The Remarkables: 146 Years of Climbing was written, directed and edited by film-maker Guillaume Charton, of Queenstown.
The Wakatipu High School teacher and president of the Queenstown Climbing Club created the 16-minute film about the 2300m-high mountain and its mountaineers over three months last autumn.
Mr Charton said the film had been selected as a finalist from more than 90 entries.
The movie related to everyone in the Wakatipu and the story had never been told.
"Very few people are aware about [the first ascent] in the country. The movie is about looking at the Remarkables and the climbers and how they climbed, then and now.
"There is also a multicultural aspect about it, with Maori chants introducing the place and reminding us that we need to take care of it."
Callum Hudson narrates, while Matt McLeod portrays government surveyor TN Hackett and Florian Kobierska plays a member of Hackett's 19th-century climbing party. They are depicted wearing and using period apparel sourced from Small Planet Sports.
Hours of research was conducted with the assistance of staff at the Lakes District Museum in Arrowtown, Mr Charton said.
Climbers Dave Bolger and Rupert Gardiner were filmed demonstrating modern climbing techniques, on Indian Summer, on the west face of the Remarkables.
Christchurch DJs, including Tom Cosm, and members of the Wakatipu High School kapahaka group provided the soundtrack.
The Remarkables: 146 years of Climbing will be screened at the film festival on Tuesday, July 6, at 10.10pm. It will also be shown to the public at the climbing club's annual meeting, at the Queenstown Events Centre, on Friday, August 6, at 7pm.
- The NZ Mountain Film Festival runs at the Lake Wanaka Centre, from July 2 to 6
