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An instant classic
Free Rider | The North Face
When you send Sam Anthamatten and Victor De Le Rue on a spine-hunting mission to an uncharted corner of Alaska, you know you’re in for something special. When you add in storyteller extraordinaire Jérôme Tanon to the mix, things start to get really interesting. Tongue in cheek and balls to the wall, “Free rider” might be the best work of snowsports cinema you watch this year.
Pro freeriders, big mountains, Alaska expedition, blah blah blah. Forgive me if I sound a bit jaded, but frankly, we’ve heard this story before. It’s almost 2023, and we’re tired of watching your action clips from your radical adventures. Everyone’s out there doing something gnarly, and frankly, for us mere mortals, aka “consumers of content,” it’s starting to get hard to differentiate between Radical Project #3884 and Radical Project #4108.
Enter Jérome Tanon. Jérome Tanon, who made The Eternal Beauty of Snowboarding. Jérôme Tanon, who made Zabardast. Jérôme Tanon, the film photographer and video artiste who, apparently, can find that certain je ne sais quoi in even the most mundane of experiences, like brushing teeth.
“Free Rider” features Sam Anthamatten and Victor De Le Rue riding some of the most outrageous spine lines you’ll ever see, documented with breathtaking drone footage and butt-puckering headcams. In terms of mind-boggling terrain, rider talent and friendly weather windows, this Alaska trip is a one-in-a-million strike. And yet, it’s Jérôme’s inimitable storytelling that makes “Free Rider” a truly unforgettable experience.
Still reading this? Just stop now, click play, and thank me afterwards. Or more specifically, thank Jérôme, Victor and Sam for this rare escape from the mundane.