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.
The screening will be followed by two brand new short films, written, directed, filmed, acted and edited by young refugees and asylum seekers from Compass Collective.
Film 1: Don’t Jump To Conclusions
This is the story of Adam working in a food truck, serving people their lunch. An interesting phone call makes Adam question his beliefs.
This film was made by a group in Inverness.
Film 2: For Friends
Mohammed has invited his friends over for dinner. What could possibly go wrong? A short comedy about friendship, food, and kitchen disasters.
This film was made by a group in Alness.
The screening will be followed by a short Q+A with the filmmaking team from Compass Collective.
All ticket sales from this event will go directly to support the work of Compass Collective, who have 4 film making projects in the Highlands planned for 2026 and need your help to make this happen!