They spent $2 million over two years to record snowboarding rides in remote areas never ridden.
This will certainly rank as a top 3 snowboarding documentary when I get to that list! 🙂
Trailer for “The Art of Flight”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- Travis Rice and his crew spent two years filming in some of the most remote mountains on Earth, often flying helicopters into terrain that had never been ridden before.
- The budget reportedly hit $2 million, making this one of the most expensive snowboard docs ever produced.
- Several riders trigger massive avalanches during filming. Some of the footage is terrifying because you’re watching world-class athletes gamble with mountains that can collapse at any moment.
Watch “The Art of Flight”
You can watch “The Art of Flight” on Apple TV and other streaming platforms.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 91/100
- IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Audience Rating: 87/100
Director’s Note: Curt Morgan directed this 80-minute documentary. Morgan is one of the most respected filmmakers in action sports, and you can feel it here. The helicopters, slow-motion cameras, aerial shots, and huge mountain landscapes make this feel more like a Hollywood adventure movie than a traditional snowboard doc.
Release Date: September 8, 2011
Other Unique Stuff
- The documentary received a theatrical premiere in New York City on September 8, 2011. That’s extremely rare for an action-sports film, which are usually released directly to niche audiences.
- The filmmakers were so confident in the visuals that they also created a 3D version, which later premiered in Spain. The huge mountain landscapes and helicopter shots were designed to make viewers feel like they were flying alongside the riders.
Wrap Up:
“The Art of Flight” works even if you do not care about snowboarding. The riding is insane, but the real star is the mix of human guts and some of the most beautiful mountain footage ever.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc