Catharsis is an experimental Austrian documentary short running 9 minutes and 37 seconds, written, directed and produced by Christian Jakob Schnebel. Made in English, it explores the emotional and liberating dimension of freeride skiing, combining sports cinema, nature and visual introspection.
The film's central theme is the inner catharsis that sport can generate: through descents on snow-covered mountains, two young skiers find balance between tension and peace, chaos and harmony. What begins as a simple pastime gradually becomes an escape valve and a form of personal self-therapy.
The documentary's protagonists are Jeremias Fühling and Maximilian Höflinger, freeriders playing themselves. Images follow them between the silence of Alpine forests and the roar of moving snow, then return to the pulse of urban life, creating a poetic and sensory contrast. There are no well-known faces, only authentic moments that convey skiing as an act of introspection and freedom.
The film stands out for its refined, immersive visual language, combining cinematic photography, evocative lighting and subtle animation, making the emotional depth of freeriding tangible. The message of Catharsis focuses on the search for inner balance through movement, letting go of tension, and sport's ability to generate a deep connection between body, mind and the natural environment.
Produced in digital format, colour, 16:9, the short film was completed on 24 August 2025. It is the director's first film, made as an independent project on a EUR 3,500 budget and shot entirely in Austria.
Film Information
Title: Catharsis
Original title: Catharsis
Direction: Christian Jakob Schnebel
Production: Christian Jakob Schnebel
Country: Austria
Language: English
Running time: 9 minutes and 37 seconds
Genre: Documentary, Experimental, Short film
Sport featured: Skiing (Freeride)
Main subject(s): Jeremias Fühling, Maximilian Höflinger
Completion date: 24 August 2025
Premiere: [Not available]
Distributor: [Not available]
Shooting format: Digital, 16:9, colour
Director's first film: Yes
Student project: No