Whitefish Ski Heritage Center presents 'Friedl'
Daily Inter-Lake | UPDATED 8 hours, 45 minutes AGO
Professional skier and filmmaker Chris Anthony brings to the screen the extraordinary life journey of Austrian Skiing Champion, WW2 Veteran, and founder of Aspen Ski Corporation, Friedl Pfeifer.
The Ski Heritage Center Museum will host a special presentation of the new, award-winning documentary film "Friedl" at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center on Monday, Nov. 16.
The film chronicles the extraordinary life of skiing pioneer Friedl Pfeifer, from his roots in Austria, to the front lines of World War II and his post-war role as a founding father of the modern American ski industry.
After rising to become one of Europe’s top ski racers in his native Austria, Pfeifer fled to the United States to escape conscription into the Nazi military. Following the outbreak of WWII, he joined the U.S. Army’s famed 10th Mountain Division, training American troops in mountain warfare and skiing techniques at Camp Hale, Colorado. Deployed to the Italian front, Pfeifer's military service ended dramatically when he was nearly killed in battle—just a mountain range away from his homeland.
Following his recovery, Pfeifer embarked on a career that transformed American skiing. His legendary contributions include:
Co-Founding Aspen: Formed the Aspen Ski Corporation, co-founded the resort, and established the iconic Aspen Ski School.
Creating Buttermilk: Founded Buttermilk Mountain as a family-friendly destination.
National & International Leadership: Served as head coach for the U.S. Ski Team at both the FIS World Championships and the Winter Olympics.
Pioneering Pro Racing: Created the International Professional Ski Racers Association and introduced head-to-head dual slalom racing. Pfeifer’s career culminated in his 1980 induction into the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame.
Friedl is the latest release from Vail, Colorado–based filmmaker Chris Anthony. Anthony, a veteran ski racer and pioneer in extreme skiing, appeared in 27 consecutive Warren Miller films between 1990 and 2016.
Anthony turned to historical filmmaking after co-producing the 2013 10th Mountain Division documentary Climb to Glory alongside Warren Miller. His subsequent solo film, Mission Mt. Mangart, won Best Historical Documentary at the 2021 Cannes World Film Festival. Friedl matched that critical acclaim, earning Best Biographical Feature Film honors at Cannes in 2025.
The screening of film is Monday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students, military, veterans and seniors.
To purchase tickets or for more info visit whitefishskimuseum.org or call 406-885-2730.