| The Lost Mountaineers | |
| Director: | Andrea Andreotti and Diego Busacca |
| Runtime: | 56 minutes |
| Country: | Italy |
| Language: | English/Italian |
| Budget: | 25,000€> |
The Lost Mountaineers is a historical documentary film directed by Andrea Andreotti and Diego Busacca.[1] [2] [3] The documentary focuses on the death of 25 soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division who drowned at Lake Garda on the night of April 30, 1945 when their amphibious craft (DUKW) sank. It explains who the 10th Mountain Division were and chronicles the last days of actions for the 10th Mountain Division and the build-up to the disaster.[4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
The documentary details the events surrounding the loss of these 25 men whose bodies were never recovered, despite the efforts of the United States Army . Their names were therefore added to the list of World War II Missing in Action (MIA).[9]
It recounts the search for the DUKW and successive missions to survey the area and a mini submarine mission at Lake Garda.[10] [11]
The Association Benach's website associazionebenach.com came active on the August 1, 2024 and will be adding more information about the men.[13]
The documentary was made by the Italian nonprofit association Fondazione Museo storico del Trentino (FMST)[14] and the Association Benàch, also a nonprofit WWII history group based in Torbole, Lake Garda who played a fundamental role in the research and search for the DUKW.[15]
The Italian version of The Lost Mountaineers premiered on October 8, 2023, in the Italian language version.[16]
The FMST and the Association Benàch are still raising money to complete the English language version. Val Rios, Former President of the 10th Mountain Division Descendants and Friends, endorsed their campaign in an open letter in the 10th Mountain Division online newspaper Blizzard [17] the film also received a grant from the 10th Mountain Division Association.
A GoFundMe campaign to complete the documentary film raised €7,870. The names of these donors are in the closing credits.
The results seen in the documentary film are the of many fruit of many hours of work by many people from different organizations.- Volontari del Garda “Volga 2026” [18] - Promare [19] [20] - Ictineu Submarines [21] - Denver Library [22] - Stories Behind The Stars “USA World War II Fallen” [23] - Honor for Heroes [24] - Pando Comando [25] [12]
MG (U.S. Army RET.) Gordon B.Davis Jr [26] - COL (USAF, RET.) Jeff Patton [27] [19] - Lorenzo Gardumi (Historian) [28] - Giovanni Sulla (10th Mountain Division expert) [29] - Luca Turrini and Mauro Fusato (Gruppo Volontari del Garda ODV - ETS) [30] [18] - Antonella Previdi (Association Benàch) [31] [29]
Narrated by John Q Kubin.[32]
October, 2023Critically acclaimed, The Lost Mountaineers received the Special Mention by the Jury and won the People's Choice Award out of the 62 films shown at the RAM Film Festival on October 8, 2023.[33] [2] [34]
May–June, 2024The Lost Mountaineers won the Best Documentary award in the bimonthly Monza Film Fest for May - June 2024.[35]
August, 2024Fort Smith International Film Festival - special plaque from the organisers.
July–August, 2024Reale Film Festival - BiMonthly Awards: Best War / Western / History[36]
In August 2024, Antonella Previdi and Ben Appleby from the Association Benàch presented the documentary in several places in the US.
Wednesday, August 14, at the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame in Vail,followed by a Q/A session with members of the production team. In attendance at screening were board members of the Colorado Snowsports Museum such as Chris Anthony. The President of the 10th Division Descendants Association,Denise Taylor.[37] [38]
Friday, August 16, Leadville, Colorado Lake County Civic Center Center Association. Where there were two showings, followed with a Q/A session after each screening with production team members. Donations from this screening went towards the Association Benach and Pb Swims.[39]
Monday, August 19, Denver, thanks to Colorado History:[40] [41] Attendees had the opportunity to view the History Colorado Centre's exhibit Winter Warriors: The 10th Mountain Division in World War II. Then saw the documentary which was followed a Q/A session with members of the production team. Guest of honor at the event was Matthew Hilley the nephew of one of “The Lost Mountaineers” (Matthew Hilley is also the President and Founder of Honor for Heroes)[42] was in attendance and saw the documentary for the that evening and spoke to the audience about what it meant to him and his family "MIA/KIA 1SG James Hilley Recovery Effort".[43] [44] [45] [46]
Fort Smith International Film Festival (Arkansas)Wednesday, August 21, screened The Lost Mountaineers on the open evening of the Fort Smith International Film Festival at the Smith Museum of History before presenting the film there was a color guard, followed by a Q/A session with some of the production team. In attendance were local dignitaries such as Mayor of Fort Smith George McGill.[47] [48] The documentary film was presented at the Fort Smith International Film Festival Arkansas, 22–24 August 2024.[49] [50]
Chicago: On Tuesday, August 27, it was screened at the Italian American Veterans Museum in Chicago, at Casa Italia. In attendance at screening were Cav. Ron Onesti, Chairman (Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans),Paul Basile, Secretary (Italian American Veterans Museum),Lorenzo Fiorentino, a retired Military Police major (Italian American Veterans Museum),[51] Ryan Patrick Hunt, U.S. Army Major (Retired) from Pando Commando.[52] [53]
Alpin Film Festival, Jackson WY ;February 17–18, 2025 [54]
LANFA-Los Angeles Nollywood Film Award/Music Festival; February 20–21, 2025
Bath International Film Festival 2025; March 1–2, 2025
Woodbury Film Festival - March 1 – 3, 2025
2025 Erie International Film Festival: September 12, 13, and 14th, 2025
Dublin Independent Film Festival; August 29 – 30, 2025
Manchester Indepedent Film Festival; March 7 – 8, 2025[55]
Free Screening of The Lost Mountaineers - part of the La Sfida competiton, at the Casinò di Arco (TN) At 9pm - Wednesday, 11 December 2024.[56]
Watch this space for more screening dates and locations
The Lost Mountaineers team contact details are;[57]
email: associazionebenanch@gmail.com
Website: www.associazionebenach.com [57]
The Association Benàch and the FMST are now working on a documentary film about BG William Orlando Darby for next year's 80th anniversary of his passing. Production is still in the early stages as they look for backers to help finance this project. They also have a GoFundMe campaign set up which can be found on their website campaign title is “Documentary on Brigadier General William O. Darby”.[58]