FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Nick Dobreff, Director of Publicity and Community Relations
616.485.3913 (m) – 303.308.2477 (o)
ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org
COLORADO SYMPHONY PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE EXHILARATING DOCUMENTARY FILM “MISSION MT. MANGART”
November 11, 2021 event explores the untold stories of Colorado’s famed 10th Mountain Division
Jul. 26, 2021 – Denver, CO – Your Colorado Symphony presents the world premiere of the documentary film “Mission Mt. Mangart”, exploring untold stories of Colorado’s famed 10th Mountain Division before, during, and after World War II while revealing the trials and tribulations of this heroic collective which consisted of the most talented international skiers and mountaineers of the day. Featuring original music, the 70-minute documentary is a retrospective of the development, wartime achievements, and connection of the experimental light infantry unit to Colorado. The Colorado Symphony will perform at the opening and closing of the film screening.
Written, directed, edited and produced by documentary filmmaker and professional skier, Chris Anthony, with score by composer Carlo Nicolau, the documentary explores the 10th Mountain Division, whose epic battles ultimately contributed to Germany’s surrender of Italy on May 2, 1945. Even today, stories of this World War II experimental unit stir our imagination. Their skilled athleticism and equally matched heroism are that of legends. Their contributions to history and post-war skiing, mountaineering and outdoor recreation industries, make the 10th Mountain Division an indelible legacy.
While many stories have been created about the 10th’s history, this documentary delves into those untold tales from a unique inside perspective by professional skier Chris Anthony who serendipitously stumbled upon the division’s exploits during his own skiing career. Taking six years to complete, the project truly began for Anthony the moment he was put on skis at 18 months old.
Anthony reveals the “Mission Mt. Mangart” timeline in reverse, from 2020 to 1939 with in-depth narration combining interviews with the original 10th Mountain Division soldiers and their detailed adventures from 1939-1945. Focusing on several key developments and the characters involved, the history of the 10th Mountain Division is brought back from the snowy depths of history to the big screen.
The film chronicles efforts of many characters including pioneers Deborah Bankart and Cruz Rios. Bankart’s involvement in the recruiting of the first wave of soldiers for the new experimental unit and her volunteer involvement on the front lines in Italy with the American Red Cross are brought to life by Olympic Gold Medalist and World Champion Coloradoan Mikaela Shiffrin. Rios, a motorman and one of 300 Mexican and Native Americans who served in this internationally diverse unit, is illustrated as a novice to skiing, learning during training operations in Camp Hale, Colorado; later making sport a lifelong passion. The documentary also touches on the twenty-five men who went missing in Lake Garda, Italy April 29th, 1945 during the Battle of Torbole and Riva Del Garda – a sacrifice that until recently, went relatively unnoticed. The story then follows Germany’s surrender in Italy with the 10th being called upon to move eastward from Lake Garda into the Julian Alps and push Tito’s Yugoslavian Army back across the border into their homeland. The new deployment placed them in high alpine peaks, some of them still covered in snow.
During previous combat the 10th captured a supply of German ski gear with hopes it would prove useful. That opportunity arose after successfully pushing the Yugoslavian Army out of Italy then held the line as peacekeepers. It was at that moment they gazed upon the massive peak and snowfield of Mt. Mangart and remembered they were skiers long before they were soldiers. So, on June 3, 1945 on a majestic mountain in the Julian Alps, Mt. Mangart, the 10th hosted their first divisional ski race since the onset of war.
The story of the 10th Mountain Division is intertwined with that of Anthony and his six-year journey of discovery into this period of history. To complete this massive undertaking, Anthony received aid from the Slovenian Association of Mountain Soldiers, NATO, The Slovenian Mountain Troops, Slovenian Ministry of Defense, and United States Embassy in Slovenia as well as assistance from retired Slovenian Brigadier General, Janez Kavar – now a historian of mountain troops.
“Mission Mt. Mangart” was produced as educational programing under the umbrella of the Chris Anthony Youth Project whose mission is to build engaging educational tools, juxtaposing the innocence of the 10th’s ski race in the midst of wartime with the context of the international instability at the time. Much like his previous documentary effort in partnership with Warren Miller Entertainment and the Colorado Snowsports Museum, “Climb to Glory,” Anthony aims to keep alive the legacy and sacrifices made by American troops.
Majority of proceeds raised screening “Mission Mt. Mangart” go directly to the Chris Anthony Youth Project, providing educational experiential enrichment field trips for financially challenged youth.
Tickets available Friday, July 30 starting at 10am. Tickets are $15 – $45. $45 VIP ticket includes premium Orchestra 2 seating for the best viewing experience and other perks TBD. Screening of the film will be introduced and concluded with performance by your Colorado Symphony. Original soundtrack audio will accompany film screening without orchestra performing full score. Overture and credit score to be performed by orchestra only. This is not a Movie at the Symphony concert and Colorado Symphony musicians will not be performing throughout the screening. Film is advised for ages 8+.
EVENT INFORMATION:
What: “Mission Mt. Mangart” presented by the Colorado Symphony
Where: Boettcher Concert Hall
When: Thurs, November 11, 2021 at 7:00pm MST
Doors: 6:00pm MST
Tickets: Available Friday July 30, 2021 at 10am
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CONTACTS:
For more information or to request interviews, please contact:
Nick Dobreff, Director of Publicity and Community Relations
ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org – 303.308.2477 (o)
For high-resolution, downloadable images of the Colorado Symphony, contact: ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org
The 2021/22 Colorado Symphony Season is presented by Bonfils-Stanton Foundation. Support also provided by: The Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), United Airlines, the Colorado Symphony Guild, and the Virginia Hill Foundation.
TICKETS:
Tickets to Colorado Symphony events are available online at coloradosymphony.org/tickets or by phone at 303.623.7876. The Box Office is open for phone inquiries only, Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Saturday, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
ABOUT THE COLORADO SYMPHONY:
The Colorado Symphony Association is the region’s only full-time professional orchestra committed to artistic excellence and ensuring the future of live, symphonic music. Performing over 150 concerts annually at Boettcher Concert Hall in downtown Denver and across Colorado, your Colorado Symphony is home to eighty full-time musicians, representing more than a dozen nations, and regularly welcomes the most celebrated artists from all genres of music. During the COVID-19 health pandemic, we worked to safely produce over 50 concerts with and without audiences, including: 18 Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre performances, two large scale virtual community benefit concerts, and dozens of small ensemble concerts performed in numerous outdoor venues like the Denver Performing Arts Complex Galleria, Denver Zoo, and Denver Botanic Gardens. Our virtual #PlayOn campaigns garnered 2 million views between our Virtual Music Hour, Weekly Replay, From Home Concerts, and MusiCurious Instrument Interviews. Recognized as an incubator of innovation, creativity, and excellence, your Colorado Symphony continually expands its through education, outreach, and programming. We partner with the state’s leading musical artists, cultural organizations, corporations, foundations, sports teams, and individuals to expose diverse audiences to the power of symphonic orchestral music. To learn more, visit coloradosymphony.org.