Freeriders of MSU puts on Ski film mania

Upon walking into the ballroom-turned-movie-theater, I was greeted by a crowd I warmly associate with the Bozeman ski bum community. A rainbow of beanies (ears exposed, of course), handfuls of flat brim Carhartt hats, dudes with hair longer than mine, girls with shredded and patched jeans, the occasional pair of overalls, and nose rings galore met the eye.

This past Thursday, Oct. 17, the Freeriders of MSU club hosted the Faction Collective ski movie in SUB Ballroom A. Tickets were $5 for students, and free Faction skiing stickers and bublys were handed out at the door.  

In the middle of the room, there was a table set up with an abundance of raffle prizes to be gifted to the crowd. Amongst the prizes were cases of Yerba Mate, loose-leaf tea, and Ziro ski goggles.

The evening contained three different ski movies- “JYOSEI”, “121”, and “The Collective”. As the lights turned out and the screen donned the opening clips of “JYOSEI”, a plethora of “yewwww’s” came from the crowd. “JYOSEI” is an all-girls ski film featuring eight professional lady skiers shredding in Japan. The three ideals they want to instill in viewers are the pursuit of euphoria, the blessing of being resourceful, and the importance of perseverance through failure or bad weather. Following “JYOSEI” was the film “121” by Legs of Steel. This film was shot partly in Japan and partly in Laax, Switzerland in the Swiss Alps. The shots in Japan were mainly of skiers sending it off their man-made jumps into super deep powder. These shots hyped up the crowd as the second part of the film rolled into more natural tricks off cliffs dropping into the Swiss Alps. 

The feature film of the night, “The Collective” by Faction Skis, screened as the finale. The film was shot in a wide variety of locations. In Folgefonna, Norway, scenes featured one of the most beautiful sunsets ever filmed. In Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, fresh powder backcountry skiing was showcased, along with professional skiers encouraging the community-mindedness of skiers to push individuals towards bettering themselves. In Leysin, Switzerland, girls park skiing were featured, while in Helsinki, Finland, all urban tricks were on display. The film wrapped up in British Columbia, Canada, where famous skier Alex Hall experienced his first time in the backcountry, feeding off different people’s styles in his group. He finished the film by discussing how connection builds through shared moments and experiences, hence the name of the film - “The Collective.” 

The group that put on the film series, Freeriders of MSU, has the goal of introducing and providing opportunities for students to compete in big mountain skiing, as well as to alleviate the financial burden of big mountain ski competitions. For more information, email freeridersofmsu@gmail.com.