The Producers
Daniel Etter - Director
Daniel Etter is a Pulitzer Prize winning photographer and multi-award winning writer. He regularly works for international publications such as Der Spiegel, The New York Times and Die Zeit. For his photography he has been awarded amongst others the Pulitzer Prize, a World Press Photo Award and an award at Pictures of the Year International. For his writing he has received the Hansel-Mieth-Preis, the Axel-Springer-Preis and the Hans-Buchrucker-Preis.
Marcel Mettelsiefen - Producer (for Unscrypt), Additional Camera
Marcel Mettelsiefen is a multi-award winning director, cameraman, photographer and producer. His films on Syrian Civil War such as 'Syria: Children on the Frontline' (2014), 'Children on the Frontline: The Escape' (2016) and 'Watani: My Homeland' (2016) have earned him critical appraisal and recognition. Mettelsiefen has won two BAFTA and two Emmy awards and was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Documentary Short Subject for 'Watani: My Homeland' at 89th Academy Awards.
Stephen Ellis A.C.E. - Producer (for Unscrypt), editor
Stephen Ellis A.C.E. is a multiple award-winning film editor and producer. His films about the Syrian war, 'Children on the Frontline' (2014) and 'Watani: My Homeland' (2016) have won him a BAFTA, an Emmy, a Grierson, a Prix d'Italia, and an Academy Award nomination. As an editor, Ellis has over a hundred credits including Emmy and Eddie nominated, 'Jimi Hendrix: Hear My Train A' Comin' (2013), and BAFTA winners 'Fire in the Night' (2013), 'The Tower' (2007), and 'The Family' (2008).
Steven Sawalich - Producer (for Articulus Entertainment)
Steven Sawalich is a film producer and director based in Los Angeles, CA. His directorial debut, 'Music Within', was released by MGM in 2007 which was embraced as a learning tool to revolutionise equality for persons with disabilities. He recently went on to create and executive produce the documentary-series 'Operation Change' for OWN which was shot in 14 countries and showcases on the ground heroes in negatively perceived areas. Sawalich enjoys telling stories of ordinary people in extraordinary situations.
Angello Faccini - Cinematography
Angello was born in 1991 in Bogotá, Colombia and studied filmmaking at ESCAC in Barcelona. He works as a filmmaker and cinematographer who actively balances narrative, documentary and commercial work. He has shot 'Lina'(2016) winner at Cannes and Málaga, and 'After the Winter'(2013) which premiered at 66th Cannes Film Festival, Cinéfondation and was selected in more than 20 international film festivals. His latest short film 'Dulce' (2018) which he also co-directed had its international premiere at TIFF and won Best Short Documentary at Palm Spring Festival.
Making The Film
Production Statement
In 2014, Daniel Etter went to Afghanistan to photograph a story on skiing in the mountains of Bamyan. There he met Alishah Farhang and Sajjad Hussaini and heard about their plans to get into the Olympics as the first ever Afghan winter athletes.
Over the next four years, he followed the two in Afghanistan as well as in Switzerland where they trained. In 2017, he brought in producers Steven Sawalich and Academy Award nominees Marcel Mettelsiefen and Stephen Ellis ACE. Angello Faccini starting filming as director of photography. Together they were able to gain access to Afghan life in a way that has rarely been filmed. Despite the deteriorating security situation in Afghanitsan, they produced a hopeful story about a country that is so often overlooked by Western media.
From their amateur efforts at home in the Bamyan peaks, Sajjad and Alishah have the chance to ski for Afghanistan in the Winter Olympics. As local kids strap wood to their feet and imitate their heroes, the men face up to the difficulty of creating opportunities in a country that for generations has only seen war. Filmed over four years, this beautiful film paints an uplifting and refreshing portrait of Afghanistan as you haven't seen it before.