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For over an hour, Kilian Bron takes you far off the beaten track with his crew of filmmakers and photographer. Together, they capture not just the ride, but an authentic and truly human journey in one of the most remote places on Earth.
MANDALA – The Film is part of a trilogy that began with DOLOMITES, the first chapter that revealed both Kilian’s vision of alpine mountain biking and the story of a territory. MANDALA continues this journey, exploring isolation, the place of human connection, and the challenges linked to mass tourism in Nepal.
The trilogy will conclude in spring 2026 with a final film dedicated to an initiatory road trip and the conquest of an iconic South American peak. While each chapter shares a common structure, every film carries a distinct message, a sensitive variation on the relationship between performance, nature, and culture.
With MANDALA, Kilian and his team give equal importance to the gesture and the image, celebrating both the raw beauty of the world and the richness of human bonds, from extreme landscapes to everyday life. The film also shines a light on the often-staggering realities of Nepal and the current challenges faced by valleys like Dolpo. Isolated, yes – but for how much longer?
A Team Effort
MANDALA is the result of collaboration between Kilian, his team of filmmakers and photographer, friends and partners, and musicians.
A passionate team of image-makers followed him on this extraordinary journey, each expressing themselves through the film: Valentin Birant for his documentary work, Pierre Henni for action cinematography, and Pierre Vieira for photography.
The project came to life thanks to the support of Commencal Bikes and Altaï Travel. Their contribution went far beyond financial backing – it was human support, with time and energy dedicated to making the film a success. Not to mention the local teams from Epic Mountain Bike, along with porters and a cook.
The artistic dimension is further enriched by an original soundtrack created with Orage Musique, available in full on Spotify.
As with his previous films, Kilian’s goal was not only to showcase stunning landscapes through an artistic lens. He and his team met children, discovered their daily lives, and reflected on the meaning of their presence there.
How can they engage in a way that is fair and useful? How can they faithfully convey the intensity of this adventure and share its essence with the world?
MANDALA stands as both a sporting and visual adventure while rooting itself in a solidarity-based approach in Nepal. Following the shoot, Kilian and his partners carried out several concrete initiatives to support local communities through a dedicated endowment fund (created by the Altaï group), in which he is personally involved.
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Kathmandu initiative: They brought bikes to Kathmandu so that local children could use them. In return, the children commit to maintaining the bikes at the Epic Mountain Bike shop.
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Education support: They are supporting young Arun by covering his school fees, with the help of a local tutor.
The next step is to expand access to bikes and education to at least five children, and to assist a young adult in training for his future career as an MTB guide. Kilian and his team’s next trip to Nepal is scheduled for October 12.
Featured rider
Kilian Bron
Kilian Bron is a professional enduro/freeride mountain biker for the Intense Mavic Collective and acts as media manager for his own team and some partners. Bron spends his seasons focusing on media projects and enduro-downhill races.