Sunday, November 27, 2005, 10:25 PM EST.
Make the 'Descent': Story of the Snowboarding Revolution
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This December, the revolution will be on powder. Avalanches, sick runs,
crevasses, mind-blowing action, unbelievable cinematography, are just the tip of the
iceberg in First Descent—the story of snowboarding from its renegade roots over 25
years ago as a backyard hobby to its current status as a billion-dollar recreation and
licensing industry. Told by five famous boarders who alternately assisted in the creation
and perfection of a sport claimed by both thrasher punks and millionaires, the film
chronicles the rise of boarding—from its explosive growth in the 1970s to its current
status as a high-adrenaline phenomenon that has become permanently entrenched in
global culture.
First Descent, the boarding term that refers to a rider’s inaugural trip down a
virgin peak, provides both a historical retrospective and a present-day look at the
phenomenon—from the birth of snowboarding as an alternate to surfing and
skateboarding to the Olympic draw it is today. Blending archival footage from the early
days and using the latest in aerial film techniques to capture never-before-seen footage of
amazing runs, the film takes the audience along as the boarders climb cliffs, face
avalanches and launch off mountains unintended for human footing.
In the film, action-sports documentarians Kevin Harrison and Kemp Curley
have directed their lenses at five of the world’s most creative and influential
riders during a three-week stay in the remote powder of Valdez, Alaska. Inter-cut with
the story of carefree counter-culturists of the ’70s who lived for that chance to claim they
had done what no one else had done, First Descent brings viewers on the journey as the
camera crew follows the riders while they explore fresh territory and ride powder that no
one had ever set foot upon.
Die-hard boarders and new fans to the sport will experience the thrill of First
Descent as these five riders tackle The Last Frontier in this new documentary from
Mountain Dew Films and Universal Pictures. Exploring the worlds of three generations
of boarders…seasoned Alaskan snowboarding pioneers Shawn Farmer and Nick Perata
; Norwegian-born, triple world champion, Terje Haakonsen; and modernday
phenoms, USA Snowboarding team member Hannah Teter and five-times X
Games medallist and snowboarding poster boy Shaun White share the rush of nailing
moves while giving snowboarding a living biography through their stories.
Harrison and Curley—who direct and produce the story—chronicle the early
years of boarding years to today’s champs. Along the journey to Valdez, the film crew
documents these five talents and a cameo from snowboarder Travis Rice, splicing in
interviews with seasoned veterans of the skate- and snowboarding worlds who began it
all. Among the many icons interviewed or featured are pioneers such as Jake Burton and
Chuck Barfoot; celebrated boarders Tom Sims, Danny Kass, Jamie Lynn, Jim Rippey,
Mike Basich, Tina Basich, Chris Roach, Jeff Brushie, Bryan Iguchi; Todd Richards,
Mike Ranquet, Bjorn Leines; as well as skateboarding legend Tony Hawk.
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