When No Man’s Land Film Festival launched its first event in Carbondale, Colorado, a decade ago, it was a small but mighty showcase of adventure films amplifying underrepresented voices. It has since expanded into a global event, and as it approaches its tenth anniversary, the festival is reaffirming its commitment to inclusion, advocacy and community-driven storytelling.
“In a time when many voices are being silenced, we stand firm in our belief that storytelling is a powerful tool for change,” says NMLFF's executive director Kathy Karlo. “As we double down on the fight for racial and gender justice, No Man’s Land remains committed to creating a space that celebrates resilience, joy, and empowerment. We cannot let hate and bigotry prevail. With an unwavering commitment and grounded in compassion and love, we must move forward. We are not going back.”
This year’s flagship event, presented by Mountain Hardwear with additional support from Deuter Sport, returns to Denver on March 7 and 8 at the MCA Denver's Holiday Theater. The festival will showcase 30 films, host 18 speakers and feature a special live performance by Denver-based artist N3PTUNE. Alongside the screenings, the festival fosters dialogue and connection through panel discussions, networking opportunities and live storytelling events.
"Right now, considering the political climate, we personally feel like celebrating women and the gender queer community is just the ultimate act of resistance," Karlo says. "With a lot of the executive orders that are rolling out and bigotry, sexism and racism happening, people are really angry. That's good because expressing anger in healthy ways is extremely beneficial. Anger is the emotion that tells us what we don't want and our fuel to resist, speak out and support other people who’ve been doing this advocacy work. Our platform and events send a message that stories about gender dynamics matter and give people space to build community with others who disagree with what's going on in the social climate."
For Karlo, who first joined NMLFF in 2017 as the tour director before stepping into the executive role in 2019, reaching the tenth anniversary is both surreal and deeply meaningful. Since its move to Denver in 2020 — right before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic — the festival has expanded its reach exponentially.
"Getting to the next level, moving from Carbondale to Denver, was a huge step,” she reflects. “We experienced so many growing pains, but it feels really good to be in Denver and have a solidified spot in the city.” With a three-part approach that includes the Denver flagship, a virtual festival and a world tour, NMLFF now brings its programming to audiences across North America and beyond.
"It still feels surreal that the festival is celebrating its tenth anniversary," Karlo adds. "It just feels like we have made it, and I am really grateful. It has grown significantly over the years, and it feels appropriate that, in our tenth year, this is the largest festival we've done."
The festival’s origins stretch back to 2008, when a teenage Aisha Weinhold attended an adventure-film event in her hometown of Carbondale. As a competitive ski mountaineer, she was eager to see stories that reflected her experiences, but what she found instead was a glaring absence of women. Almost every film revolved around male athletes, while female adventurers — if they were shown at all — were often relegated to the background.
That frustration stuck with her. Seven years later, after earning a degree in environmental science and adventure education from Prescott College in Arizona, Weinhold turned that frustration into action. In 2014, she launched the NMLFF to build a space where women’s stories weren’t just included but celebrated. The inaugural event, held at the Carbondale Community School, was a sold-out success, featuring films about female climbers, skiers and surfers.
As the festival grew, it became clear that representation needed to go beyond just gender. In its early years, the vast majority of films featured cis-white women, leaving many voices out of the picture. When NMLFF moved its flagship event from Carbondale to Denver in 2020, it meant a jump from 125 seats at the Crystal Theatre to 400 at Denver’s Holiday Theater, but it also signaled a shift in priorities.
Closed captioning became standard across all films, ASL interpreters were added for live events and new initiatives were launched to support underrepresented filmmakers, including $2,500 grants for genderqueer and Black female filmmakers. Lineups began to reflect a wider spectrum of experiences, bringing in more stories from diverse racial, sexual and gender identities.
“Every year, we’re adding more to the programming to make it bigger, brighter and more inclusive,” Karlo says. "We're absolutely at the pinnacle this year. This year, for the first time, we're adding a live audio descriptor. This is our second year featuring a film with a blind athlete. I found this amazing nonprofit out of Austin, and the executive director is flying out herself to do these live dynamic audio descriptions for attendees who have a visual impairment. We really wanted to make this year feel special and accessible to those attending in Denver."
