Award Winning Backroads Pictures Originals
On the windswept plains of the Pine Ridge Reservation, where hardship drives many to leave, a tight-knit group of Lakota teens form a family—bound by brotherhood, sisterhood, and the fierce tradition of Indian Relay horse racing. Together, they find purpose, lean on one another, and race with a mission to uplift the community they call home. Witness the coming-of-age story of Lakota teens as they find strength in tradition and passion in competition.
Raised in the rough edges of Tulsa by a single mother, and shaped by the absence of the men who once guided him—one gone, one locked away—Tre’lan Michael walks a path many don’t return from. After his own time behind bars, he seeks a distant horizon and lands on the North Shore of Kauai. Living off the land, chasing clean breaks and second chances, he discovers a deep bond with the sea and a brotherhood in the world of big wave surfing. This is a story of redemption, resilience, and the healing power of the ocean.
Lessons from the Mountains
The Summit Sisters
The Andes, Bolivia
In Bolivia’s towering Andes mountain range, the Cholitas Escaladoras, who are a group of Indigenous female climbers—defy expectations, while scaling the region’s highest peaks in their traditional attire. Blending culture, resilience, and environmental stewardship, this film follows their journey as they reclaim mountaineering, honor their ancestral connection to the land, and highlight the urgent fight to protect Bolivia’s fragile glaciers.
Youth’s Ascent
Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Only six years old, young Mohammad Taibjee embarks on a historic journey to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak. Guided by his uncle, he pushes past physical and mental limits, not simply to set a record but to witness a world that may not remain the same for his generation. As the youngest adventurer to take on this challenge, Mohammad becomes an unexpected yet powerful voice for conservation, proving that the future of our planet is in the hands of those who will inherit it.
The Mountains We Carry
The Himalayas, Nepal
From a small village at the base of Everest, Dawa Yangzum Sherpa defied tradition to become Nepal’s first female IFMGA-certified mountain guide and the first Nepalese woman to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks. This North Face short documentary follows her journey of resilience, breaking barriers, and inspiring a new generation of climbers.