An evening celebrating documentaries about humans achievements and the outdoors.
What if you could experience the pull of an 8,000-meter summit, the rush of a first ascent, or the adrenaline of white water rafting – all without leaving your city? That’s exactly what Mountains on Stage has been doing since 2013.
Celebrating its 26th edition this spring, this French mountain film festival has grown from a Paris passion project into a global phenomenon – now touring 23 countries, including a stop at the Marina theatre in May.
The Story Behind the Festival
Cyril Salomon grew up splitting his time between Paris and his family’s chalet in Beaufortin, close to Albertville in the French Alps. At age 25, Cyril – an accomplished mountaineer and skier – decides to found Mountains on Stage together with his partner in business and in life, Manon Grimwood. The concept: select exceptional mountain documentaries, bring them together in a beautiful venue, and make a proper evening out of it.
More Than Beautiful Images
The films are chosen for their emotional depth, not just their cinematography. Cyril describes it well: the goal is to find documentaries that are deeply human – stories built on adventure, yes, but also on humor, psychological intensity, and moments that leave you genuinely moved.
The winter editions always feature at least one snow film; the spring editions lean toward climbing. Films come from all over the world, submitted by filmmakers or sourced through Cyril’s deep connections in the mountain sports community. Some are produced by Mountains on Stage itself. For this spring’s edition, two films received support from the festival.
A Signature Touch: The Vertical Interview
One of the festival’s most charming inventions is what they call the “vertical interview.” Rather than placing athletes on stage for a panel discussion, Cyril films them in their natural element – on a cliff face, in deep snow, or mid-climb. The transitions between films become mini-documentaries in themselves, a signature that keeps the evening alive and the energy unmistakably mountainous.
A Festival That Travels Well
Running a global festival from France, with editions across the world, could sound logistically daunting. Cyril makes it sound almost effortless because it is, in the best possible way. Mountains on Stage has a devoted volunteer network: people who spontaneously reach out, happy to put up posters, manage local logistics, and welcome audiences. “Ça se goupille super bien” – it all falls into place beautifully. Wanna bring the festival to your city? You know what you have to do.
Beyond the Festival
Montagne en Scène has grown into a full creative ecosystem: Montagne en Scène the book, an on-demand video platform, and a production company, collaborating with Canal + and working directly with the world’s top mountain athletes. Sometimes Cyril is behind the camera himself, filming adventures, including 100 Blocs in Fontainebleau. And together, Cyril and Manon established the Montagne en Scène Foundation, dedicated to environmental and social causes tied to the mountains.
Whether you spend your weekends hiking in Marin, skiing in Tahoe, surfing at Ocean Beach or you simply love dreaming of other landscapes from the comfort of a great seat – Mountains on Stage is for you. It’s family-friendly, visually stunning, and emotionally surprising in the best possible way. See you at the Marina theatre in May.
Buy tickets for the San Francisco viewing: here
More information about Mountains on Stage Festival: here
MerciSF Rapid Fire
Your favorite film in the festival’s history: Zabardast by Jérôme Tanon, shot in Pakistan and unforgettable.
The film that does not exist yet but should: Maybe something on Charles Dubouloz’s incredible climbing trilogy, exclusively by gravel bike and skis, or a movie about Seb Montaz adventures.
Biggest change in the audience over 13 years: Far more women, and a far deeper awareness of climate and environmental issues in the mountains.
Something that would never make the program today that might have 10 years ago: Heliski. The world has changed, and so have we.