This year’s film lineup includes a range of socially relevant stories. Among the world premieres are Earthworks, a film about ceramicist and desert rock climber Kim Hall, and Full Spectrum, which follows autistic, queer runner Caroline Whatley’s journey of self-discovery after her diagnosis. Another highly anticipated premiere is Let My People Go Skiing, in which Tlingit skier Ellen Bradley reclaims her Indigenous heritage through sport.
The selection also includes OUTLIER: Common, chronicling the lives of three Latina snow athletes, and Peace, which captures a breathtaking climbing experience in Yosemite’s Tuolumne Meadows. Beyond the films, attendees will be able to engage in discussions with filmmakers, athletes and industry professionals about the intersection of storytelling, identity and advocacy.
And the festival’s impact doesn’t stop in Denver. On March 8, the No Man’s Land virtual festival launches, running through April 5, ensuring audiences worldwide can access the same films and discussions. Simultaneously, the 2025 World Tour kicks off, bringing a curated selection of films to cities across the U.S.
“No Man’s Land is not just another average film festival,” Karlo emphasizes. “We are so much bigger than just films on a screen. Something special happens when you gather like-minded people together in one place and share within the community versus some of the general nastiness that you see on the Internet. We hope that after the event, people will reflect on their impact. What can I do? Because people are feeling really powerless, but when you get people together in a community, in a real space, people recognize they're not alone and they do have power."
As No Man’s Land marks ten years, it does so with a clear vision of the future. This milestone is not an endpoint but a launching pad for even greater impact. The festival’s presence, whether in Denver, online or on the road, continues to challenge outdated narratives and carve out space for stories that need to be heard.
While Karlo acknowledges that the "Denver flagship is amazing," she emphasizes that "celebrating women and gender for community is not just limited to one weekend, one event or one moment in time. It should spark a year-round commitment to creating a more equitable and inclusive society."
No Man's Land Film Festival Flagship is Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8, at MCA Denver at the Holiday Theater, 2644 West 32nd Avenue. $65 for a one-day pass and $120 for a weekend pass. Learn more at nomanslandfilmfestival.org.
“In a time when many voices are being silenced, we stand firm in our belief that storytelling is a powerful tool for change,” says NMLFF's executive director Kathy Karlo. “As we double down on the fight for racial and gender justice, No Man’s Land remains committed to creating a space that celebrates resilience, joy, and empowerment. We cannot let hate and bigotry prevail. With an unwavering commitment and grounded in compassion and love, we must move forward. We are not going back.”
This year’s flagship event, presented by Mountain Hardwear with additional support from Deuter Sport, returns to Denver on March 7 and 8 at the MCA Denver's Holiday Theater. The festival will showcase 30 films, host 18 speakers and feature a special live performance by Denver-based artist N3PTUNE. Alongside the screenings, the festival fosters dialogue and connection through panel discussions, networking opportunities and live storytelling events.
"Right now, considering the political climate, we personally feel like celebrating women and the gender queer community is just the ultimate act of resistance," Karlo says. "With a lot of the executive orders that are rolling out and bigotry, sexism and racism happening, people are really angry. That's good because expressing anger in healthy ways is extremely beneficial. Anger is the emotion that tells us what we don't want and our fuel to resist, speak out and support other people who’ve been doing this advocacy work. Our platform and events send a message that stories about gender dynamics matter and give people space to build community with others who disagree with what's going on in the social climate."
For Karlo, who first joined NMLFF in 2017 as the tour director before stepping into the executive role in 2019, reaching the tenth anniversary is both surreal and deeply meaningful. Since its move to Denver in 2020 — right before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic — the festival has expanded its reach exponentially.
"Getting to the next level, moving from Carbondale to Denver, was a huge step,” she reflects. “We experienced so many growing pains, but it feels really good to be in Denver and have a solidified spot in the city.” With a three-part approach that includes the Denver flagship, a virtual festival and a world tour, NMLFF now brings its programming to audiences across North America and beyond.
