“High Country is both a visual pleasure as well as a civics lesson, teaching its viewers the importance of a shared, positive and creative vision for the future. You can’t help but walk away from the film inspired to make a difference in your own community. ”
Entrenched in nostalgia, HIGH COUNTRY tells a timeless American story of how a community of conscientious and forward-thinking young people, disguised as ski bums and hippies, happened upon a ramshackle mining town on the fringe of society and worked to conserve and protect it for years to come.
Hidden amidst the high peaks of the Rocky Mountains, Crested Butte, Colorado has always been a place defined by its people. During the 1960s and 70s, this lawless frontier town provided a hide-out, an escape, and ultimately a paradise for the wandering souls who stumbled upon it. Driven by stewardship over greed, this progressive group found themselves with a blank canvas of a town in which they would create a world of their own. Since that time, Crested Butte has continued to grapple with how best to walk the line between growth and conservation - a challenge faced by small towns across America today.
Crested Butte is a unique example of a place that, in the face of economic pressures, has managed to maintain its strong sense of character. The goal of this film is to share the story of one town, in the hopes of inspiring community amongst others.
It's a film about how if you don’t take care of a place you risk losing it forever.
Conor Hagen | Director
Conor is a native of Crested Butte, Colorado and grew up in New Mexico. He graduated with a B.A. in Film and Television Studies from the University of Vermont before moving to New York City to work alongside his mentor, Albert Maysles. He’s had multiple films screen at various festivals across the United States. He is currently working on a number of different music videos and other new projects. Conor considers HIGH COUNTRY, a documentary about his hometown, to be a very personal passion project; he has been working on it for over five years. Conor currently lives in Sonoma, California.
Alison Batwin | Producer
Ali has produced films in a number of countries including China, France, Spain and the Czech Republic. She's coordinated countless Google projects, created content for National Geographic, traveled far and wide with The Amazing Race, and produced exhibits for the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Her newest side-gig: supporting new mothers and babies as a postpartum doula and lactation counselor in Boulder, Colorado.
Chris Fischer | Executive Producer
Chris Fischer is a chef and farmer from Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. He has produced many short films and currently stars on and produced Amy Schumer Learns to Cook and Expecting Amy.
