Sámi Rights Documentary LET OUR MOUNTAINS LIVE to Have North American Premiere at 2026 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival
The powerful new documentary LET OUR MOUNTAINS LIVE will make its North American Premiere at the 2026 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, runningApril 23rd to May 3rd, the film will screen twice during the festival at TIFF Lightbox on April 24th and 25th.
Director/producer Håvard Bustnes and Sámi filmmaker, writer, and producer Johannes Vang will be in attendance for the screenings.
A gripping and urgent documentary, LET OUR MOUNTAINS LIVE follows South Sámi reindeer herders Sissel Stormo Holtan and Terje Haugen as they wage a decades-long fight to protect their ancestral grazing lands from Europe’s largest onshore wind power development in the mountains of Fosen, Norway.
After years of legal battles, the herders achieve a historic victory when Norway’s Supreme Court rules that the wind farm violates Sámi human rights. Yet despite the landmark ruling, the turbines remain standing. What follows is an extraordinary struggle that exposes a deeper crisis: when courts recognize injustice but governments fail to act.
The case ignites protests led by Sámi youth, drawing international attention to the tensions between climate policy, corporate power, and Indigenous rights. At its heart, LET OUR MOUNTAINS LIVE asks a question resonating far beyond Norway: can the global transition to renewable energy truly be just if it comes at the cost of Indigenous culture, land, and livelihood?
The film was developed in close collaboration with Sámi creators, including co-writer and producer Johannes Vang and Finnish Sámi filmmaker Kati Eriksen, ensuring the story reflects authentic Sámi perspectives and cultural context.
Director Håvard Bustnes, one of Norway’s most acclaimed documentary filmmakers, has spent more than two decades crafting internationally recognized nonfiction films including Golden Dawn Girls, Two Raging Grannies, and Name of the Game. His work has screened at major festivals worldwide and has received numerous honors, including Norway’s Amanda Award and Gullruten Award.
With its Hot Docs premiere, LET OUR MOUNTAINS LIVE brings a critical Indigenous rights story to North American audiences at a moment when conversations about climate justice and Indigenous sovereignty are increasingly urgent worldwide.
Festival Screenings
Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival
TIFF Cinema 4 – Toronto, Canada
April 24, 2026 – 3:00 PM
April 25, 2026 – 8:15 PM
Film Information
Title: LET OUR MOUNTAINS LIVE
Director: Håvard Bustnes
Writers / Co-Producers: Johannes Vang, Kati Eriksen, Håvard Bustnes
Countries: Norway / Finland
Running Time: 100 minutes
