Chris Benchetler’s Grateful Dead Film Will Be Streaming This Fall

Chris Benchetler has spent his career blurring the lines between skiing, art, and music. But his latest film, Mountains of the Moon, may be his most ambitious attempt yet.

The movie pairs Benchetler’s signature dreamlike visuals and nighttime skiing segments with a soundtrack built entirely around the music of the Grateful Dead. But in its most unique form, Mountains of the Moon isn’t just a ski film—it’s a live performance.

At select screenings, the soundtrack is performed live by a band while the film plays, transforming the experience from a traditional movie screening into something that feels more like a concert. Ross James, who has performed with members of the Grateful Dead, joins Alex Koford, Tyler Grant, and Bill McKay to bring the music to life in real time.

“You get to feel the film, instead of just watching it,” Benchetler told SKI before a recent screening at the Outside Festival, which took place at downtown Denver’s Auraria Campus the last weekend in May, where attendees watched Benchetler’s colorful journey accompanied by a live performance.

It’s this immersive approach that allows Benchetler to fully express his own passions. A longtime Deadhead, he sees the project as a natural extension of his love for both skiing and music.

Not everyone who watches the film will be a Grateful Dead fan, but Benchetler isn’t concerned.

“They can either love it, or they can hate it, but just trying to create an experience that brings people together, and live music and film do that in a beautiful way.”

The film itself feels like a trip through Benchetler’s wildly creative mind. Combining art, skiing, action sports, and colorful visual effects, Mountains of the Moon explores the connection between athleticism and artistic expression. It’s a fitting project for someone who, when asked by comedian Katie Burrell during a post-screening interview whether he considers himself first a skier, filmmaker, artist, or amateur skateboarder, answered without hesitation: “Artist.”

Most skiers know Benchetler through his collection of iconic Atomic Bent ski graphics—top sheets that often look more at home in a gallery than on a chairlift. Mountains of the Moon extrapolates that artistic vision onto the big screen.

“[The film is] an extension of me,” Benchetler told SKI. “I love the Grateful Dead’s music, and I hope that the music never stops.”

For those who missed the live experience, Mountains of the Moon will be available to stream in fall 2026.