Carrie McCarthy (Co-Director, Producer), Mark Pedri (Co-Director, Editor), Helena Vilaplana Carnerero (Producer) | 2025 | 19 min.
2026 Official Selection
Bennett, an adventurous young climber, embarks on a life-changing journey to her ancestral homeland in the Italian Dolomites. Joined by her climbing partner, Grandpa Gary, she reconnects with her heritage in a village rooted in generations before her. As she takes on some of the world’s most striking mountains, we witness her growth as a climber and a person.
(still figuring out if we're able to come, but here are our bios if we are able to be there!)
Mark Pedri is an expedition-based documentary filmmaker and writer from Southwestern Wyoming where he tells stories from off the beaten path. Mark founded Burning Torch Productions in 2011 to focus on character-driven stories from the backroads of the world. His films have played at international festivals, on national PBS, and in screening tours around the world. Prior to making films full-time, Mark worked under the founding director of the Episodic Storytelling program at Sundance Institute. Mark has an MFA in Producing from the University of Southern California and an MA in Communication and Journalism from the University of Wyoming.
Carrie McCarthy, PhD is a scientist turned producer who got her start working as a scientific film consultant on documentaries. During her time in academia, Carrie was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation to fund her research, which has been published in several peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences worldwide. She now runs Burning Torch Productions with her partner Mark where she produces documentaries, feature-length, and episodic content focusing on character-driven non-fiction stories. Her films have been a part of international impact campaigns, acclaimed in film festivals around the world and broadcast on national TV. Carrie has a PhD in Materials Chemistry from the University of Southern California.
