Mountain Hardwear Announces Presenting Sponsorship of Pull Focus

June 29, 2022

Storytelling grant provides underrepresented filmmakers the opportunity to share stories meaningful to their experiences

Richmond, Calif. (June 29, 2022) /OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – Mountain Hardwear, a leader in performance equipment and apparel for climbers, mountaineers and athletes, is the presenting sponsor of Pull Focus, a new grant for underrepresented filmmakers. The Pull Focus Grant is a partnership between The American Alpine Club and Louder Than 11 that provides historically underserved community members the opportunity to receive mentorship from industry-leading creative professionals, Jon and Jess Glassberg.

The goal of the grant is to lessen barriers that underrepresented groups face in accessing experienced mentorship in the outdoor-focused creative industry by providing access to resources that help them transform their visions into reality.

“Inspiration and opportunity in the outdoors is woven into the fabric at Mountain Hardwear,” said Matt Burbach, Global Marketing Director at Mountain Hardwear. “Through the Pull Focus Grant, we are honored to support The American Alpine Club’s Climb United initiative and join Louder Than 11 to reduce barriers that underrepresented communities continue to face in climbing and the outdoors. We believe that the person telling the story matters, and we’re committed to supporting the advancement of future filmmakers.”

Grant applicants must:

• Be 18 years or older.
• Identify as a member of an underrepresented group, such as BIPOC, LGBTQ+, climbers with disabilities, and others.
• Have an interest in climbing and the outdoors; plus, experience with photography and filmmaking with motivation to gain experience in the fields of photography, video, editing, or writing and producing.
• Face barriers to accessing media resources and opportunities.

The paid grant includes complimentary local housing by A-Lodge, a $10,000 stipend for production expenses such as talent and travel fees or music and footage licensing, an additional $6,000 stipend for living expenses, $5,000 worth of rental equipment, as well as access to equipment and studio space in Boulder, Colo.

“Climbing media undoubtedly shapes the culture of climbing but up until now, it has highlighted the voices of those in power,” said Climb United Manager, Shara Zaia. “Last year, I got an up close look at how dedicated Mountain Hardwear is to amplifying new voices within climbing media through their Open Aperture Clinic. I’m so thrilled to see them continuing their support of this vision as the title sponsor of the Pull Focus Grant.”

Applications for the Pull Focus Grant are open through July 17 and can be found at americanalpineclub.org/climb-united.

For any media inquiries or additional questions, please contact Zach Pickett, Zach@OutsidePR.com.

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About Mountain Hardwear

Mountain Hardwear, Inc., founded in 1993 and based in Richmond, CA, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Columbia Sportswear Company that distributes its products through specialty outdoor retailers in the United States and 34 countries worldwide. We build essential equipment for climbers, mountaineers, and outdoor athletes and have supported expeditions on the world’s highest peaks. This level of technical precision continues to inspire everything we do. Our designers challenge every stitch and detail to continuously improve both function and comfort. www.mountainhardwear.com

About Louder Than 11

Louder Than 11 founded in 2008 in Boulder, Colorado is a full service media production company rooted in climbing, expedition and outdoor content creation. LT11 delivers authentic narratives through their work with top-level brands, professional athletes, and other creatives in the Outdoor Industry. Owner and Director Jon Glassberg manages the creative team with Jessica Glassberg as producer and photographer. Louder Than 11 has created award-winning documentaries, commercial film spots, and adventure media campaigns for the industry’s biggest brands. www.lt11.com