Level 1 Freeski Film Tour builds excitement for ski season

The Bozeman community has deep roots in ski culture, and after being deprived of snow all summer, excitement has been building for the fast-approaching winter season. Crowds of MSU students and community members flocked to The Elm on Tuesday night to watch pros shred on the big screen. 

On Sept. 23, Level 1 Productions screened eight ski films as part of its annual Freeski Film Tour. Level 1 organized the tour but did not produce all the films; instead, they brought independent skiers and filmmakers from around the world to share their adventures with the ski community.

Level 1 Productions, which was founded in 1999, is a film production company whose mission is to capture compelling images of the best skiing action and deliver content and stories to viewers, according to its website. The company directs its own ski films and also helps smaller athletes and artists with their productions.

“Some [films] we just support through helping with funding and production resources, and with others we handle every stage of production in-house,” Level 1 director and founder Josh Berman said. “We also manage marketing, premieres and the annual film tour. For our own project, we’re steering every aspect of the creative and logistical process.”

The films featured both street and freeride skiing. In freeride skiing, athletes take on ungroomed slopes and extreme natural terrain, according to the Freeride World Tour website. Street skiing is when skiers perform tricks on rails, steps, benches and other manmade features in or near an urban environment, or an area with urban-style features, according to Redbull’s website.

Films at the event included Manon Loschi’s “Endorphin;” Addie Rafford, Joona Kangas and Zoë Blewett’s “Keesh,” Jonah Williams’ “Wasteland;” Colby Stevenson’s  “Phantom;” Craig Murray’s “Terra Incognita;” The Runge’s “Full Pull;” Boom Club’s “Cali Rambo” and an untitled film by the group Forre.

“Each project reflects a different season, crew and creative direction, and every film carries memories of the people and places behind it,” Berman said. “Rather than one favorite, what stands out are the moments when everything — athlete performances, storytelling and audience energy — comes together. Those are the highlights I remember most.”

According to Berman, films such as these let skiers see what’s possible, push their limits and dream up trips and lines.

“Ski films inspire people to get outside, showcase new styles and terrain and create shared experiences through premieres and tours,” Berman said. “They give athletes a platform, help define the sport’s look and feel and keep the community connected across geography and generations.”

The Freeriders of MSU — the University’s freeride club which is involved in promoting and hosting ski films around Bozeman — had a booth at the event. Club members encouraged new sign ups and gave out free stickers. 

The profit the club makes from helping promote ski film events goes toward minimizing the cost of competitive freeride skiing and creating more opportunities for college students, according to the MSU Freeride Club President Hannah Christensen.

“The Freeriders of MSU host as many ski films in the fall as possible. We want to get the community stoked for the upcoming season while supporting the filmmakers and athletes to look up to,” Christensen said. “The events we host create opportunities for members to connect, get excited for the season and showcase what the freeride club is all about.” 

To learn more about MSU’s freeride club, visit its Instagram @freeridersofmsu.

For more information about Level 1, visit https://level1productions.com/.