Mountains of the Moon is a genre-defying film and immersive art experience set to the music of the Grateful Dead.
Captured almost entirely at night using advanced low-light cinematography, lasers, animation and projection mapping, the film takes viewers on a surreal, multi-seasonal journey through ocean, river and mountain environments.
Following his 2019 award-winning film Fire On The Mountain, renowned artist, skier and filmmaker Chris Benchetler returns with an even broader vision. Narrated by mycologist and author Paul Stamets, the film features athletes including Michelle Parker, Rob Machado, Sam Kuch and Carson Storch, alongside a euphoric Dead soundtrack. Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart also performs in the film—drumming atop a snow sculpture on Mammoth Mountain—and his iconic drum kit and collaborative artworks will be on display at the LA premiere on November 15.
Canadian tour stops include Whistler, Revelstoke, Canmore and Castelgar. Check here for tour details.
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“Light Became My Paintbrush”
“Mountains of the Moon is an artistic journey where light became my paintbrush and the Earth our canvas,” says Benchetler . “By breaking free of the sun’s constraints, we were able to sculpt emotion, energy and movement, juxtaposed into the landscape—layering sport, art, music, and nature to create something that speaks beyond words and more into feeling.” Using night as a canvas, skeleton suits as a metaphor for shared humanity and light as both subject and storyteller, the project reveals what binds us together: the energy we carry, the light we emit and how nature reminds us of what’s eternal.
“By breaking free of the sun’s constraints, we were able to sculpt emotion, energy and movement, juxtaposed into the landscape—layering sport, art, music, and nature to create something that speaks beyond words and more into feeling.”
The Mountains of the Moon Experience
Mountains of the Moon expands beyond film into a larger creative ecosystem that includes Benchetler’s forthcoming book of photographs, concepts and paintings, and a series of satellite art installations alongside the film screenings, exploring universal connection and interdependence.
Sound, Spirit, and Collaboration
“The music of the Grateful Dead has always been about exploration—of sound, spirit, and the unknown,” said Mickey Hart. “Mountains of the Moon taps into that same energy, pushing creative boundaries to illuminate the deep connection between art, nature, and human expression.”
Sustainability in Motion
In partnership with A New Earth Project, all Mountains of the Moon apparel and merchandise will ship in renewable, plastic-free Vela Bags made from glassine paper—reflecting a shared commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible innovation.
A Multidimensional Vision
Blending psychedelic art, elemental exploration and sport, Mountains of the Moon transcends traditional film. It’s a multidimensional journey from the depths of the soil to the cliff face to the vastness of space, returning viewers to the natural world with renewed appreciation. “Mountains of the Moon blends visual storytelling with mountain performance,” said Stuart Haselden, CEO of Arc’teryx (one of the project’s sponsors and designers of the skeleton suits). “It reflects what can happen when creativity, sport, and technical innovation come together.”
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