WORDS Erin Spong | PHOTOS Katie Cooney
When Sierra Schlag texted to invite me to film at Snowbasin for an all-female ski project, I quite honestly had no idea what I was agreeing to—aside from the opportunity to meet and ski with nearly 15 other women from across the country. Both inspired and intimidated at the same time, I sent it down to Utah, unsure of what I was getting myself into but trusting my gut that I would regret not being a part of whatever it was. And I’m here to tell you to trust your intuition—whether it’s about a romantic partner, a ski line or a potential opportunity—Every. Single. Time.
Just two days of skiing nearly two feet of April powder with a baker’s dozen of new friends ended up being the highlight of my 2023 season and one of the best projects I will ever have the good fortune of taking part in. That is, unless this film does exactly what it intends to: create lasting change in the ski industry to elevate and support female-identifying athletes, artists and creators.
What started as a simple idea from Addy Jacobsend to create a seven-minute piece sharing advice for the next generation of young lady rippers quickly snowballed into a feature-length film with the same goal, but on a much larger scale with a 30-plus-person roster made up entirely of women. From the athletes to the cinematographers, photographers, producers and editors, “Advice For Girls” was made solely by women but is intended for anyone with a female in their life; a mom, sister, niece, cousin, grandparent, aunt, partner or friend—AKA everyone.
“My hope is that the film will inspire and empower women and girls in the ski industry. I want people to hear the stories of women, learn from them and believe that they are capable of incredible things,” Jacobsend beautifully expresses.
While out on tour, I felt the movie’s impact after every showing, the majority of which sold out days in advance. From the Clubhouse in Salt Lake City, which was the original women’s literacy club in 1877, to the Opera House in Sun Valley where the theater was packed to the brim with young girls and moms, the message was clearly received. Tears, smiles, hugs and cheers engulfed the space, leaving little room for doubt and negative self-talk.
“It’s more than just an all-women film on the front-end,” says Director and Cinematographer Sara Beam Robbins. “It’s 100 percent a female production, and it’s proof that we can pull this off and be equally compensated compared to our male counterparts. For me personally, that’s what’s so unique about what we’re doing because oftentimes people don’t think about the people behind the camera, who those people are telling the story and how important it is to have representation behind the lens when you’re telling a story about representation.”
“Advice For Girls” is so much more than just a ski movie. It’s a rallying cry for women and girls of all ages and backgrounds to go after what they want unapologetically, as well as a challenge to the powers that be in the industry to support women and girls to the same degree that they have done for men since the beginning of time. We are here, we are capable and we’re not going anywhere, so you may as well hop on the pink bandwagon and join us for this incredible and empowering ride.
