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Liam & Friends

Liam and Friends follows Liam Gill, an Indigenous Olympic snowboarder from Canada as he carves a new path—this time as a mentor. Returning to the mountains that shaped him, Liam launches a youth empowerment program called Liam & Friends that lifts up an underserved community in the Northwest Territories. Set against the backdrop of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains and powered by a local hip-hop soundtrack, the film celebrates resilience, leadership, and the power of showing up for others both on and off the snow.

  • Chad Blain
    Director
  • Chad Blain
    Producer
    See Me
  • Liam Gill
    Key Cast
  • Carter Edwards
    DOP
  • Blayre Ellestad
    Colourist
  • Anna Cooley
    Story Assistant
  • Chad Blain
    Editor
  • Vic Daggs II
    Music Soundtrack
  • KtheChosen
    Music Soundtrack
  • Dwight Good Eagle Farahat
    Music Soundtrack
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 55 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 1, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    21,000 CAD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • CUFF Docs
    Calgary AB
    Canada
    November 23, 2025
    World Premiere
  • Jackson Doc Fest
    Jackson TN
    United States
    Finalist Humanity Short
  • Anchorage International Film Festival
    Anchorage AK
    United States
    December 12, 2025
    International Premiere
  • Bow Valley Film Tour
    Cochrane
    Canada
    February 5, 2026
  • Block Heater Festival
    Calgary AB
    Canada
    February 6, 2026
  • Bow Valley Film Tour
    Banff
    Canada
    February 7, 2026
Director Biography - Chad Blain

Chad Blain is a producer / director with a foundation in post-production. He is primarily focused on audio post for film, television, and theatre.

He has directed music videos and produced award-winning documentary work, including See Me, which premiered at the Lunenburg Documentary Festival and earned Best Short Documentary at the Stinger Awards. To date he has contributed on over 50 film and TV projects.

In 2021 Chad was selected as a participant in the Banff Adventure Filmmakers Workshop where he was inspired by his cohorts and the adventure doc community. This opened up an interest in adventure docs and was excited to reconnect with his instructor Michael Brown who provided mentorship on Liam & Friends

Liam & Friends marks Chad’s directorial debut and reflects his commitment to authentic, collaborative and community focused storytelling.

Chad is a proud co-founder of Snowboarding Saves, a not-for-profit focused on mental wellness in the snowboard community.

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Director Statement

Back in 2023 I was volunteering at a local snowboard event and kept hearing a buzz about an 18-year-old named Liam Gill. He offered to support my not-for-profit, Snowboarding Saves, at an on hill rail jam and I quickly saw Liam’s generosity with the kids in action. He then participated on an athlete panel discussion about mental performance, where he shared his own Olympic experience at Beijing 2022 with remarkable openness. I was struck by how genuine he was—accessible and fully in the moment with every kid that asked a question.

Connecting with his family and friends for the project, I learned how he grew up with a language processing disorder which kept him quiet and made him a thoughtful observer. It wasnt until he found snowboarding where he could truly express himself through his ability to visualize tricks and understand air awareness in a halfpipe.

I am very proud to share his story —not just as an athlete’s journey, but as an example of how sport and mentorship can build resilience, foster belonging, and change the trajectory of a young person’s life.

This film is my way of celebrating Liam and for every kid that feels a little different growing up, there is a community for you.