Same Difference

Blindsight

September 2006 •English

Six blind Tibetan teenagers climb the Lhakpa-Ri peak of Mount Everest, led by seven-summit blind mountain-climber Erik Weihenmayer.

March of the Penguins

January 2005 •French

Every year, thousands of Antarctica's emperor penguins make an astonishing journey to breed their young. They walk, marching day and night in single file 70 miles into the darkest, driest and coldest continent on Earth. This amazing, true-life tale is touched with humour and alive with thrills. Breathtaking photography captures the transcendent beauty and staggering drama of devoted parent penguins who, in the fierce polar winter, take turns guarding their egg and trekking to the ocean in search of food. Predators hunt them, storms lash them. But the safety of their adorable chicks makes it all worthwhile. So follow the leader... to adventure!!

Grizzly Man

July 2005 •English

Werner Herzog's documentary film about the "Grizzly Man" Timothy Treadwell and what the thirteen summers in a National Park in Alaska were like in one man's attempt to protect the grizzly bears. The film is full of unique images and a look into the spirit of a man who sacrificed himself for nature.

Report from the Aleutians

July 1943 •English

A documentary propaganda film produced by the U.S. Army Signal Corps about the Aleutian Islands Campaign during World War II. The film opens with a map showing the strategic importance of the island, and the thrust of the 1942 Japanese offensive into Midway and Dutch Harbor. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Lines

February 2007 •English

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.

Alaskan Sled Dog

July 1957 •English

The story of an Eskimo father and son who train and groom a sled dog team. When the father is lost on an ice floe, the son takes the unproven team on the search, and succeeds in finding his father.

Lindsey Vonn: The Final Season

November 2019 •English

Universally recognized as the greatest female skier ever, Lindsey Vonn went on a remarkable journey that was defined by unexpected twists and turns and dramatic peaks and valleys in its final chapter. LINDSEY VONN: THE FINAL SEASON intimately recounts the iconic skier’s last competitive campaign while looking back on her transcendent career, from child prodigy to decorated Olympian to global superstar.

The Russia We Lost

August 1992 •Russian

The sequel of feature-publicistic film «You Can’t Live Like That». Showing the countrymen charmless and sometimes scaring life picture of once great power with pain and anger, the author tries to uncover the reason of the country’s and nation’s tragedy.

The Shelter

August 2014 •French

It is winter at an emergency shelter for the homeless in Lausanne. Every night at the door of this little-known basement facility the same entry ritual takes place, resulting in confrontations which can sometimes turn violent. Those on duty at the shelter have the difficult task of “triaging the poor”: the women and children first, then the men. Although the total capacity at the shelter is 100, only 50 “chosen ones” will be admitted inside and granted a warm meal and a bed. The others know it will be a long night.

Steep

April 2007 •English

Steep traces the legacy of extreme skiing from its early pioneers to the daredevils of today.

Catch the Vapors

September 2007 •English

Standard Films spanned the globe this past winter documenting the best snowboarding in the greatest mountain ranges to catch the vapors. Witness pro snowboarders descend huge mountain peaks, drop endless pillows lines, boost off huge backcountry kickers, hit unique urban features and destroy custom resort parks. Catch the Vapors is the progression of All Terrain, Freestyle, All Mountain and Backcountry Snowboarding!

Alaska: Spirit of the Wild

September 1998 •English

Alaska... Here, in this vast and spectacularly beautiful land teeming with abundant wildlife, discover the "Spirit of the Wild." Experience it in the explosive calving of glaciers, the celestial fires of the Aurora Borealis. Witness it in the thundering stampede of caribou, the beauty of the polar bear and the stealthful, deadly hunt of the wolf pack.

Rogue Elements

October 2017 •English

In the winter of 2017, the magnitude of winter's force was on full display. Telephone pole-snapping storms pounded the Wyoming landscape. Regions to the west, recently left arid and forgotten, were gifted with unprecedented accumulation. Blizzards in Europe buried towns in an instant before disappearing just as fast, leaving the lucky few who were there to wonder if it even happened. A Bolivian expedition found grace above 18,000 feet before the elements went rogue and the humans reluctantly heeded warnings from above. 

SnoWhat?

January 1993 •English

SnoWhat? captures the outrageous mischief and skiing skill of Bad Boys Glen Plake and Mike Hattrup. SnoWhat? is not about perfect turns of monster cliff jumps - it's about the feeling you get when your skis are hangin' in thin air, your heart is in your throat, and you realize, with a big grin, that you're about to get away with it one more time.

Drop Everything

October 2017 •English

Matchstick Productions – the powerhouse that brought you award-winning classics like CLAIM, THE WAY I SEE IT, and DAYS OF MY YOUTH – is proud to introduce the funniest, most action-packed ski movie of 2017: DROP EVERYTHING, presented by Under Armour. Following an artful, narrative-driven 2016 film release, the team at Matchstick took a decidedly more lighthearted approach that returns the focus to the featured athletes and world-class action. DROP EVERYTHING features the world’s preeminent freeskiers along with quick-hitting comedy, stunning locations, a potent soundtrack, and stellar cinematography. DROP EVERYTHING is an unexpected, fun-filled adventure through the world of freeskiing – join Matchstick Productions for the ride along with Mark Abma, Markus Eder, Eric Hjorleifson, Michelle Parker, Sammy Carlson, Cody Townsend, Elyse Saugstad, Tanner Rainville, Chris Rubens, Aaron Blunck, Sander Hadley, Connery Lundin, and more!

Document: A Film About Malojian

October 2016 •English

Featuring legendary recording engineer Steve Albini, 'Document: A film about Malojian' captures the energy of a band at the top of their game, as they rush to complete their third album, "This is Nowhere", in just four days.

Snow Birds

August 1932 •English

This Pete Smith Sports Champion short visits Southern California where it quickly moves from orange orchards to the mountain snow playground at Big Pines L.A. County Camp for some winter sports including sledding, skating, and ski jumping.

Being There

September 2011 •Norwegian

With some of the best skiers within all aspects of modern freeskiing, and a passionate film crew equipped with the best of HD cameras, this movie will both thrill and amaze you. Along side amazing action shots and mind blowing scenery, this movie will give you a behind the scenes look at the production itself. You should have been there when wonder kid Jesper Tjäder shocked the whole film crew with his urban skiing or when Tom Wallisch was head of production at Strandafjellet. You should have been there when Aleksander Aurdal proved how much of a man he is or when Aksel Lund Svindal had unforgettable days in Lofoten. Missed it? Well, don´t worry. This movie will take you there.

Musher, l'appel de l'Alaska

January 2023 •French

The Arctic: 66.5 Degrees North

January 2023 •German

The beauty of the Arctic is breathtaking. For as long as we can remember, the Arctic has been associated with inhospitable cold. But the climate is changing, and with it the northern polar region, which begins beyond latitude 66.5 degrees north. Climate change is now happening four times faster north of the Arctic Circle than on the rest of the planet, making the future outlook dire. At the moment it is still possible for polar bears to raise their cubs, but hunting is becoming increasingly difficult on the drastically shrinking pack ice. The disappearance of the ice also affects the marine fauna. The wintry ice bridge between Canada and Greenland is threatened with collapse. The unstoppable melting of the permafrost, which has held the tundra together for thousands of years, is worrying. But the Arctic is still one of the wildest and loveliest regions on earth. A documentary visit to the Arctic - as long as it still exists.