Chris Benchetler Couples Grateful Dead Music with Extreme Sports in New Movie ‘Mountains of the Moon’

From elite athlete, filmmaker, artist, and pledged deadhead Chris Benchetler comes a new theatrical experience inspired by the world of extreme sports and set to the music of the Grateful Dead. Mountains of the Moon takes viewers from snowcapped summits to rushing rivers and out to sea. Shot beneath the night sky, the film aims to evoke light through skeletal suits worn by top athletes, conveying the visual cue that underneath it all, we’re just bones. The official movie trailer dropped today, Oct. 30. Mountains of the Moon hits theaters globally on Nov. 14. 

Mountains of the Moon fuses advanced cinematography, lasers, animation, and projection mapping to create a diverse exploration of snow sports, biking, surfing, climbing, and more, illuminating universal kinship through shared experiences. Not unlike a Grateful Dead concert, the film lifts the communal aspect of being, embracing what makes us more alike than different. 

Benchetler comments, “Mountains of the Moon is an artistic journey where light became my paintbrush and the Earth our canvas. “By breaking free of the sun’s constraints, we were able to sculpt emotion, energy, and movement, juxtaposed into the landscape—layering sport, art, music, and nature to create something that speaks beyond words and more into feeling.”

“The music of the Grateful Dead has always been about exploration – of sound, spirit, and the unknown,” says Mickey Hart. “Mountains of the Moon taps into that same energy, pushing creative boundaries to illuminate the deep connection between art, nature, and human expression. It was an honor to contribute to this visionary project and help bring its rhythm to life.”

The movie component is one piece of a larger project, which includes a forthcoming book of photographs, concepts, and paintings that continue to piece together motifs that reveal a universal language. The book and official merch launch will arrive on November 13 at chrisbenchetler.com. 

From Nov. 15-23, “Mountains of the Moon: A Cinematic Experience” art gallery will take place in Los Angeles, inviting fans of the Grateful Dead’s music and extreme sports to see another side of Benchetler’s artistic expression. 

For tickets and additional information, visit www.chrisbenchetler.com/mountains-of-the-moon. 

Watch the trailer and get shown the light below.