sNOW bLIND

A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE HISTORY, CULTURE AND LIFESTYLE OF SNOW BOARDING

SNOW BLIND: a feature film documentary about the history, culture and lifestyle of snowboarding. Shot over the season of 2004-2005, the film covers the birth of snowboarding, its evolution into an Olympic sport and the passionate participants, thrill seekers and competitors that make it what it is today - the most extreme of countercultures. The film follows several young competitors who are on the brink of success, documenting the lengths they go to win. SNOW BLIND highlights the triumphs of a 90-year old snowboard legend, the struggles of adaptive handicapped riders, and the inherent dangers that face the boldest of backcountry boarders. It also documents the everyday enthusiasts, the top pros in the world, the most extreme riders, the marketers, manufacturers, and the passion behind all of them. Shot in high quality high definition video, this film captures the sprit of the mountains, and the ultimate culture behind the people who ride them.

SNOW BLIND’s theatrical release is planned for early October 2006 in six U.S. markets (wider thereafter) by Matson Films. The DVD release, through Universal, is slated for Christmas '06. The film is a co-production of Red Sky Films and SnoCountry Mountain Reports. A first cut of Snow Blind premiered to standing ovations at the Vail Film Festival.

What was once considered a nuisance to the winter sports industry is now a billion dollar a year business. Some say it actually it even saved the ski industry. Resorts are spending millions a year to accommodate riders by building half pipes and snowboard parks. Snowboarding is currently one of the fastest growing sports in the world, with a participation rate that has increased 240% over the last decade, boasting more than ten major world competitions and hundreds of thousands awarded to its winners. In the year 2000, snowboarding began to reach new heights, with the number of people who went snowboarding in the U.S. just over 7.2 million. By 2005, those numbers were well over 9 million, with statistics pointing to over 15 million worldwide.

SNOW BLIND asks what is behind all of this? Is there something more that meets the eye? Why are people so enthralled by this sport, this lifestyle and culture? Where did it even begin? To quote Snow Blind's Director/Producer Christopher J. Scott "Every boarder has their own words to describe it; freedom, peace, power, bliss. As individuals we all express our passions differently. But the one thing we do know about snowboarding for sure, it's truly a way of life."