Unexpected Connections: “The Volunteers”
Filmmaker Mark Weiner (middle left) with Sarah Stephen (left) from Seattle Mountain Rescue, and members of the Tyrolean Mountain Rescue, Valentine Schiessendorper and Markus Isser (right).
Photo: Austrian Embassy
The Embassy had the pleasure of hosting a documentary film screening of The Volunteers on January 30, 2025. The film, produced by Mark S. Weiner and David Ritsher, documents the surprising connection between two mountain rescue organizations on opposite sides of the world - one near Seattle, Washington, the other in Tyrol, Austria.
Historian Mark S. Weiner travels from America to Austria and back again as he considers the origins and meaning of their rescue work. Both groups have grown from a strong sense of place ... because before you can save a stranger, you first must love your home.
The film was presented in cooperation with the American-Austrian Cultural Society and was followed by a panel discussion with co-director Mark S. Weiner and members from both the Seattle and Tyorlean mountain rescues, who travelled to attend the event.
Photos: Austrian Embassy
