Otherworldly Ski Movie With Live Grateful Dead Inspired Tunes Coming to San Francisco Next Month

Showings of the lauded, psychedelic skiing and action sports movie Mountains of the Moon will touch down in San Francisco, California, on October 1 and October 2, 2026, accompanied by a live band that highlights the shot-almost-entirely-at-night visuals on screen.

Tickets for the events at the Presidio Theatre are now up for grabs. At the screenings, the professional skier and artist behind Mountains of the Moon, Chris Benchetler, will introduce the film. The Terrapin Family Band, with special guest Eric Krasno, will provide live scoring and, after the movie wraps up, play another set, making for a concert setting. 

The musicians will use the Grateful Dead songbook as “a springboard for reinterpretation and as inspiration to create original material,” per the event’s description, highlighting the tie between the Bay Area-born band and Mountains of the Moon. Benchetler, a diehard Dead fan, has collaborated with the band on past movies and projects like Fire on the Mountain.

Mountains of the Moon debuted last fall but, unlike most ski movies, hasn’t been published online yet, only showing in select theaters. That’ll change following the live shows in San Francisco, with the movie hitting the internet on October 2. 

The movie’s inclusion of live music at showings reflects a growing trend in ski movies where, instead of a canned background track, pro skiers and filmmakers are turning to musicians to give their projects more in-person oomph. For example, Ornada, Armada Skis team movie, also assembled a band for some of its screenings last fall.

Does swapping in real, breathing musicians work, though? Absolutely. It’s surely not easy, but when I attended one of Ornada’s showings, I was sold. The touring ski movie model has long looked more or less the same. Adding the energy of a live band presents a new way to reimagine the experience for the better. 

The musical approach isn’t the only way Mountains of the Moon distinguishes itself. Building on previous projects, Benchetler and the team behind the movie created light-up skeleton suits (it’ll make more sense when you see it) for the athletes to wear. Then, at night, they filmed them skiing, surfing, and snowboarding as their bodies illuminated the darkness. There isn’t anything else quite like it in action sports right now. See you there?

Related: A Historic Ski Cabin Fell Into Disrepair. So They Picked It Up and Moved It.