The premiere was part of a school project for the Ski Resort Management Program, and after talking to the guys that organized the event, I learned that we were lucky that they were dedicated skiers themselves and willing to go the distance for the cause. The event had been planned for weeks, but the film got caught up in customs and was unable to cross the border into Canada. This news was only delivered to the organizers on the very day of the event, and in a moment of spontaneity, they drove down to Spokane to pick up another copy of the film. They arrived back in town at 9pm, and the film started shortly after, and the rest is history.

The film itself is classic TGR quality. The music has a great variety of hardcore tunes to emphasize the gnarliness of the lines, and acoustic funk tunes to accent the style of skiers slashing the sun shade lines with style. Eric Roner's ski base jumping is impressive but sketchy since he almost smokes the huge rock wall after pulling his chute. Micah Black has such nice style when he skis, and the footage of him slashing the rib in the sun really captures his natural talent. The small segment of sledding kept the slednecks in the crowd aroused, and the reality of avalanches is well represented as the music stops and the panic in the voices of the riders are heard. Not a whole lot of ladies in the film, but what else is new. Victoria Jealouse gets her own segment in the film, and Lyndsey Dyer is seen charging a few sweet lines, both well representing the chick rippers out there.

Being in the Kootenays, the crowd is always more interested in big pow turns and deep face shots in the trees, and the flick sent us a bit of that, mostly from Jeremy Jones’ cruisey turns. Too much cruisey tree turns just wouldn’t be TGR’s style, but the footage of Bulgaria’s new ski resort, Bansko, certainly was. I had been looking forward to that segment since I read the article about it in Powder’s September 04 issue, and getting a second look at the massive cones of snow made the whole movie worth the watch.

Thanks to all the sponsors who donated prizes and advertising, almost half of the people attending won something. For more info about the movie, check out TGR’s website, www.tetongravity.com, which also has a full listing of where the next premiere will be. To order your own copy of Soul Purpose, check out Biglines’ online store or featured product. Thanks to the boys who organized the event, hope they get an A+ for their efforts.