The documentary follows a crew of snowboarders for six weeks in the Chugach mountains, and showcases what it takes to ride these unique Alaskan mountains: the waiting, the stress, the dangers, everything that goes into it and is usually never shown. It also retraces some of the history of this unknown discipline and pays tribute to the pioneers. But the film really focuses on the human aspect and why these people do what they do.
Absinthe remains committed to documenting these amazing riders with the most timeless and stylish medium: Film. Following up to last year’s question ‘Optimistic?’, Absinthe answers with a crew of riders who overcome obstacles with spontaneity and skill in another full spectrum snowboard film that is down to have some more fun with snowboarding. Ready.
This underground classic is considered by many to be Absinthe Films' greatest work to date. Transcendence marks the beginning of new kind of snowboarding film.
The lack of snow in much of the world, and a lack of snowpack stability in most other places, made this winter exceptionally challenging. Mentally and otherwise. A bit like a riddle, a maze, and a game of chicken rolled into one. With heavy consequences for not playing at the very top of your game. Lucky for you, (and for Absinthe) we were at the right place at the right time. But that would be a long and weird name for a movie, so we decided to call this one HEAVY MENTAL. You will be rocked. Riders include Victor De Le Rue, Austen Sweetin, Bode Merrill, Jason Robinson, Mat Schaer, Wolfgang Nyvelt, Manuel Diaz, Victor Daviet, Johnnie Paxson, Romain De Marchi, Blair Habenicht, Scot Brown, Ozzy Henning, Rusty Ockenden, Nils Arvidsson, Mathieu Crepel, Sylvain Bourbousson, Helen Schettini, and Mike Basich
Dopamine is a naturally occurring chemical in the brain that influences movement and reward. At the core of progressive snowboarding, it is movement and reward that provide a natural motivation for riders like Bode Merrill, Victor De Le Rue, and Brandon Cocard to evolve and innovate. These explorers of mountain and mental landscapes led the charge this year, changing the definition of what can be done on a snowboard, and changing the guard. From the Yukon, Kootenays, Valhallas, Monashees, Dolomites, and Pyrenees, the Absinthe crew proves Dopamine is free, but you have to get out there to earn it.
Once again Absinthe Films raises the bar to bring you 'More'. This title marks the beginning of a new era for Absinthe Films as they have broadened their scope to include and properly represent urban riding while still keeping the overall blend fresh and un-repetitive.
In pursuit of the best that the winter of 2012 had to offer, the Absinthe crew employed a dual strategy to both hustle & hunker down waiting. In a year of erratic snowfall, there was no other way to slay. But by splitting up and spreading out across the globe in smaller groups, they stacked the odds in their favor. The strategy worked. Tight, agile crews tuned themselves to local frequencies enabling them to tap into record-breaking dumps in Europe, heavy sessions in the Pacific Northwest, Japan, and ultimately, Alaska. It was a winter with Resonance: new riders came on board, new locations were exposed and as always, the Absinthe cameras captured all the action on film.
Change is the only constant. Resistance leads to stagnation and suffering while embracing it brings growth. What comes AfterForever? Everything.
It’s the channel that’s not on your television, you need to go out into nature to tune into this frequency.
Saturation documents the movement away from handrail-heavy snow culture and brings you back to the mountains, back to the powder and back to having fun with your friends. Riders like Rice, deMarchi, Muller and Nyvelt mark the beginning of a revolution in snowboarding based on the merging of freestyle and big mountain riding.
Neverland is a state of mind, a mountain pushed up from the ground by imagination. Anyone can go but most people have trouble with the simple directions: Follow your dreams. This winter Absinthe dropped down the rabbit hole to explore this elusive place and brought back some mind bending tales and a pocketful of surprises.
Pop is the fifth Absinthe Films release since Justin Hostynek and Patrick Armbruster joined forces. This film has exclusive coverage of the first ever Chad's gap snowboarding session. In this session, Travis Rice and Romain de Marchi throw down the heaviest snowboarding in any film this year, raising the bar considerably with +150 foot tricks and we don't mean cab fives. A thrilling blend of all aspects of snowboarding set to a soundtrack that will have you out adding to your cd collection plus all of the extras that you have come to expect from Absinthe Films.
In the early 2000's, David Vladyka and a handful of snowboarders discovered the Col de Cou, a major crossing point on the French-Swiss border used by smugglers after the Second World War. This area with its hilly terrain became a legendary place for freestyle snowboarding. 20 years later, Mat Schaer and David Vladyka still come back from time to time to film, but the immaculate slopes are becoming rare. The excitement of the great freestyle years has given way to the hikers. A new page is being turned.
A winter defined by feast or famine, shattered snowfall records and endless droughts, tidal waves, floods, and for many, a season that simply would not end. In a time where technology and the energy of our planet are accelerating off the charts and Mother Nature's confusion can no longer be explained away by experts. The Kootenay, Purcell, Selkirk, Monashee, Pacific Coast, Cascade, Wasatch, Uinta, Cache, Gros Ventre, Strandafjellet and Kaçkar mountain ranges were on the winning end of the spectrum, and you might guess where the Absinthe crew spent their winter. Twelve riders having a blast, redefining the limits of what is possible. Absinthe brings you the next wintry shred classic: Twel2ve.
Tired of the same old formula? Here's some next level shit that will be setting the new standard. Rice, deMarchi, Solberg, Jones and Pauporte deliver some unforgettable riding, while names like Muller, Kalbermatten and Moore make some big deposits of their own in your long-term memory banks. This breakthrough film includes impossible new camera angles that let you tag along within high-fiving distance of some of the best riders on the planet.
Big jumps are sick... and once again we have that category well covered. But there will always be a bigger jump or that extra one eighty added to the rotation that will dethrone last year's golden moment. So... what aspects of snowboarding can withstand the test of time? We spent the winter examining this question and came up with some answers that will have you waxing your board and watching the Weather Channel in September. You will see.
From the longest standing independent snowboard film makers and repeat winners of Best Snowboard film of the year comes TurboDojo, the new-new from the Absinthe crew.
In the first winter to show the undeniable effects of global warming, Absinthe Films has explored the effects of a changing planet. For those who live to snowboard, these changes can be perceived as impossible challenges or creative opportunities. Absinthe reconfirms it's ability to find the best conditions when the rest have given up or resigned themselves to the park. Following fifteen individuals through their interpretation of this winter, Absinthe forges another unforgettable snowboard film with it's newest release. Optimistic?
