Through Ellie’s Eyes Mountain Film Festival, honoring a Waitsfield woman who died in a skiing in accident, opens at the Big Picture in Waitsfield next month.
Waitsfield native Ellery "Ellie" Curtis in a skiing accident at Palisades Tahoe last year and her family and friends are transforming grief into an event they hope will inspire others to pursue adventure, creativity and positive change.
The inaugural Through Ellie's Eyes Mountain Film Festival, scheduled for Aug. 7-9 at The Big Picture Theater in Waitsfield, celebrates films by and about young people while raising money for Ellie's Fund, an endowment created to support emerging environmental and social justice leaders.
Curtis, died in April 2025 after suffering a head injury while skiing at the California resort. She grew up in the Mad River Valley and was known for her love of the outdoors, infectious enthusiasm and commitment to making others feel welcome.
LOVED ADVENTURE
"Our daughter, Ellie, was such a dear and a force of nature," said her mother, Kari Dolan. "She was so committed to working on the environment, climate and social justice issues. But she also had such joie de vivre. She loved adventuring, whether it was a quiet paddle or a backcountry ski, always with friends, always including friends."
Dolan said her daughter had a gift for making people feel comfortable, whether they were new to a group or colleagues at work.
"She really did an amazing job at just reaching out to people and getting to know them and making them feel comfortable to be themselves," she said.
Rather than allowing that spirit to fade, Curtis' parents, Chach Curtis and Dolan, established Ellie's Fund with Knoll Farm serving as its fiscal sponsor through the New Learning Journey nonprofit. Their long-term vision is to create an endowment supporting young people committed to improving their communities.
FUTURE LEADERS
"Our goal is to really support young future leaders or current leaders and support them in their work," Chach Curtis said.
The film festival marks the fund's first major public fundraiser.
While fundraising is central to the weekend, organizers say the event is intended to be much more than a series of film screenings.
Dana Kent, a board member of The Bigger Picture nonprofit, said the idea came together surprisingly quickly after conversations with Dolan about honoring Ellie's passions. Kent, who previously spent decades in the ski industry and now coaches women in the outdoor industry, said she immediately recognized the opportunity.
SOCIAL JUSTICE
"I didn't know Ellie personally, but I worked with and around so many Ellies in my life," Kent said. "The importance of supporting women like her in the outdoor industry is so needed."
Drawing on relationships with filmmakers and outdoor organizations, Kent and Big Pic event coordinator Ramsey Brown helped assemble a festival centered on adventure, environmental stewardship, creativity and social justice.
"I can't think of a better place than to use this container of the Big Picture and the Bigger Picture to feature young people creating and adventuring and supporting social justice and the environment," Kent said.
The festival will feature more than 20 films ranging from two-minute shorts to features exceeding 30 minutes. Friday and Saturday evening programs will each showcase different headline films, while Sunday's 1 p.m. matinee is designed with families in mind.
Dolan credited Brown's experience and artistic vision with helping shape the festival.
COMMUNITY ARTS
"Our commitment was to make this such an entertaining, joyful experience for people while at the same time keeping to this niche of having young voices engaged, focusing on adventure, the environment and justice issues," Dolan said.
Organizers also have expanded the weekend into a community arts celebration.
Visitors can expect sculpture installations created by students from the Sculpture School, artwork, live music and panel discussions featuring athletes, artists and filmmakers. Friday's panel will include Olympians discussing their journeys and the role community played in their success, while Saturday's discussion will explore the arts and creative expression.
Brown said one of the most encouraging aspects of planning has been the overwhelming response from community members eager to help.
"It's been incredible to watch the number of people who want to be involved," Brown said. "You ask questions. Everyone just says yes."
ONLINE AUCTION
An online auction featuring experiences and items donated by Olympians and other supporters also will help raise money for Ellie's Fund. Organizers hope the festival becomes an annual tradition. Here’s a link for the auction: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/through-ellies-eyes-auction
For Dolan, however, the weekend's greatest purpose reaches beyond fundraising.
"It's really about a celebration of our community," she said. "It's about art and music and stage and film and coming together — to laugh, to cry, to be together and to share a spirit that's in Ellie. It's really giving us the first time in a public space to share Ellie as a person and to reflect the importance of community and young people."
Here is a link for tickets: https://www.bigpicturetheater.info/event-details/first-annual-through-ellies-eyes-mountain-teem-film-festival-2026-08-08-19-00 . People can also visit https://www.bigpicturetheater.info/event-list
