Steep

When did the camera become an intrinsic participant in extreme sports? Now the triumph of the skier descending precipitous slopes at mind-boggling velocity counts for nothing without the matching speed and agility of the helicopter camera crew. Rarely seen images of the sport’s evolution lead us into astounding recent footage: skiers BASE-jumping off cliffs, being overtaken by an avalanche, and making insanely dangerous descents in the French Alps. The interview subjects, a who’s who of the sport, are thoughtful, articulate and seem surprisingly balanced considering their shared appetite for death-defying thrills. The filmmakers too have the measure of what these men and women risk and why. Watching them here as they fly headlong down mountains, even the most timid soul may be thunderstruck with envy. (World Showcase Festival 08)

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