This weekend, the world’s biggest ski film gathering, THE HIGH FIVE FESTIVAL, takes over the picturesque Alpine city of Annecy, France. If you’re headed to Annecy for the weekend, here’s what you shouldn’t miss, and how to do High Five right.

First things first, here's our very own Downdays Guide to Doing High Five Right, forged out of years of experience:

1. Pick your séances wisely. You will imbibe more ski movies this weekend than most people will see in their lifetimes, and after four hours staring at a cinema screen, burnout sets in fast. Spread out your showing, and don't do more than 2 showings per day.

2. Get mobile. The brand village is a nice change of pace. Bring your skateboard, or grab a scooter or a bike, and head down to the waterfront to check the scene and chill.

3. See Annecy. Yeah, there's a lot more to life in Annecy than the cinema and the brand village! Take some time to walk through the beautiful old town, and grab some dinner or just a coffee.

Ski movies, ski movies, ski movies

Over the 13 years of its existence, High Five has grown into a lot more than just a ski movie festival, with side events like guest speakers, comedy acts, a brand village and concerts adding to the program. Still, the nearly nonstop movie program at Cinéma Pathé running from Friday, 29 September through Sunday, 1 October is still the beating heart of the festival. With big-name productions like Matchstick and Teton Gravity adding their films to a bevy of other movies big and small, this year’s festival lineup covers the full spectrum of the ski experience. Here’s the overview. You can buy tickets individually for each showing here.

Friday, 29 September

Séance 1: 16:00-17:45

Full Circle - Level 1

High Five kicks off with Full Circle, a documentary from Level 1 Production’s Josh Berman about sit-skier Trevor Kennison that’s been nearly five years in the making.

Séance 2: 18:15-21:10
Lost Souls - K2 / Sturma Guillaume (5 min)
Radar - Brust Studio (12min)
Bleu Nuit - Aurel Mayol (4 min)
Lexicon - Arc’Teryx Team Movie / Loic Isliker (13 min)
Trip Roulette épisode 6 / Victor Daviet (20 min)
Sänkyøu - Will Derrick (15 min)
Crescendo - Good Company (20 min)
Cake - Nitro Team Movie (30 min)

This showing features a healthy mix of skiing and snowboarding. Freeski heads can look forward to “Crescendo” from Good Company.

Séance 3: 21:10-23:30

Lalodge TV Ep. 6 - Hugo Laugier & Jeremy Pancras (10 min)
Terra Incognita - Finlay Woods (25 min)
The Art of Recreation - Simply / Laurent De Martin (10 min)
Double Trouble - PVS Company (9 min)
Apollo - Sam Kuch / CK9 Studios (14 min)
Light in the Shadows - Hedvig Wessel (20 min)
The Draconians - Clustr Films (30 min)

Friday night’s showing closes off with some bangers: Sam Kuch always brings the heat, PVS, an exciting New Zealand project, and Laurent De Martin’s latest. Plus: Sam Favret and Nikolai Schirmer going hard in Norway in “The Draconians.”

Saturday, 30 September

Séance 4: 9:45-12:00

Hankin Evelyn - Mike Douglas & Anthony Bonello (10 min)
Mountain State 2.0 - Josh Daiek (23 min)
Les étoiles de la Terre - Victor Galuchot (25 min)
Chimères, l’aventure à portèe de main - Gaetan Gaudissard (35 min)
Deepfreeze Direttissime Walker - Yannick Boissenot & Charles Dubouloz (26 min)

Saturday morning is French-heavy but also features films from Mike Douglas and Josh Daiek.

Séance 5: 12:30–14:55

DVD Vidéo - Vol 10: Wave - Victor Daviet (3 min)
Alpine Park - Clément Noel / PVS Company (3 min)
Les 14 x 2000 des Bauges - Fab Maierhofer (40 min)
Rise with Juliette Willmann - Clustr Films (21 min)
Chronoception - Picture Organic Clothing (55 min)

"Chronoception," a big mountain adventure to Kyrgyzstan, is the highlight here.

Séance 6: 15:25–17:55

Reborn - Juliette Lacome (12 min)
Blooom - Niels Shack (20 min)
Are You Ok? - Method Mag / Marco Morandi (25 min)
Abstract - The Faction Collective (40 min)
We are Losers 2 - Lobster Snowboards Team Movie (30 min)

The highlight here is clearly the world premiere of the new Faction movie. Immediately afterwards, we’ll find out out if skiers, after all, are as cool as snowboarders. (Editor’s note: We are not.)

