Lazarus Lake ‘The Hillbilly Scientist’. Movie Premiere in Chamonix

August 17, 2026

The Only Authorised Lazarus Lake Documentary. World Premiere in UTMB Week

PREMIERE DATE: Thursday, 27th August 2026 (16h00 screening)

VENUE: Cinema Vox, Central Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

DIRECTORS: Paul Mellor & Luke Jarmey

PRODUCTION: Mellor&Smith in association with Mount to Coast and Raidlight

MEDIA RSVP: Elodie Bonnin elodie.bonnin@bernascom

DOWNLOAD MATERIALS: Movie poster and photography from the production

CHAMONIX, FRANCE, August 2026 /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – As the global trail and ultra running elite gather in Chamonix for UTMB week, a groundbreaking feature documentary is set to challenge the very core of modern endurance culture.

‘Lazarus Lake, The Hillbilly Scientist’ is the only authorised documentary on Gary “Lazarus Lake” Cantrell. Mellor&Smith will host its cinematic World Premiere at the Vox Cinema in central Chamonix on Thursday, 27th August 2026.

UNPARALLELED ACCESS TO RUNNING’S LAST REBEL

Over a 12-month period, co-directors Paul Mellor and Luke Jarmey were granted unprecedented access into Laz’s inner circle. Filming for over 20 days, the crew embedded themselves at the infamous Barkley Marathons in Tennessee, Big’s Backyard Ultra, and spent extensive time at Laz’s home with him, his wife Sandra and the inner circle.

The film also captures rare, raw footage from 7 days trekking alongside Laz across the Nevada desert on Highway 50, ‘America’s Loneliest Highway’, during his latest TransCon journey, where the crew was isolated with Laz in vast solitude, passing only a single vehicle per day.

BEYOND THE MYTH, AN HONEST EXPLORATION

While modern running has evolved toward sleek curation, optimization, and commercialization, Lazarus Lake has spent 50 years designing formats with an unapologetic, honest difficulty. ‘The Hillbilly Scientist’ reveals that Laz’s cruellest courses are rooted in a deeply scientific understanding of human psychology and physical limits.

THIS IS NO PUFF-PIECE

The documentary tackles controversies, early childhood struggles including near-death teenage experiences, his runaway years, and his evolution from the 1970s counter-culture running boom to the creation of the Barkley Marathons, unearthing early archival articles from UltraList and Ultra Running Magazine.

“Meaning comes from the struggle, not the outcome. Laz is preserving something older and rarer: a way to test yourself that can’t be faked, marketed, or outsourced” Paul Mellor, Co-Director & Executive Producer.

FEATURING INTERVIEWS FROM:

• Jasmin Paris (First female Barkley Marathons finisher)
• Rich Roll (Ultra-endurance athlete & host of The Rich Roll Podcast)
• John Kelly (Multi-time Barkley Marathons finisher)
• Mathieu Blanchard (UTMB Podium finisher & Barkley Marathon attempt 2026)
• David Horton (Ultra Running Hall of Famer)
• Rachel Entrekin (Badass ultrarunner)
• Abby Levene (Senior Editor, Outside Magazine)

PREMIERE DETAILS & MEDIA ACCREDITATION:

• Date: Thursday, 27 August 2026
• Location: Cinema Vox, 22 Place Balmat, 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
  • 15h30 Red Carpet / Doors
  • 16h00 Screening
  • 17h00 30 minutes Q&A with Laz and Paul Mellor (co-director)
• Attendance is strictly by invitation and media accreditation due to limited venue capacity.

LINKS:

• Photography from the production (including behind the scenes)
• Paul Mellor Instagram & LinkedIn
• Luke Jarmey Instagram
• Mellor&Smith Instagram & LinkedIn
• Movie poster image of Laz is courtesy of David Miller Photography

END

Media Enquiries, Press Passes & Screener Requests please contact Elodie Bonnin

Email: elodie.bonnin@bernascom | Mob: + 33 6 82 27 87 42