, young athletes from rival villages build makeshift wooden skis and convene for a mountain race that unites the community in a moment of peace and triumph just before their country’s collapse. Champions of the Golden Valley merges the triumphant spirit of a classic underdog sports story with the heartfelt portrait of a community finding hope amid disrupted dreams. Revealing a stunning unseen side of Afghanistan, it is an uplifting exploration of what it means to be a champion – in all its forms.

The weightlessness of youth: every breath radiates opportunity and hope; every sense thrives on the wealth of the present; every thing whispers of brilliance and awe. When you've seen the season’s first great snow through the eyes of a child—you've known true happiness. But what happened to that simple joy? Where do we find the freedom that time and wisdom stole away? Valhalla, Sweetgrass Productions’ fourth feature film, is the tale of one man’s search to rediscover the freedom of his youth. Feeling the distant heat of it’s fire still burning in the mountains of the frozen north, he goes in search of those tending the flame—the untamed, the wild, and the outcast dwelling on the fringe. Weaving narrative-driven style with award-winning, face-melting backcountry ski and snowboard cinematography; Valhalla is a vivid explosion of color, character, snow, and nostalgic soul.

Three wanderers emerge from a raging Hokkaido storm, and are drawn into the light and the warmth of a mysterious doorway. The snow flies and the wind beats against the walls, but here, in the quiet and safety of a candlelit womb, the warmth and the wood wrap around like a blanket, and the mind melts into reflections on days gone by. Put the needle on the record, sit down by the fire, have a drink, and take shelter from the storm. There is no warmth like the warmth felt in winter.

A world without water, consumed by sand: this is the Big Empty. On the edge of the endless desert, a group of children survive alone in the ruin of the now. When a young boy unearths an ancient relic hinting at the lost wonders of winter, he sets off in search of the ghosts that once called the mountains their home. This bold cinematic experience balances stunning skiing with a wild and hopeful journey into the forgotten lands of myth and magic beyond the Empty.

The Pehuenche people of present-day Chile speak Mapudungun... ‘the language of the land.’ This land, their universe, is known as Wallmapu. Two skiers—Rodrigo Guzman and Piers Solomon—enter, into a breathtaking creation of ancient Araucaria trees, looming volcanoes, and windblown snow.

Nature’s raw elements converge in the Westfjords of Iceland, taking us on a journey from the interstellar birth of gravity and rhythm, to their ultimate human creative expression: surfer on wave, snowboarder on peak, and musician on stage.

In the high peaks of Afghanistan, young athletes from rival villages build makeshift wooden skis and convene for a mountain race that unites the community in a moment of peace and triumph just before their country’s collapse. Champions of the Golden Valley merges the triumphant spirit of a classic underdog sports story with the heartfelt portrait of a community finding hope amid disrupted dreams. Revealing a stunning unseen side of Afghanistan, it is an uplifting exploration of what it means to be a champion – in all its forms.

The weightlessness of youth: every breath radiates opportunity and hope; every sense thrives on the wealth of the present; every thing whispers of brilliance and awe. When you've seen the season’s first great snow through the eyes of a child—you've known true happiness. But what happened to that simple joy? Where do we find the freedom that time and wisdom stole away? Valhalla, Sweetgrass Productions’ fourth feature film, is the tale of one man’s search to rediscover the freedom of his youth. Feeling the distant heat of it’s fire still burning in the mountains of the frozen north, he goes in search of those tending the flame—the untamed, the wild, and the outcast dwelling on the fringe. Weaving narrative-driven style with award-winning, face-melting backcountry ski and snowboard cinematography; Valhalla is a vivid explosion of color, character, snow, and nostalgic soul.

Three wanderers emerge from a raging Hokkaido storm, and are drawn into the light and the warmth of a mysterious doorway. The snow flies and the wind beats against the walls, but here, in the quiet and safety of a candlelit womb, the warmth and the wood wrap around like a blanket, and the mind melts into reflections on days gone by. Put the needle on the record, sit down by the fire, have a drink, and take shelter from the storm. There is no warmth like the warmth felt in winter.

A world without water, consumed by sand: this is the Big Empty. On the edge of the endless desert, a group of children survive alone in the ruin of the now. When a young boy unearths an ancient relic hinting at the lost wonders of winter, he sets off in search of the ghosts that once called the mountains their home. This bold cinematic experience balances stunning skiing with a wild and hopeful journey into the forgotten lands of myth and magic beyond the Empty.

The Pehuenche people of present-day Chile speak Mapudungun... ‘the language of the land.’ This land, their universe, is known as Wallmapu. Two skiers—Rodrigo Guzman and Piers Solomon—enter, into a breathtaking creation of ancient Araucaria trees, looming volcanoes, and windblown snow.