It can never hurt to keep beseeching the snow gods for more powder, which is a good reason to head to Apple's Bar & Grill in Warm Springs for Rage Film's movie premiere of "Enjoy." The premiere will be part of a "Holiday Rage" street party with live music by the Damphools from 6-10 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 28. The street party is $10 per person.
"Enjoy" features extreme and freestyle skiers at the top of their sport, including Sun Valley's Reggie Crist, who makes big-mountain skiing in Alaska look like an art form. The film's director and producer, Sky Pinnick, said skiing the big lines in Alaska is the most notable aspect of the film.
"We had to cancel a lot of plane tickets because Europe had no snow," Pinnick said. "We had to adapt. We kept getting shut out, and I was very nervous mid-March and basically put all our eggs in one basket and went to Alaska."
Rage Films, based in Bend, Ore., has been going to Alaska for some time and Pinnick said he has never been disappointed in the conditions. "Enjoy" has powerful footage with big descents and cliff jumping. Though there is plenty of rail- playing among many of the athletes, it's the Alaska big-mountain skiing that steals the spotlight.
"I think what sets 'Enjoy' apart from last year is the attention to detail and the editing," Pinnick said. "This is the first year we filmed entirely in High Definition."
"Enjoy" has a different style, which is more cinematic and a little less geared to a younger demographic but still contains all the thrills and excitement for the next generation of extreme and freestyle skiers. Pinnick said the film works because of the symbiotic relationship between the athletes and the camera work.
"When you are in Alaska you have a string of down days and you have to come up with stuff to do. We get anxious so when the sun peeks out we rush to the helicopter pad and if we are lucky we are window shopping for skiing," Pinnick said. "We call it the 'fire drill.'"
Apple's owner Hank Minor has been skiing with the Rage crew in Alaska, and it was his idea to throw a party and have Crist make an appearance at Apple's for the premiere.
Richard Permin makes riding the rails look like another day at the office.
-Photo by Rudi Wyhlidal
