Soul Purpose

Soul Purpose
Produced and directed by Teton Gravity Research
Reviewed by Helen Rolfe

"I look at the mountains and I see possibilities…these visions haunt my soul and become my purpose."

Soul Purpose caught the attention of the jury at the 2004 Banff Mountain Film Festival. It was presented a Special Jury Award "for a film that represents the cutting edge or mountain sport, from big mountain skiing, snowboarding and BASE-skiing, around the world".

This custom edit of Soul Purpose (the original is 51 minutes) is all about dramatic views, adrenaline pumping action and extreme skiing mastery. Think of the most impossible line to descend, the widest jump to cross, the steepest cliff to launch from, and skiers Sage Cattabriga-Alosa and Erik Roner, and snowboarder Jeremy Jones conquer it all.

From the winter playground of Utah to the cliffs of the Dolomites and the steep and deep of British Columbia, Soul Purpose captures the raison d'être for the profiled trio: "rippin' around with friends, skiing 'pow', (and finding) hidden lines." As the story unfolds and the music softens, the film becomes more about the soulful-ness of skiing and the passion these guys share for the big stuff. One thing remains paramount throughout the film - the ability Cattabriga-Alosa, Roner, and Jones have to descend outrageous lines. Ever seen a snowboarder long-lined by a helicopter to the top of a steep couloir? Or jump off an impossibly steep rock face with nothing but a parachute to break the fall? This is big mountain skiing.