Outside of ski resorts, it’s not everyday that you stand in a long line full of people literally all talking about skiing and using the words “dude,” “gnarly,” “rippers,” “pow,” “Teton” and “gravity.” But, dude, that’s what you get when you’re in line to watch a gnarly ski film full of rippers skiing pow—that’s what you get when you’re in line to watch Teton Gravity Research’s (TGR) “Paradise Waits.”
It was a brisk October evening outside of the Oriental Theater, and everyone was pumped. Rightfully pumped, too, because TGR, a media company based out of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, puts out some of the most-anticipated action films in the business. When the theater’s doors opened, everyone flocked in like a bunch of little kids at a birthday party. Except at this party, there was beer and free prizes, proving to us all that being adults isn’t so bad, especially if you’re into skiing. Once said beers were in-hand, everyone took their seats in hopes of receiving said prizes while DJ Mancat spun vinyl up on stage.
Believe it or not, both prizes given away before the film somehow went to Clarion staff members—it was insane. The first prize, a pair of brand-new Atomic skis, went to Copy Editor Jack Foersterling. The second prize, a Sobe cooler (not quite as sweet but still pretty sweet), went to yours truly. The evening was off to a great start, so Jack and I high-fived several times to celebrate. “Paradise Waits” then started at about 9 p.m., greeted by thunderous cheers from the crowd. And for the next hour and a half or so, everyone feasted their eyes on one of the greatest ski films of the year.
Last winter, when “Paradise Waits” was filmed, the majority of the U.S. didn’t see much snow. But these dry conditions made for a uniquely cool format: the film was split up into months, spanning from January through May and featuring a wide variety of locations all over the world: Japan, Boston, Wyoming, Kosovo, Alaska, Greece and British Columbia. Although everyone in the crowd was definitely insanely jealous, the sheer amount of places TGR went over the course of last winter to make this film was seriously impressive and well-appreciated. Not to mention, they managed to find a ton of snow in a relatively snowless winter.
As for the skiing, it was all out of this world. It’s really tough to pinpoint what was most noteworthy, but by the end of it all, Dane Tudor’s performance in Alaska trumped all. He went absolutely nuts on that trip and the crowd at the Oriental went nuts in return.
After the film ended, more free prizes were given out, which the Clarion staff somehow didn’t win. Then, local rock ‘n’ roll band Ignatius Reilly took the stage to play some sweet tunes, closing out the night.
As expected, this premiere was a great time. And above all, it signified that ski and snowboard season—the greatest season of the year—is almost upon us. To see “Paradise Waits,” buy the DVD from TetonGravity.com or download it on iTunes. You can also watch a full segment for free from the movie right now.
