Headwinds
Manuel Camia
Official selection
Gerald Salmina follows a season of men’s downhill skiing, from preparation and races to injury and the athletes’ lives away from the slopes.
- Director
- Gerald Salmina
- Country
- Austria
- Running time
- 02:07:38
A downhill run lasts only a few minutes; the season around it is made of months of preparation, travel, decisions and waiting. Directed by Gerald Salmina, Downhill Skiers - A'int No Mountain Steep Enough follows a group of downhill racers from the close of the 2024 season through the Saalbach world championships and the end of the following season.
Marco Odermatt, Cyprien Sarrazin, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, Vincent Kriechmayr, Dominik Paris and Justin Murisier appear alongside other skiers, including Franjo von Allmen. The film moves from slopes to training, workshops, hotel rooms and homes, observing the work needed to reach the start line.
The pursuit of speed also meets the reality of injury and recovery. Through the athletes’ accounts, the documentary explores their relationship with risk and the role of equipment, preparation and decisions on race day. Their sporting journeys remain connected to relationships between teammates and rivals.
The skiers also discuss preparing slopes and equipment, the support of the people working alongside them and the decisions made before a race. Downhill appears as shared work, while each athlete still faces the moment when the start gate opens.
Also presented by Zurich Film Festival, the documentary follows a season through many voices and locations. The version submitted to the International Sport Film Festival runs for approximately two hours and eight minutes.
