Level One Freeski Film fuels the stoke for 2025 ski season

Under the glow of the ELM marquee, Bozeman skiers emerged from summer hibernation wearing jorts, small sunglasses, beanies and baggy clothing — fully embodying the word “steez,” — a slang term for alternative stylish clothing. They showed out on Tuesday, Sept. 10 with a purpose: to marvel at what this year's Level One Freeski Film Fest brought to the table. After a summer of being deprived from snow, these rippers came ready to eat.

Indeed, an undercurrent of pure excitement ran through the crowd as they waited for the big screen to queue the Bozeman showing, and with that, the hype for the 2025 ski season.

According to the Level One website, the organization was founded in 1999 by Josh Berman alongside a team of filmmakers, athletes and designers who sought to bring premium ski content to the big screen. Since then, the company has transformed into a primary name in the world of ski cinematography. One of the main factors pushing their popularity has been their initial vision to "document skiing into the future,” according to Marketing Manager Conor Frank.

Over the past 25 years, they’ve documented the evolution of the sport — from urban street skiing to the backcountry — keeping things fresh and influential for generations to come. The premiere on Tuesday marked the continuation of that legacy and reinforced Bozeman's place as a hub for dedicated freeskiers.

This year's films had fresh perspectives, offering a more artistic expression to the sport. While the big screen ran various films for over an hour, a standout was Svea Irving’s film, which focused on the interconnectedness one experiences with nature while skiing. Through images such as solitude in a forest, pulsating flowers and elaborate edits, the film emphasized the intense bond between skiers and the mountains they explore, including their inherent ability to pull them back day in and day out.

Beyond Irving's film, Level One also showcased some gnarly, jaw-dropping clips and highlighted the resilience the skiers must have, as more goes into the production of these films than meets the eye.

A local professional skier and previous Level One athlete Wiley Miller provided further insight into the demands of producing a ski film from an athlete's point of view. Like many ski fanatics, shooting with Level One was a dream for Miller. According to him, the creative energy and infectious culture that pulsates through the company make it one athletes love to be a part of.

The weather plays a massive role in the production of these films, with various factors to consider. The avalanche danger has to be low, there has to be sunshine, it has to be cold and, of course, there has to be fresh powder.

“The stars have to align and you only get so many of those days a month. You’re lucky to get two good film days a month to shoot a film,” Miller said. This translates into a hardcore mentality where you are chasing the snow, and in Miller’s case, having a season of spontaneous ski trips — aka every Bozeman skier’s love language.

With a deeper understanding of what goes into these films, one can be more appreciative of what productions like Level One are doing for the ski industry, according to Miller.

At its core, Level One’s intent is to inspire and motivate the next generation as they head into the following winter, according to Frank.

“If we get one person at each of the 10 tour stops across the country to leave the venue feeling stoked and inspired, this is a great success,” Frank said. “These events aren’t huge money-making endeavors, [but they] keep freeskiing alive and inspire people to go out and film with their homies.”

The Level One premiere in Bozeman seemed to do just that, serving as a catalyst for stoke to among the community, especially among the younger generations. As Miller pointed out: “Youth culture drives everything, that’s the future of our sport.”

Soon, the torch will be passed and a new generation will carry the legacy not just for themselves, but for the people, for the culture and for the art of skiing. But for now, another season is on the horizon — and with a little luck and lots of stoke, it could be the gnarliest season yet.