Ski film

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A ski film is a movie that shows skiing on snow—whether it’s expeditions, recreation, competitions, or acrobatics. These films capture the outdoor snow-sport culture and usually focus on a technique (like ski jumping, cross-country, downhill, or freestyle), a location, or a group of skiers (experts, celebrities, or beginners).

Ski films come in several forms. They can be feature films, documentaries about a competition or event, instructional videos, retrospectives of skiing history, travel guides about a region, or short subjects such as web series. In 2006 alone, more than 200 ski-related videos appeared. Filmmakers and magazines often recognize work with awards from ski film festivals and organizations.

Feature-length skiing movies have been released since 1938. They were first shown at resorts, clubs, film festivals, and ski shows, and today many are available online or on home video. While many focus on skiing, they also include other mountain, air, or water sports. Techniques like slow motion, time-lapse, and skier point-of-view shots have long been part of ski films.

Many filmmakers release both features and shorter films, and some begin a film project with footage from recent seasons. Ski film can also mean a fictional movie that uses skiing as a theme, sometimes with stunt doubles for on-snow scenes.

Ski, snow, adventure, and mountain films are shown at festivals around the world. Major hubs include Europe (Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, Germany), North America (the United States and Canada), the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Russia, and Spain. Road tours bring a selection of films to several cities, such as the Banff World Tour and other touring programs.