Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai and “Succession” actor Arian Moayed have signed on as executive producers of the feature documentary “Champions of the Golden Valley.”
Directed by Ben Sturgulewski, the doc follows former Afghan Olympic hopeful Alishah Farhangm as he brings together athletes of all ages and abilities from neighboring and often divided villages in the ancient Afghanistan mountain town of Bamyan to form a competitive ski community. An Oscar-qualifying theatrical run for “Champions of the Golden Valley” will begin on Oct. 31 in Los Angeles.
“Champions of the Golden Valley” is a moving and timely story about what joy and unity look like when everything else is falling apart,” Yousafzai said in a statement. “I’m proud to support this film and the young people whose courage and spirit it so beautifully captures.”
Moayed added, “Champions of the Golden Valley” resonates because it’s a story about people who refuse to stop dreaming. “These beautiful and resilient Afghans show us the power of what sport, community, and shared purpose can do, no matter what the obstacles may be.”
The doc premiered at the 2024 Tribeca Festival and has screened at over 50 festivals and received over 30 grand prize, jury, and audience awards, including best documentary at both SCAD Savannah Film Festival and Berkshire International Film Festival.
“Director Ben Sturgulewski captures an Afghanistan that few outsiders ever see in his exuberant debut feature film,” Tribeca Fest programmer Andrea Passafiume said. “A unique story that goes beyond skiing, ‘Champions of the Golden Valley’ is about resilience, finding joy amidst difficult circumstances, and what it means to be a champion.”
Yousafzai has supported several documentary projects. In 2023, Yousafzai boarded Oscar-shortlisted doc “Stranger at the Gate” as an executive producer. The film charted the surprising change of heart of a PTSD-suffering former U.S. Marine who set out to bomb a mosque but instead converted to Islam. In 2022, Yousafzai boarded “Joyland” as executive producer. The film tells the tale of a young Pakistani man from a patriarchal family who joins an erotic dance theater and falls for an ambitious transgender starlet.
Yousafzai began her activism by blogging about life in Pakistan under the Taliban and was shot in the head for speaking out. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her work for education and equality. An Oxford University graduate and a self-professed TV fan, she struck a multi-year programming pact with Apple TV+ in 2021 through Extracurricular Productions, where she is president.
