Tatsuno's Ski Movie Review: 'Signatures'
Sweetgrass Productions: Signatures
I had the opportunity to catch the most recent release by Sweetgrass Productions in Carbondale a couple of nights ago. Dos Gringos (my favorite burrito place in C-dale!) offered up their fine establishment to accommodate the over 80 people that showed up to watch some pow riding delight.
Now, I should mention that I have been aware of this project since its early filming this past winter. Many of my close friends and skiing buddies made the trek out to Japan, where the producers/filmers posted up for over 7 months. That being said, I was excited to see the action my friends got into while in the land of the rising sun.
Luckily, good news came just hours before I set off with my girlfriend in tow to catch the show, as reports of ‘Signatures’ winning the Best Cinematography award at this year’s IF3 ski film festival in Montreal came in across the intraweb. Facebook , the TGR boards , and Twitter were all abuzz about this beautifully shot film and its unique approach to winter riding.
Lest the film disappoint, I was already stoked on my ‘Spud Luv’ potato filled burrito, but no worries. ‘Signatures’ opened in classic Sweetgrass style with a cool narration reflecting on seasonal change and shots of rivers, ocean, and snow falling. If you are a powder fan, then this is the film of the year for you; there are more slash turns and pillow drops than a bag of marshmallows.
The segment that really caught my attention and will keep me coming back is the night shots. I have seen night skiing/riding in action sports films before, but these guys really know how to keep your eyes dancing across the screen. The creative editing allowed each skier’s slash or drop to intermix like a choreographed dance. Awesome, just plain awesome. You’ll have to see it to really understand what I’m trying to get at here.
In summary, if you’ve been feeling a little burnt out on the regular ski flick offerings each year, check this film out. It’s not an MSP, or TGR, or even Level 1 for that matter…but that is exactly what sets it apart and makes it stand out. And if the judges at IF3 aren’t good enough for ya, just trust this ski bum, I even snaked a poster of theirs to hang in my van for some added stoke.
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Tags: Dos Gringos, Facebook, IF3, Signatures, ski film, ski movie, Sweetgrass Productions, TGR
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I had the opportunity to view/enjoy the Sweetgrass Productions presentation of SIGNATURES at Whiskey Jacques Bar in Ketchum, Idaho, a fundraiser for the Sawtooth Avalanche Center. I have only been to Japan during one hot muggy summer on a college judo comp tour, so this gave me an appreciation of the other side of the coin. Since my grandfather immigrated from Nagano and the Japan Alps area, this kind of “filled in” with some beautiful background footage of winter’s possibilities there. As a boarder, it amazed me when the No Boarders did their thing. Talk about free riding…..
The filming was poetic and the music sublime..