Séance 7: 18:25–20:50

Hai, my name is… - Taylor Lundquist (11 min)
Realis - Baptiste Sjostrom (23 min)
Sensus - The Bunch (19 min)
Get Buck - Sebbe de Buck (15 min)
XL - Tanner Hall (10 min)
Brushinoz - Henrik Harlaut & Noah Albaladejo (13 min)
Casino - Beyond Medals (30 min)

Things heat up on Saturday evening with offers from Taylor Lundquist, The Bunch, Tanner Hall, Henrik Harlaut and more.

Séance 8: 21:20–23:45

ラブレター / Legs of Steel (5min)
Top To Bottom - Mathias Lopez & Kevin Rolland (6 min)
Saisho - Miguel Porteous (24 min)
Descendance - Legs of Steel (30 min)
The Land of Giants - Matchstick Productions (60 min)

Saturday night is closed down with the European premiere of the new MSP movie, plus some exciting projects from Legs Of Steel.

Sunday, 1 October

Séance 9: 9:45–12:25

Here, Hold My Kid - Adam Gendle (35 min)
Moon Lines - Sophie Danison & Coline Ballet-Baz (8 min)
Ephémère - Wabi Sabi - Edgar Cheylus (4 min)
The Polar Star - Cody Townsend (52 min)
Fortune Hunters - Blank Collective (39 min)

A cool moms’ project and the latest from Blank Collective kick off festivities early on Sunday.

Séance 10: 12:45–15:10
Fika - Tom Granier (6 min)
Shifting - Ivresse Films (8 min)
Forre Movie 2 - Forre (13 min)
FunkRx - Nico Porteous & Gavin Rudy (8min)
ON3P 6 - ON3P Team Movie / Espen Thomasson (23 min)
Walk the Walk - Wester Prod (25 min)
What the FWT - Dom Daher (35 min)

We’re fired up for Forre’s latest street endeavors. Plus: a cool project with Gavin Rudy and Nico Porteous, new new from Jacob Wester, and a Freeride World Tour documentary.

Séance 11: 15:40–18:15
Headspace, the Journey of Hedvig Wessel - Hedvig Wessel (20 min)
Unified - Head Team Movie (44 min)
Legend Has It - Teton Gravity Research (80 min)

The Head Skis-sponsored showing closes out the festival with the Head team movie and this year’s TGR film.

The Concerts

While the headliners might not be well-known outside of France, they bring a ton of energy to the stage. Last year's concerts were rocking hard all evening even in the rain, and with better weather in the forecast this year, there's little doubt that these shows will go off. Even if you don't know the artists (in other words old, ignorant and not French, like me) you're sure to have a good time. On Friday night MGZ101, 99 Rocky, Le Juiice and Warend take to the stage starting at 17:30, followed by headliner Josman at 21:00. On Saturday, local rapper Naga gets things started at 17:15, followed by Kay The Prodigy, Kéroué, Nayra, Bekar, and finally Disiz at 21:10. Get your tickets here.

The Parties

Once the movies have played and the concerts are over, the scene moves on over to the venerable Pop Plage club, where you can shake your tuckus while slurping overpriced drinks until the wee hours of the morning. Things kick off on Friday night at 23:00 with the opening party, while the closing party and Dynastar's 60th anniversary celebration is on Saturday night. Party tickets cost €16 and are available here.

The brand Village

If you need to get outside of the cinema for a few hours and enjoy the beautiful fall weather, head on down to the brand village at Annecy's waterfront park. With a job village, skateparks, dryslope ramps, kids' zone, food trucks and over 70 different brand exhibitors, there's plenty to keep you occupied all day. The outdoor cinema here will also be playing movies all weekend long that didn't make it into the big cinema. If you're looking for a more laid-back viewing experience, there's plenty of cool projects on display here as well. The "High Five World" is open daily from 10:00 until 19:00 (food trucks and outdoor cinema until 22:30), and access is included if you buy a pass for any movie screening or other event. Otherwise, it'll cost you €5 to get in.

Of course, your intrepid Downdays team will be onsite throughout the weekend, and will keep you updated on the happening in our Instagram Story and with a full event report next week.