"It still feels surreal that the festival is celebrating its tenth anniversary," Karlo adds. "It just feels like we have made it, and I am really grateful. It has grown significantly over the years, and it feels appropriate that, in our tenth year, this is the largest festival we've done."
The festival’s origins stretch back to 2008, when a teenage Aisha Weinhold attended an adventure-film event in her hometown of Carbondale. As a competitive ski mountaineer, she was eager to see stories that reflected her experiences, but what she found instead was a glaring absence of women. Almost every film revolved around male athletes, while female adventurers — if they were shown at all — were often relegated to the background.
Let My People Go Skiing, which depicts Tlingit skier Ellen Bradley reclaiming her Indigenous heritage through sport, is part of the 2025 No Man's Land Film Festivial.
Courtesy of Ellen Bradley
As the festival grew, it became clear that representation needed to go beyond just gender. In its early years, the vast majority of films featured cis-white women, leaving many voices out of the picture. When NMLFF moved its flagship event from Carbondale to Denver in 2020, it meant a jump from 125 seats at the Crystal Theatre to 400 at Denver’s Holiday Theater, but it also signaled a shift in priorities.
Closed captioning became standard across all films, ASL interpreters were added for live events and new initiatives were launched to support underrepresented filmmakers, including $2,500 grants for genderqueer and Black female filmmakers. Lineups began to reflect a wider spectrum of experiences, bringing in more stories from diverse racial, sexual and gender identities.
“Every year, we’re adding more to the programming to make it bigger, brighter and more inclusive,” Karlo says. "We're absolutely at the pinnacle this year. This year, for the first time, we're adding a live audio descriptor. This is our second year featuring a film with a blind athlete. I found this amazing nonprofit out of Austin, and the executive director is flying out herself to do these live dynamic audio descriptions for attendees who have a visual impairment. We really wanted to make this year feel special and accessible to those attending in Denver."
This year’s film lineup includes a range of socially relevant stories. Among the world premieres are Earthworks, a film about ceramicist and desert rock climber Kim Hall, and Full Spectrum, which follows autistic, queer runner Caroline Whatley’s journey of self-discovery after her diagnosis. Another highly anticipated premiere is Let My People Go Skiing, in which Tlingit skier Ellen Bradley reclaims her Indigenous heritage through sport.
The selection also includes OUTLIER: Common, chronicling the lives of three Latina snow athletes, and Peace, which captures a breathtaking climbing experience in Yosemite’s Tuolumne Meadows. Beyond the films, attendees will be able to engage in discussions with filmmakers, athletes and industry professionals about the intersection of storytelling, identity and advocacy.
"Celebrating women and gender for community is not just limited to one weekend, one event or one moment in time. It should spark a year-round commitment to creating a more equitable and inclusive society."
Courtesy of Jorge Lui Pimentel
“No Man’s Land is not just another average film festival,” Karlo emphasizes. “We are so much bigger than just films on a screen. Something special happens when you gather like-minded people together in one place and share within the community versus some of the general nastiness that you see on the Internet. We hope that after the event, people will reflect on their impact. What can I do? Because people are feeling really powerless, but when you get people together in a community, in a real space, people recognize they're not alone and they do have power."
As No Man’s Land marks ten years, it does so with a clear vision of the future. This milestone is not an endpoint but a launching pad for even greater impact. The festival’s presence, whether in Denver, online or on the road, continues to challenge outdated narratives and carve out space for stories that need to be heard.
While Karlo acknowledges that the "Denver flagship is amazing," she emphasizes that "celebrating women and gender for community is not just limited to one weekend, one event or one moment in time. It should spark a year-round commitment to creating a more equitable and inclusive society."
No Man's Land Film Festival Flagship is Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8, at MCA Denver at the Holiday Theater, 2644 West 32nd Avenue. $65 for a one-day pass and $120 for a weekend pass. Learn more at nomanslandfilmfestival.org.
