*Designed by Design des Dunes
Eight Native films across three programs, each followed by a Q&A with directors and actors. The weekend also features live dance - Grass Dancer, David LaPointe, and flute performance by renowned Hopi silversmith, Steve Wikviya LaRance, who is also our official vendor.
Program 1 — Friday, October 16, 6:30 PM
Dream, Touch, Believe
Growing up on the Santa Clara Pueblo reservation, Michael Naranjo dreamed of becoming an artist, as many of his ancestors had been. At 23 he was drafted into the Vietnam War, where a grenade destroyed his eyes and his right hand.
In the years that followed, Naranjo pushed past critics and stereotypes to build the career he had imagined. Working from an inner vision, he became a world-recognized sculptor whose shadow-like bronzes are prized for their haunting beauty and displayed in homes, museums, and institutions including the White House and the Vatican.
This is the story of one man, but a piece of it lives in all of us: a reminder that resilience and determination are available to anyone, even in uncertain times.
Program 2 — Saturday, October 17, 2:00 PM
A mix of shorts and feature documentaries exploring the complexity of Native life today.
Nicholas Black Elk
One of the most revered figures in Native American history, Nicholas Black Elk was an Oglala medicine man and Catholic spiritual leader now in the canonization process to become a saint. His life is a testament to the idea that different spiritual paths share the same goal — the end of suffering — and simply reach it by different roads.
Children of the Mountains
Corrupt tribal leaders can strip members of their enrollment, but they cannot strip away the spiritual connection, such as the practice of the sweat lodge. This film affirms the healing power of that sacred tradition in the face of tribal disenrollment.
We Are Still Here
Indigenous peoples the world over have been the protectors of the earth, holding the knowledge of how to live in balance with it. This film follows the Timbisha Shoshone and their ancestral homelands in the place they call Timbisha, known today as Death Valley National Park. It traces a multi-generational fight against erasure, the struggle for sovereignty and tribal recognition, and stories of survival in one of the harshest environments on the continent.
Run as One
The C-Weed Band is a long-running Canadian country-rock and roots group led by Indigenous singer-songwriter Errol Ranville. Facing barriers that would have stopped most Indigenous performers in a predominantly white music industry, C-Weed & the Weeds released several #1 songs and earned JUNO nominations in 1985 and 1986. Ranville received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Indigenous Music Awards in 2011. Adapted from his autobiography, Run as One is a story of love and passion from a trailblazer who cleared a path for the musicians who followed.
Reservation Redemption
"Who do you want to be when you grow up?" Kalispel spiritual leader Francis Cullooyah asked Chief Marchand Rice that question while Rice was serving a life sentence — and changed the course of his life. Realizing he still had a choice, Rice immersed himself in a Native culture he had never known, becoming a leader, teacher, and mentor to anyone willing to learn. The film shows how culture and community can heal, and how they can prevent future incarceration in Native communities.
Program 3 — Saturday, October 17, 6:30 PM
Sacred Dog & Dancing Warrior
We close the festival with two films full of motion and grit. Shot on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, both follow teams competing in the Indian Relay — one of the most dangerous sports in the world.
Through interviews with the young riders, it becomes clear that this is far more than sport. Mentored by Lakota elder William "Shorty" Brewer, these teens find strength in tradition and passion in competition. For many, the relay is a lifeline: a way past alcohol and addiction, a guard against depression and suicide, and a reason to learn an imperiled culture well enough to represent their people with pride.
Dance performance and Awards ceremony.
Official selection 2026
screening at the Wheeler Opera House, Aspen
The Shining Mountains Film Festival includes four contest categories:
Feature films
Short films
Audience Choice
2026 Curator Pick
Founded in 2018 by the Aspen Indigenous Foundation, the Shining Mountains Film Festival is an essential platform for amplifying the voices of the Indigenous Peoples of America. Featured films and documentaries reveal our nation's untold history — the generational trauma and the struggles Native Americans continue to face today. Despite enduring genocide, racism, and exclusion, First Nations peoples have safeguarded and passed down their rich cultures, wisdom, traditional lifeways, beauty, and diversity. Each year, the Shining Mountains Film Festival celebrates that resilience, talent, and hope for future generations.
This annual festival is hosted at the iconic WHEELER OPERA HOUSE, downtown Aspen, Colorado. A special live performance by a Native artist will be included. Q&A with film directors, producers, and actors follows the screenings. Please join us for this very unique educational experience!
About the Wheeler Opera House
Since 1889, the Wheeler Opera House has been Aspen’s favorite year-round performance venue and has become the Roaring Fork Valley’s premiere site for concerts, films, festivals, lectures, community events, and more. The Wheeler takes extraordinary pride in being a part of Aspen’s history as a gathering place and a space for artistic expression in our community. Our vision is to set the stage for connections that create memories for our audiences, artists, and greater Aspen community. The Wheeler Opera House is a department of the City of Aspen, and programming is made possible through the support of the City of Aspen Real Estate Transfer Tax.
With the Support Of :
Thank you to all our filmmakers, audience, volunteers, and sponsors!
Aspen is a place where every day holds an opportunity for greatness.
Want to know what else to do when you’re in town for the film festival? Click here to learn about all that Aspen has to offer. There’s information on Aspen’s long history, arts and culture, tours and sightseeing, as well as a full list of lodging, restaurants, nightlife, and enough outdoor activities to keep your entire family happy.