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Lights, Camera, Adirondacks: Lake Placid Film Festival Celebrates 25 Years

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by Harper Poulin • Published on
Palace Theater
Station Blog

Film lovers heading to Lake Placid this November can look forward to a diverse lineup of feature films, documentaries, short films and television scripts as the Lake Placid Film Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary. Running Nov. 5-8 at the historic Palace Theatre during the venue's centennial year, the festival will showcase 46 competition selections from around the world and across Upstate New York, including world and regional premieres, acclaimed filmmakers, emerging voices, and stories that span everything from the pursuit of the American dream to an all-Black Mount Everest expedition and intimate coming-of-age dramas. 

 

Here are some highlights from the 2026 film selection: 

 

A LIFE OUTSIDE: AMERICAN MOUNTAIN GUIDES 
(Adirondack Premiere, Opening Night Screening, Thursday Nov 5th 8PM)

A gripping look at mountain guiding, this film weaves the story of a modern climb gone wrong with the remarkable life of the man who started it all, Paul Petzoldt: a pioneer who scaled K2, set records on the Matterhorn, trained soldiers to fight nazis in the Alps, and defined adventure itself. Yet his greatest legacy was the founding of mountain guiding in America and an outdoor school. Post Screening Q&A with director Mat Hames.

A Life Outside Trailer
Filer image
A Life Outside

FULL CIRCLE: THE FIRST ALL BLACK EVEREST ASCENT 
(Upstate NY Premiere, Saturday, Nov 7th 6:30PM)

Full Circle chronicles the first all-Black climbing expedition to summit Mount Everest, documenting both the physical demands of the climb and the deeply personal journeys of the climbers themselves. 

Full Circle Trailer
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Full Circle

THE LIFE WE LEAVE 
(New York State Premiere, Friday, November 6th 2:30PM)

An ambitious entrepreneur and two funeral directors pioneer a groundbreaking eco-friendly deathcare facility in Washington state, challenging traditional burial practices and transforming end-of-life rituals. 

The Life We Leave Trailer
Filer image
The Life We Leave

THE AMERICANS
(World Premiere, Saturday, November 7th 11:30AM)

For decades, refugees have begun their journey to the American Dream at a meatpacking plant in Storm Lake, Iowa. Intimately following the lives of the residents in Storm Lake for over four years, The Americans delves into their pursuit of the so-called American Dream and explores the true meaning of happiness. Post Screening Q&A with director Hyunsoo Moon.

The Americans Trailer
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The Americans

YELLOW LETTERS 
(Adirondack Premiere, Saturday, November 7th, 1:30PM)

Life is good for Derya and Aziz, a celebrated artist couple from Turkey, until an incident at their play's premiere. Suddenly targeted by the state and struggling to balance their ideals with life's necessities, their marriage is pushed to a breaking point. Winner of the Golden Bear at 76th Berlin International Film Festival and in contention for Best International Film at the 99th Academy Awards. 

Yellow Letters Trailer
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Yellow Letters

TEN YEAR TOWN 
(Adirondack Premiere, Closing Night Screening, Sunday, November 8th 6PM)

Following nine Nashville singer-songwriters across a pivotal stretch of their lives, this documentary traces the quiet endurance behind the songs and the years of small rooms, borrowed couches, fractured bands, and moments of unexpected grace. Post Screening Q&A with Director Steve Anderson, Director of Photography Brooke Stevens, and Musician/Documentary Subject Chris Canterbury. 

Ten Year Town Trailer
Filer image
Ten Year Town

The Lake Placid Film Festival also continues its commitment to emerging filmmakers with the return of its sold-out Short Film Competition, featuring 30 independent films from Upstate New York and around the world. New this year is a Television Script Competition, with selected writers participating in live table reads of their work. 

To learn more about additional special screenings, seminars and parties, visit lpff.eventive.org/Festival_Program. 

Ticketing: 

All-Access Festival Passes are now available. They may be purchased at lpff.eventive.org/passes/buy. Learn more about tickets for individual events here. 

Tickets

Information: 

To stay up to date on the latest news regarding the Lake Placid Film Festival and film events in the Adirondacks, visit adirondackfilm.org or follow Adirondack Film on Instagram and Facebook (@AdirondackFilm). 

Red Carpet Cocktail Evening 

As part of this year's Lake Placid Film Festival, Adirondack Film will host its annual Red Carpet Cocktail Evening on Nov. 6, honoring longtime festival programmer Dylan Skolnick for his decades of work championing independent and international cinema. A respected figure in the art-house film community, Skolnick has helped shape film programming across New York and the country while playing a key role in the growth of the Lake Placid Film Festival. 

The evening will also give attendees an opportunity to mingle with visiting filmmakers, who are expected to join an informal conversation moderated by former Focus Features co-head Paul Hardart. Featuring food, drinks and networking opportunities, the fundraising event supports Adirondack Film's mission of advancing film education and filmmaking throughout the Adirondack region. 

Tickets for the exclusive event are available at adirondackfilm.org for $125 per person. All proceeds will support Adirondack Film's mission to advance film education and filmmaking in the region. All-Access Festival Passes for the Nov. 5-8 festival are also available at adirondackfilm.org. 

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