Professional skier, filmmaker, and Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame inductee, Chris Anthony, is pleased to announce the tour dates for the award-winning documentary Mission Mt. Mangart. The film follows the U.S. Army’s legendary 10th Mountain Division’s trailblazing efforts, which were led by volunteers during the experimental infantry unit in the Julian Alps region of Italy from the initial concept to the end of World War II (WW2). Mission Mt. Mangart was written, directed, edited, and produced by Chris Anthony, who also created the film’s original score in partnership with American composer Carlo Nicolau.
“When I heard the soldier’s stories about the ski race on Mangart, I immediately knew I needed to make this film. Mangart isn’t just a documentary about a mountain – it’s an epic story carved into history that will forever tell the legacy of the 10th Mountain Division,” Chris Anthony, Filmmaker, and Professional Skier commented “And the story hits home with Colorado ties to Camp Hale where the 10th trained. Mission Mt. Mangart is a film for everyone who loves to ski and appreciates the mountains.”
Anthony said that while many books, films, and stories have recounted the 10th’s history, Mission Mt. Mangart delves into the untold tales of the 10th. Anthony added that he felt that as a skiing professional he brought a unique perspective to the documentary. He also said that he stumbled upon the Division’s exploits while on a personal skiing trip to Italy.
Anthony explained that Mission Mt. Mangart leads up to Germany’s surrender to Italy on May 2, 1945, and how the Division ended up as peacekeepers on the Yugoslavian border in the Julian Alps until July 1945. At that time, Yugoslavian Dictator Joseph Tito had pushed his Army over the Italian border into the region of Mt. Mangart, where he attempted to hold the line.
During previous combat, the 10th had successfully obtained a supply of German ski gear, hoping the stash would prove helpful. As they gazed upon Mt. Mangart’s massive snowfield, they remembered that before they were soldiers, they were skiers. The story of the 10th Mountain Division is intertwined with Anthony’s six-year journey of self-discovery in this period of history. To complete this massive undertaking, Anthony explained that he received aid from the Slovenian Association of Mountain Soldiers, NATO, The Slovenian Mountain Troops, the Slovenian Ministry of Defense, and the United States Embassy in Slovenia, as well as assistance from retired Slovenian Brigadier General Janez Kavar – now a historian of mountain troops.
The following is a list of tour dates and upcoming events that will show Mission Mt. Mangart:
- August 30 – Fort Drum, New York, with the Active 10th Mountain Division
- September 1 – Washington DC, Slovenian Embassy, Private Screening with dignitaries including Justice from Supreme Court.
- September 10 – Pontebba, Italy
- September 12 – Poljče, Slovenia with NATO
- October 1 – Breckenridge, Colorado Mountain College (CMC)
- October 14 – HAATS Eagle – Army High Altitude Aviation Training Center
- October 22 – Saint Francis, Yacht Club San Francisco – Members only, Co-hosted by Johnny Moseley
- October 28 – Silverthorne, Bluebird Market, 5:30 PM