Access Unbound Launches Year-Long Adaptive Sports Film Festival
In Celebration of 10 Years of Expanding Access to the Outdoors

Screenings at the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame will celebrate adaptive athletes, resilience, adventure and exploring what’s possible 

VAIL, COLORADO — For the past 10 years, Access Unbound has worked to expand access to outdoor recreation for people with disabilities throughout the Vail Valley. Now, the organization is celebrating that milestone through the power of film.

The Access Unbound Adaptive Sports Film Festival, a year-long screening series running from November 2026 through November 2027, will bring inspiring adaptive sports stories to the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame in Vail, Colorado. The Access Unbound Adaptive Sports Film Festival is generously sponsored by The Steadman Clinic and Steadman Philippon Research Institute, Alpine Bank, and the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame. Community Partners include Medequip, Liz Leeds Luxury Real Estate Team, and CTA Digital Media.

The series will showcase documentaries and films featuring adaptive athletes, outdoor adventurers, innovators and communities challenging assumptions about disability and redefining what is possible in sports and the outdoors. At its heart, the Access Unbound Adaptive Sports Film Festival is about visibility. When audiences see adaptive athletes skiing, cycling, climbing, hiking and pursuing ambitious goals in the outdoors, those stories can challenge outdated perceptions of disability and broaden the public understanding of what adaptive sports can be.

“Adaptive sports are about so much more than recreation,” said John McMurtry, Executive Director of Access Unbound. “They are about possibility, confidence, community and discovering what you are capable of. After 10 years of doing this work in the Vail Valley, we wanted to celebrate by sharing stories that capture that spirit and hopefully inspire people to see themselves, or someone they love, in these stories.”

With guidance from festival advisor Henry Lystad, Founder and CEO of Monkey Wrench Films, the series is designed to be more than a traditional film screening. Each gathering will create opportunities for audiences to connect with athletes, physicians, nonprofit leaders, educators, outdoor industry professionals and fellow community members in the Vail Valley.

The first three screenings and dates are:

Full Circle directed by Josh Berman
Friday, November 6, 2026 at Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame, Vail
Full Circle is an unblinking examination of the challenges of Spinal Cord Injury, and a celebration of the growth that such tragedy can catalyze. The film follows Trevor Kennison on a path towards post-traumatic growth in parallel with Barry Corbet, 50 years later.  Their stories mirror each other, connected through time and space by common locations and motifs; injuries in the Colorado backcountry, rehab at Craig Hospital, fame in Jackson Hole; but also through their shared resiliency and refusal to let their zeal for life be limited by their injuries.

Mountains of the Moon directed by Chris Benchetler
Friday, January 22, 2027 at Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame, Vail
In Mountains of the Moon, world renowned artist and skier, Chris Benchetler explores the unseen connections between sport, life, music, and the living earth—set to the timeless tunes of the Grateful Dead. Captured almost entirely at night using cutting-edge cinematography, lasers, animation, and projection mapping, the film leads viewers on a surreal journey through ocean, river, and mountain landscapes. The world’s greatest athletes, adventurers, and thinkers appear as luminous figures, navigating through the natural world.

Best Day Ever directed by Ben Knight and Berne Broudy
+ Arc’teryx Presents: Tim Sackbauer
Friday, March 5, 2027 at Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame, Vail
A film about freedom, friendship and the power of possibility. The Best Day Ever documentary follows adaptive mountain bikers Greg Durso and Allie Bianchi as they tackle the daily challenges of disability—and find joy, connection, and belonging in Vermont's mountain biking community. Set in the Green Mountains, this is a story of grit, independence, and what’s possible when community and creativity come together. At its heart is the world’s first fully adaptive trail network—built to prove that everyone belongs outside. Visually stunning and emotionally powerful, Best Day Ever challenges perceptions of disability and celebrates community.

Access Unbound Adaptive Sports Film Festival
November 2026 – November 2027
Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame | Vail, Colorado

For more information, upcoming screening announcements and tickets, visit www.accessunbound.org