A film by Karem Rejeb

Check this video out…I’ve watched it ten times already. The music is super mellow, vibing well with the impressive stop-motion animation that makes those little Playmobil figurines look like they’re just shredding some epic waves.

Lino’, made by Karim Rejeb of KarimRejeb-SurfArt.com, is a masterpiece fit for anyone who has played with plastic toys.  His vision of the world of surfing, as exhibited in massive tarp/towel breaks and full tubes, sets a standard that many surf, or action sport, films aspire to.

Pingu

This is a funny viral video that has hit the winter audience. Stop-motion animation is so fun! (WARNING: some adult language and themes)

For those who haven’t been following ski design innovation over the past few years, rocker technology is an ancient design that has found a new life in current ski brands.  Ski companies are adopting the early-rise tips and tails of the old carved, wooden skis of yesteryear, while promoting it as the latest craze in skiing.  Pingu, a snappy little penguin popularized on a Swiss TV show, finds himself chasing his friend the seal down a slippery slope.

Chopo Diaz, Chilean Invader

Over the past few seasons, Chopo Diaz has been making a name for himself on the Freeskiing World Tour.  If you’ve tuned into the live web-broadcasts of the FWT competitions from Snowbird to Kirkwood to Aleyeska, then you’ve probably seen Chopo dropping huge cliffs with his signature Chilean style.  A lot of power and some smooth shredding are packed into his small frame, making for quite a show whenever he straps on those familiar K2 skis.  Below is a video of Chopo at Snowbird, in an effort to introduce our South American friends to some classic ‘Estados Unidos’ skiing.  Hailing originally from La Parva, Chile, Chopo brings a unique perspective to the steeps and deeps at Utah’s best known powder palace.

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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