All Images: Sam Dresser | Words: Jordy Grant-Krenz
Ski movie season is a sacred time of year. From early September through late November, skiers and cinematographers present their latest projects around the world. We, the dedicated viewers, gather in anticipation. Year after year, we find films packed with delight and nostalgia, serenity and adrenaline. All of this assures us that skiing is indeed a worthwhile pursuit, making us that much more impatient for the coming winter. A culmination of early mornings, energy drinks, sponsorship money, pizza dinners and grit, these films relay epic stories from bygone adventures.
In the age of digital media, where you can simply upload a film to YouTube and call it a day, one may think that the premier represents a forgotten era in skiing, and in the world at large. Why go through the effort of traveling with a bunch of athletes and merchandise when you could just sell your film online? Will people even show up? It turns out that the answer is yes, people do show up, and the result is a unique kind of tangible excitement.
While there are currently several great offerings when it comes to ski film premiers, very few people are doing it like the folks at Level 1. The Denver-based production company scrapped their annual film several years ago. Instead, they switched to an innovative format. The group now produces projects from a diverse collection of videographers and skiers, and to showcase this work, they created the Level 1 Freeski Film Tour.
Now in its third year, the Tour is currently hitting over 10 cities across the U.S. To see what all the hype was about, FREESKIER headed to the stop in Bozeman, Montana. In search of the traveling cultural epicenter of freeskiing, we were delighted to find mesmerizing films, stoked skiers and an atmosphere which confirmed, above all, that skiing is in good hands.
We had arrived earlier than needed, and we still weren’t the first ones there. Several groups of groms had already made their way into the venue. Slamming Cokes and cramming stickers into their XL hoodies, they made me feel a blend of nostalgia and optimism at the same time. I felt nostalgic because their presence made me feel old, (I’m 24, so I don’t think that’s a normal thought yet,) and optimistic because I knew their love for skiing outpaced my own at that age, which is impressive.
After exchanging high-fives and stories about the passing summer with the Level 1 crew, photographer Sam Dresser and I turned to get a few shots near the entrance. During our brief time inside, the line had grown from a few people to what seemed like half the town. Like a writhing snake, it spread around the block and past the box office windows. As we strolled by for a few videos, camera in hand, there was no need to tell anyone to make some noise for the show of it. People were already buzzing. It’s the type of feeling you only get at a live event. It’s easy to forget about it until it smacks you in the face again; the butterflies and sweaty palms that come from connecting with others who are just as excited as you.
The line outside was electric, but somehow the atmosphere inside topped it. People happily handed over their hard-earned cash for limited-edition Level 1 shirts, hoodies and raffle tickets, giving them a chance at a surreal collection of prizes. Young guns gathered in troves to grab signed posters from Jonah Williams, Parker White, Harald Hellström and others. Granted, the crowd melted together with the line for beer, so perhaps the energy was a conjoined effect. But no matter the cause, it was a sight to be seen. As the venue filled up, Level 1’s Conor Smith rallied the crowd to a frenzy and, with the help of a few athletes, began showering gloves, hoodies, shirts and even deodorant down from the heavens.
If the raffle tickets, good beer and free posters weren’t enough to get you in the door, the stacked line-up of movies should have sealed the deal. This year’s Freeski Film Tour features eight movies at each stop. Bozeman was treated to a surprise showing of Wiley Miller’s latest film, with other cities expected to feature unique offerings as well.
Without giving away too much, we were blown away by Svea Irving‘s “Stasis,” as well as “Exciety Threshold” from Hugo Burvall, Oliver Karlberg, Siver Voll and Aleksi Patja. These two films featured very different styles of skiing with a mix of park, pow and street, but both blended incredible cinematography with surrealist themes to create phenomenal projects.
We would be remiss without mentioning Level 1’s 25th-anniversary film, “Wasteland.” It was a fantastic continuation of the creative legacy the brand has established, with the same grand emotion as the Level 1 films of old but done in a new and entertaining way. This could be attributed to a variety of factors, including the fact that Josh Berman handed the reigns of this project over to Owen Dahlberg and Andrew Mildenberger. It’s just another example of how new faces are keeping this storied brand at the forefront of freeskiing culture.
It wasn’t until 10:45 PM that the last movie had been shown, and people began to file out the doors. Still, some lingered, ruminating on the incredible displays of creativity and athleticism they had just witnessed. As the evening was winding down, I found myself chatting with Oscar Weary, or Oski as he’s known, who has a ballistic street segment in the new Level 1 movie, “Wasteland.” I was first introduced to Oski in Mammoth, California at SuperUnknown 21. When we met I had asked him what he did in life, besides skiing. “I mean, that’s pretty much it,” he had replied with a calm smile.
I was taken aback. I consider myself a dedicated skier, but even I don’t have the patience or drive to focus on it 24/7. To hone your focus and master one craft is an experience that very few ever get, but it’s something we can all learn from. Weary and many of his friends have devoted very literal blood, sweat and tears to become more proficient on skis than most people are on their own two feet. These premiers are a small way of learning from that greatness, to be face to face with it and find inspiration for more than just the coming winter.
At the end of our brief conversation, a familiar face approached Oski. It was one of the teenagers who was crushing Coke and hunting for athlete posters earlier in the night. “I don’t know if you remember me, but you were my coach at Mt. Hood.” the kid said with nervous excitement in his voice. “No way! Did I at least teach you a few cool tricks?” Weary replied. “Yeah, it was the best summer of my life!” It was clear that whether he could remember him or not, Weary had left a lasting impression on this young skier.
It was exactly the kind of moment that a ski movie premier can produce. Without those moments, that sense of community, skiing as we know it wouldn’t exist. As we all look for direction in the vastness of the world, skiing is a haven that can give us connection, passion and knowledge. Is it a perfect solution to life’s questions? Of course not. It’s a piece of the puzzle, but a valuable piece at that. And it only works if people come together to share moments of celebration and relevance. It’s moments like this that you’ll find at premiers like Level 1’s Freeski Film Tour.
I’m getting in over my head and probably have been labeled as corny by most at this point. If all you get out of a ski movie this fall is a good buzz from a few cold ones and a lust for pow, that’s totally fine too. But the fact still remains; ski movie premiers are as vital to our community as ever, and the joy people get from them isn’t fading anytime soon.
