Champions of the Golden Valley

One of the most decorated documentaries of the year from Executive Producers Malala Yousafzai and Arian Moayed. Since its World Premiere at Tribeca, Champions has garnered more than 40 Jury Prizes & Audience Awards, including 18 Grand Prizes. The film was acquired by the Olympics.com in December 2025.

Champions of the Golden Valley is an award-winning documentary that captures the emergence of a homegrown ski culture in the snow-capped mountains of Afghanistan. The film reveals a breathtaking and seldom-seen side of the country — a remote region where joy, resilience, and community are forged on the slopes.

At the heart of this movement is Alishah Farhang, a former Winter Olympic hopeful whose dream of being the first to represent Afghanistan in alpine skiing transforms into a mission to bring his passion for the sport to his homeland. Equipped with handmade wooden skis and secondhand gear, young athletes from rival villages come together to compete in a ski mountaineering race like no other. The event becomes a powerful catalyst for unity and hope, showcasing the transformative power of sport to bridge deep divides. And when their world is suddenly upended, Alishah and the athletes must call upon those lessons learned on the slopes.