Screen caps from All.I.Can.
One of my favourite gifts this Christmas was a copy of All.I.Can., a ski movie.
I hadn’t thought much about ski movies before I took up skiing this winter and I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Sure, I’ve seen a few before, but I always felt a little reserved around the films, not wanting to appear like a poser or something ridiculous like that.
Anyway, what with learning to ski (whoo first blue run on the 31st!) I decided I wanted some inspiration and there’s been a lot of hype, positive chat and awards for the Sherpas Cinemas 2011 film, All.I.Can. so I figured I should start there.
One of my favourite segments is Chapter 5: Imagination. The chapter went viral online (you can watch it below) for good reason. It’s a perfect match of music and action. The understated music and glimpses of a skier moving through an urban setting compliment each other well.
The sparks of a ski’s edge on pavement. A drop of water shaken loose by his passing. Slushy snow thrown into the air.
It’s easy to imagine skier JP Auclair with an iPod plugged in, hitting his hops, jumps and carves in time with the music.
There’s a good interview from Brobomb.com about Imagination. Segment director Dave Mossop told Brobomb (Brobomb, Brobomb, Brobomb) the segment came together unnaturally easy.
[A]s we drove to the interior JP started reminiscing about how, as a kid, he would look out the car window and visualize a skier hitting every little patch of snow and jibbing everything possible. I think a lot of people have shared this fantasy at sometime in their life, and I think that’s why this segment has turned out so powerful.
Source: Brobomb
I’ll let the segment speak for itself. If you get a chance to see All.I.Can., take it.
Do you have a recommendation for a ski film I should watch? I hear there have been several produced by locals. Leave your suggestions below.
JP Auclair Street Segment (from All.I.Can.) from Sherpas Cinema on Vimeo.
I haven’t seen a ski movie for years. I prefer doing to watching.
What I have seen is a bunch of folks without the experience, skill and support of rock stars doing themselves in at an amazing rate trying to imitate what they see. The young man from Calgary who died in Nelson recently was likely trying to imitate the segment you suggest watching when he landed on his head without a helmet and later died of his injuries.
The last ski flick I saw was by Bill Heath and it is by far the best I have ever seen. That man has an eye like nobody else. No hero bullshit, just fine lines, great skiing and deep soul. That’s what skiing is all about.
I’m stoked you are skiing, Chris, and I can’t wait till you get your legs under you and I can drag you off into the woods for some real fun, the kind money can’t buy. I have a favourite spot called Rabbit Ridge I suspect you would like. Does your .22 break down and fit in a pack?
I agree the death of the college student was tragic and wearing a helmet could have helped.
When I first saw this clip, before Christmas, I was going to post it on News in the Kootenays, but then the young man died. I realized it would be bad timing and would promote the wrong message that people should wear helmets.
That skier, JP, is a bit of a legend, I gather, and it’s a shame he doesn’t wear a helmet.
Rabbit Ridge sounds mighty interesting and I’ll see what I can do to strap the .22 onto the pack so it can come along.