"Friedl" documentary premiere with Chris Anthony

Professional skier and filmmaker Chris Anthony brings to life the extraordinary journey of Friedl Pfeifer. While researching material for a sequel to his still-touring documentary “Mission Mt. Mangart,” which tells the story of the 10th Mountain Division during WWII, Chris encountered the name Friedl Pfeifer while in Austria, digging through skiing archives. Recognizing Pfeifer only from his statue at the base of Aspen Mountain in Colorado, Chris’s curiosity led him to explore Friedl’s remarkable story and the connection between the Arlberg Region, Sun Valley, Idaho, Colorado, and WW2.

Friedl Pfeifer was born and raised on a farm in St. Anton, Austria, and grew to be one of Austria’s top alpine ski racers, winning many classic events, including the legendary Grossglockner. Mentored by the iconic Hannes Schneider, Friedl’s life changed dramatically after Schneider’s arrest by the Nazis. This compelled Friedl to flee Austria, beginning an incredible journey: through Italy, by ship to Australia, then to New York City, and by train to Sun Valley, Idaho. There, after meeting his wife, Friedl was temporarily arrested by the FBI and interned. Upon release, he became an instructor with the 10th Mountain Division and served on the front lines of Italy during WWII. Left for dead on the battlefield, he barely survived, returned to the United States, and eventually founded Aspen Ski Corporation.

Chris Anthony has retraced Pfeifer’s path, inspiring his documentary to highlight not only Friedl’s story but also the world from the 1920s through the 1950s. Anthony creates these films through his Youth Foundation to educate and inspire youth, while raising funds to enable underserved individuals to experience skiing for the first time.

You may also like the following events from Wood River Museum of History + Culture:

• Next Wednesday, 19th November, 05:30 pm, I Met Him in Paris - film screening in Ketchum
• This month, 25th November, 05:30 pm, Sun Valley Serenade film screening in Ketchum

Also check out other Sports events in Ketchum, Meetups in Ketchum, Entertainment events in Ketchum.