Apayauq

Apayauq Reitan's journey to become the first out transgender woman to complete the legendary Iditarod sled dog race.

  • Zeppelin Zeerip
    Director
    Made in the Mitten, All Bodies on Bikes
  • Princess Daazhraii Johnson
    Executive Producer
    Molly of Denali, Walking Two Worlds
  • Apayauq Reitan
    Key Cast
  • Theo Muse
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    16 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    December 31, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    7,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Shooting Format:
    Sony
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Santa Barbara International Film Festival
    Santa Barbara
    United States
    February 11, 2023
    World
    Official Selection
  • AmDocs
    Palm Springs
    United States
    March 30, 2023
    Official Selection
  • No Mans Land Film Festival
    Denver
    United States
    March 4, 2023
    Colorado Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Zeppelin Zeerip

Zeppelin Zeerip is a documentary filmmaker based in Salt Lake City, UT. He is passionate about telling stories that matter and working to leave the world a little bit better than he found it. He has directed branded content for The North Face, REI and Mountain Hardware.

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Director Statement

I met Apayauq Reitan on the banks of the Arctic in 2018 before she had come out as trans. Staying in touch via Facebook, she let me know in the fall of 2021 that she had come out and would once again be racing in the Iditarod, this time registering as a woman. She asked if I would be interested in filming, and without hesitation, I booked a flight, borrowed a snowmobile from her father, and set out alone to follow her on the 1,000 mile race across Alaska. Apayauq's goal is to share her story beyond Alaska and inspire trans youth nationwide and this film will help her accomplish that.