To Hold a Mountain
| To Hold A Mountain | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Directed by |
|
| Written by |
|
| Produced by | Biljana Tutorov |
| Cinematography | Eva Kraljević |
| Edited by | George Cragg |
| Music by | Draško Adžić |
Production company | Wake Up Films |
Release dates | |
Running time | 105 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | Serbo-Croatian |
To Hold a Mountain is a 2026 documentary film directed by Biljana Tutorov and Petar Glomazić. It is set in the remote highlands of Montenegro and tells the story of a shepherd mother and daughter who proudly defend their ancestral mountain from the threat of becoming a NATO military training ground.
The film premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on 26 January 2026 and won the Grand Jury Prize - World Cinema Documentary.[1]
When presenting To Hold A Mountain with the Grand Jury Prize - World Cinema Documentary, the 2026 Sundance Film Festival Jury wrote: "This visually and emotionally stunning film transported us to a remote mountain top and into the most intimate moments of a family fighting to protect not only their land, but their way of life. The truest example of the power of cinema to make the personal political."[2]
Synopsis
In the remote highlands of Montenegro's Sinjajevina plateau, Gara and her thirteen-year-old daughter Nada return to their ancestral pastures every summer, where they herd animals, gather herbs and live in symbiosis with the mountain they call “Mother.” But their fragile world comes under threat when the Montenegrin government advances plans for a NATO-backed military training ground in the heart of this protected landscape. Gara emerges as an unexpected leader in the fight to defend Sinjajevina but, as Nada grows into young womanhood, the encroaching violence on the land awakens questions about her past, her future and the cycle of harm within her family she hopes to break.
Production
To Hold a Mountain's Executive Producers include Megan Gelstein, Andrea Meditch, Bianca Oana, Jean Tsien, Petra Costa, Sean Flynn, Ben Fowlie, Lucila Moctezuma, Chandra Jessee, Rebecca Lichtenfeld, Megha Agrawal Sood, Shanida Scotland, Meadow Fund, Julie Parker Benello, and Jenni Wolfson.[3]
Release
To Hold A Mountain had its World Premiere at the 2026 on 26 January 2026 in the World Cinema Documentary Competition.[4]
It was also screened at True/False, CPH:DOX, Cinema du Reel, Visions du Reel,[5] Seattle International Film Festival, Full Frame, and Hot Docs among many other festivals.
The film was also part of the 73rd Sydney Film Festival International Documentaries, where it was screened on 8 June 2026.[6][7] On 7 August it will be screened in the Melbourne International Film Festival in Documentaries Program Strand for its Victorian Premiere.[8]
It had its Regional Premiere on 15 August 2026 at the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival, where it won the Heart of Sarajevo award in the Competition Programme – Documentary Film 2026.[9][10]
Reception
Critical response
Writing for Variety, Murtada Elfadl called To Hold A Mountain "an emotionally shattering meditation on grief and perseverance."[11] In Hammer to Nail, Christopher Reed said To Hold a Mountain was a "tender and deeply moving documentary about the true nature of heroism."[12] A review written for Screen International called the film a "tender, immersive...masterful, empathetic documentary."[13]
Awards and nominations
| Award / Film Festival | Year | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sundance Film Festival | 2026 | Grand Jury Prize - World Cinema Documentary | To Hold A Mountain | Won | [1] |
| Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Film Festival | 2026 | Best Documentary | Won | [14] | |
| Millennium Docs Against Gravity | 2026 | Grand Prix | Won | [15] | |
| RiverRun International Film Festival | 2026 | Best Director of Documentary Feature | Biljana Tutorov, Petar Glomazić | Won | [16] |
| Sarajevo Film Festival | 21 August 2026 | Heart of Sarajevo Award for Best Documentary Film | To Hold A Mountain | Won | [17] |
References
- 1 2 Spicer, Lucy (30 January 2026). "The Complete List of 2026 Sundance Film Festival Award Winners - sundance.org". www.sundance.org. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ Kaser, Anna (30 January 2026). "2026 Sundance Film Festival Announces Award Winners - sundance.org". Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ Tutorov, Biljana (26 January 2026). "To Hold A Mountain". Cineuropa. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
- ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (10 December 2025). "Sundance 2026 Lineup Includes Films With Jenna Ortega, Charli XCX, Seth Rogen, Russell Crowe, Ethan Hawke & More In Park City Finale". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ↑ "To Hold a Mountain – Films". Visions du Réel. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ Ramachandran, Naman (6 May 2026). "Asghar Farhadi, Andrey Zvyagintsev, Kore-eda Hirokazu and Cristian Mungiu in Competition as Sydney Film Festival Reveals Full Program With 19 Cannes Films". Variety. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
- ↑ "To Hold A Mountain". Sydney Film Festival. 8 June 2026. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
- ↑ "To Hold A Mountain". Melbourne International Film Festival. 8 June 2026. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
- ↑ Ellie Calnan (23 July 2026). "Sarajevo Film Festival unveils competition programmes with five world premieres". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- ↑ Stojiljković, Marko (23 July 2026). "51 films set to compete for the Heart of Sarajevo". Cineuropa. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- ↑ Elfadl, Murtada (1 February 2026). "'To Hold a Mountain' Review: Sundance Award Winner Reveals the Strength and Beauty of Observational Nonfiction". Variety. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ Reed, Christopher (28 January 2026). "TO HOLD A MOUNTAIN". Hammer to Nail. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ Baughan, Nikki. "'To Hold A Mountain' review: Tender, immersive doc follows mountain life in Montenegro". Screen. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
- ↑ "MSPIFF44 | AWARDS". MSP Film. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
- ↑ Vourlias, Christopher (15 May 2026). "'To Hold a Mountain,' a Meditation on Sisterhood, Grief and Perseverance, Wins Top Prize at Millennium Docs Against Gravity". Variety. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
- ↑ Eckert, Gabriel (29 April 2026). "RiverRun 2026 Award Winners - RiverRun International Film Festival". Retrieved 25 June 2026.
- ↑ Christopher Vourlias (21 August 2026). "Austrian Director Sandra Wollner's 'Everytime' Wins Best Film at Sarajevo Film Festival". Variety. Retrieved 22 August 2026.