Trail Mix, winner of the Highlands Cashiers Film Festival’s 2025 Audience Choice Award, will be shown Saturday, June 20, with free screenings at Noon at The Village Green in Cashiers and 4:00 P.M. at the Highlands Performing Arts Center.
Director Glenn Sweitzer will attend both events to discuss the film and answer questions.
The 50-minute documentary follows a 2,000-mile journey from Georgia to Maine along the Appalachian Trail, exploring the “transformative power of nature” through the voices of hikers seeking healing – military veterans with PTSD, grieving widowers, troubled teens, and others who turned to the wilderness for clarity. Begun in 2018 and partially inspired by Wild, the project grew from curiosity into what Sweitzer describes as a calling to understand why the Trail changes people.
Creative Director Joy Jorgensen says the film’s resonance is no mystery:
“Trail Mix won the Audience Choice Award because viewers could relate to the allure and determination of trekking the Appalachian Trail – especially those parts so near Highlands. Glenn made it his mission to tell the twisted, troubled stories of those who made the trail their life’s journey and salvation. It is yet another story about the magic of this place and finding oneself. We’re so happy to share it with the community again this summer.”
That deep connection between story and landscape sets the tone for the 2026 Highlands-Cashiers Film Festival, returning in September with programming that mirrors the natural rhythm of the Plateau.
This year’s programming mirrors that natural rhythm, creating a flow that feels less like a schedule and more like a journey.
Steve Kniss and John Klein
2026 Schedule of Events
Thursday, September 17
The festival opens with a day that eases audiences into the experience:
Morning Shorts – a bright, energetic start, like the first light over Whiteside;
Afternoon Competition Feature Films – deeper stories unfolding as the day stretches;
Evening Competition Feature Films – narratives that linger into twilight;
Fireside Gathering – a signature Plateau moment, where filmmakers and film lovers gather under the stars, warmed by flame and fellowship.
Friday, September 18
A day that blends movement, conversation, and cinematic discovery:
Morning Hike – a guided walk through the woods, reminding everyone that the land itself is part of the festival’s DNA.
Morning Shorts & Panel Discussion — fresh voices and thoughtful dialogue.
Afternoon Competition Films & Panel Discussion — stories that challenge, inspire, and spark debate.
Evening Talent Forward Special Screening & VIP Meet and Greet — a celebration of rising creators framed by the Plateau’s evening hush.
Saturday, September 19
The festival’s most dynamic day, where creativity and celebration intertwine:
Morning Shorts & Panel Discussion
Afternoon Competition Films & Panel Discussion
Evening Competition Film / Special Screening / Black and White Ball — the festival’s most glamorous night, where mountain elegance meets cinematic flair.
Sunday, September 20
A gentle, joyful close:
Morning Winning Shorts & Awards — honoring the stories that rose to the top, as the mountains themselves seem to nod in approval.
The Plateau has always shaped the people who live here. Now, in its own quiet way, it shapes the stories we tell.
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