The Mountain In My Mind
A Ski Film About Mental Health
About
The Mountain in My Mind is a ski and snowboard film about mental health. Directed by John Padilla, who lost his 15-year old brother to suicide, this breakthrough film is the first of its kind to interview skiers across the “Suicide Belt” in the Rocky Mountain Region of the United States.
The topics discussed by athletes in the film include: suicide, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, sexual assault, substance abuse, domestic abuse, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and more. The film features nearly 50% men and 50% women and has all types of skiing, including: urban/street skiing, ski mountaineering, sled/snowmobile-assisted skiing, terrain park skiing, snowboarding, pillow skiing, powder skiing, resort/in-bounds skiing, and more!
The crew traveled to British Columbia, California, Washington, Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Oregon and Nevada and interviewed selected folks on their experience with mental illness and then enjoyed and filmed our shared passion for skiing. The film started as an Newschoolers.com thread and after one year, 36,000 miles of traveling, 10 states and provinces, live-premieres across the Western US, news appearances, podcasts, and 14TB of footage.
Trailer
Sponsors:
LINE Skis, Flylow Gear, BombSnow Magazine, VIIA Hemp Co., Phunkshun Wear, PitViper Sunglasses, Treefort Lifestyles, LOOK Bindings, PowTech Sledski Racks, Yellowstone Club Community Fund, Crystal Mountain, Alta Ski Area, JackStrong17, Newschoolers.com, JSKIS, Armada Skis, 686 Snow, 4FRNT Skis, Titan Straps, Gastro Gnome, Yampa Valley REPS (Reaching Everyone Preventing Suicide), Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, TGR Bozeman, PhD Skis Bozeman, ReelWorks Denver, AVID Cider Co., Industry SLC, Lone Pine Gear Exchange SLC, Sanitas Brewing Boulder, MAP Brewing Bozeman, Bridger Brewing, Sidewall Pizza Bozeman, UNR Lake Tahoe Student Activities Club, IKON, CU Freeskiing, Utah Freeskier Society, CSU Snowriders, Big Sky Youth Empowerment, Westminster College, University of Utah, University of Nevada Reno at Lake Tahoe, Spyder Freeski, Faction Skis, Giro Snow, Bark Technologies, and the hundreds of private donors who generously donated to our GoFundMe!
Credits:
Director/Fundraiser/Producer: John Padilla
Editors: Allen Jimenez and John Padilla
Cinematographers: John Padilla, Kyle Dudgeon, Alex Saad, Jordan Skattum, Dead West Creative, Derek Shreiner, Sarah Dolan, Jack Clark, Payton Voss, and Tyler Stevens.
Graphic Designer: OozBlue
Animator: Randy Fugler - Fortified Graphics
Athletes/Interviewees (In order of appearance): Audrey Friess, Bobby Sullivan, Forrest Coots, Clare Chapman, Jack Clark, Jed Water, Sarah Dolan, and John Padilla
Guest Athletes (In order of appearance): Seb Gralla, Ramzi Stech, Joe Nichols, Cameron Klepper, AJ Yang, Payton Voss, Mac Harrison, Derek Shreiner, and Tucker FitzSimons.