Nike iF3 Wrap-Up

Words by Jeff Schmuck
Photos courtesy of iF3

The sixth annual Nike International Freeski Film Festival concluded yesterday in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and what a conclusion it was, with a multitude of premieres, the iF3 Movie Awards and the infamous Sean Pettit Rocker Party all transpiring over the past two days.

Following a truly epic evening at the iF3 Hip-Hop Party at Olympia on Friday night (click here to check out our coverage), Saturday morning came much too early for many in attendance, as the premieres kicked off at Noon and didn't let up until 10 hours later.


The first of six sets of presentations on Saturday kicked off with webisodes from Nipwtiz and Garchois Films, followed by two different but equally exciting films, Le Grinch by Quebec's very own WFP Famila (which contained a host of gutter rat-style urban that whipped the local crowd into a frenzy) and 4FRNT's new team film, Dang!, which much like their previous offerings did a bang on job of showcasing that 4FRNT has one of the best and most well-rounded teams in the game.

Up next was the All Girls Screening, during which Jen Hudak, Kaya Turski, Dania Assaly, Anais Caradeux and Lynsey Dyer took the stage to introduce a series of short films and webisodes, including offerings from Turski, Dyer and a look at Nine Queens from Jen Hudak's perspective, which focused on the progression of women's skiing and the major role the life of the late Sarah Burke played in it.


Later on in the afternoon, 4bi9 Media (who will be releasing their new film later this fall) unveiled the third episode of their highly popular webisode series, 4bi9 House (which will be dropping on Newschoolers later this month), which had the crowd laughing their asses off, followed by a look at the Eye of the Condor and Sennheiser Backcountry Picnic events. After those webisodes were all said and done, another group of legendary locals, NSF Productions, treated their fellow French-Canadian brethren to their latest offering, Moss, followed by Voleurz' Kill Your Boredom, which contains a war-themed and blood dripping intro where skiers and snowboarders fight to the death, followed by a series of energizing ski and snowboard clinics from from the likes of KC Deane, Joe Schuster, Mack Jones, Braden Dean, Justin VDP, Shayne 'The Schwank' Zwickel and many more notorious members of the Voleurz Family.

The iF3 Awards were up next (although more on that in a bit), followed by another beauty from the always entertaining Meathead Films, who's 80's-style bump segment is a must see, and Stept Productions' The Eighty Six, which unsurprisingly, is quite possibly the best, burliest and most beautifully shot urban-focused ski film ever made, with standout parts from Cam Riley, Clayton Vila, Sean Jordan, Shea Flynn and many more, and an entertaining look at what their parents think about what the Stept crew does best.


And while that was going on indoors, two of the rowdiest crews in skiing, PYP and Gpsy Feelin, unveiled their latest films, Part Time and TAZ, across the street in the iF3 Outdoor Village, and if the cheers that could be heard from inside the theatre are any indication, you won't want to miss either of these arousing offerings when they drop online later this fall.

After a short break, the two crowds then merged as one inside of Monument National for quite possibly the most highly anticipated film of the weekend, Poor Boyz Productions' WE: A Collection of Individuals, which you can check out our review of by clicking here.


Then on Sunday morning, the final four webisodes (courtesy of Moment Productions, Traveling Circus, Salomon Freeski TV and Collet Brother Channels) and six films of the festival were shown, beginning with two local powerhouses, Brotherhood Films' Déjà Vu, and ESK Media's rumored last ski film, Souvenirs, which featured some of the finest urban seen all weekend, and followed by Garchois Films' Eye of the Storm, Harrow Art's Snow Collective (which contains a lengthy look at the World Heli Challenge by the event's creator, Tony Harrington), TFJ Productions' Sweden-based film Joy & Pain, and best of all, Teton Gravity Research's sure to be iconic new film, The Dream Factory, which eloquently and excitingly documents the story of how Alaska became skiing's mecca, and thus features some of the most impressive footage ever captured in AK.


But before the aforementioned premieres wrapped-up, the iF3 Movie Awards (hosted by the illustrious Luke Van Valin and the lovely Camille DG) took place on Saturday evening inside of Monument National, where a portion of the iF3 Awards were handed out (while the remaining ones will be given in two weeks time at iF3 Europe in Annecy, France...click here to see which ones), highlighted by Level 1 claiming victory in the Best North American Film category and Sarah Burke's father Gord giving a tear jerking and heart warming speech to a standing ovation as his accepted the iF3 Ski Icon Award on his behalf of his daughter, who we all miss so much. Here's a look at all of the nominees and winners...



And once Saturday's awards and premieres were all said and done, it was time for the loudest, rowdiest and most kick ass party of the festival, and perhaps in the entire ski world, the Sean Pettit Rocker Party, presented by K2, Newschoolers and Coors Light.


The party (which was a party in every sense of the word) took place across the street from Monument National and right next to the iF3 Outdoor Village and Hotel Zero 1 at Club Soda, where an abundance of out of control skiers donned leather, fishnet, hairspray and faded rocker tees as an 80's metal cover band screeched and wailed the night away while the event's host with the most (the one and only Sean Pettit) made multiple appearances on stage to crowd surf and encourage people to give'er even harder...


That's all for the sixth annual edition of the Nike International Freeski Film Festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. On behalf of all of us at Newschoolers, along with the throng of athletes, filmmakers, industry figures and fans in attendance, a huge, iF3-sized thank-you is very much in order for iF3 President Felix Rioux, Allison Thompson, Jason Mousseau and the rest of the iF3 staff for another amazing installment of the event, and to everyone who came out to support it. We love you guys!


For more information on iF3, be sure to head on over to iF3.com, and stay tuned for more from the biggest and best ski film festival in the world, as iF3 Europe and iF3 Innsbruck are just around the corner!