Five Films That Define Where Snowboarding Is Right NowModern snowboard cinema is fragmented, specialized, and better for it
We’re at a weird inflection point in snowboard media. The industry’s simultaneously celebrating its history while trying to figure out what comes next, and this season’s output reflects that tension better than any trend piece could. I watched five of the most talked-about releases (The Realm, YESTERDAY’S NEWS, PAVED, SWARM, CEASE AND DESIST, and Buster 2) and what struck me wasn’t just the riding — which ranges from exceptional to transcendent) — but how clearly each stakes out its territory in snowboarding’s increasingly fractured landscape.
The Realm is Megafauna’s follow-up to their IF3 (International Freesports Film Festival) award-winner, and Rusty Ockenden’s crew continues doing what they do best: showcasing Monster Energy’s stable of backcountry hammers without the corporate overlay feeling forced. Darcy Sharpe, Stale Sandbech, Torgeir Bergrem: these aren’t just sponsored athletes phoning it in. The Japan, Canada, and Norway segments deliver the goods, but the lack of pretension is what elevates this above typical energy drink content. They’re not trying to reinvent anything. They’re just really, really good at traditional snowboard cinematography with riders who know how to perform for the camera.
YESTERDAY’S NEWS is the fourth Losers 4 Life installment from YES Snowboards, and if you’re familiar with the Helgason brothers’ output, you know exactly what you’re getting: creative chaos with genuine style. Halldor Helgason, Fridtjof “Fridge” Tischendorf, and Pat Fava [now on ThirtyTwo Snowboards] continue proving that fun and skill aren’t mutually exclusive. The Losers series has become YES’s answer to maintaining brand identity without taking itself too seriously. This is snowboarding as it actually happens when good riders are just out there: spots that make you laugh, tricks that make you rewind, and enough Iceland/Japan/Norway footage to keep things visually interesting.
PAVED is Burton’s big swing, and as a two-year Red Bull Media House co-production, it needed to be. This represents Burton saying “we’re still relevant in the movie game,” and mostly pulling it off. The roster alone (Anna Gasser, Zeb Powell, Mark McMorris, Danny Davis, Ben Ferguson) reads like a who’s-who of current Burton, but the self-awareness is what succeeds here. The “part history lesson, part hangout, part backcountry odyssey” description is accurate. They’re not pretending Burton hasn’t been doing this for 40+ years, and that institutional knowledge shows in the production quality and spot selection. Alaska, Hokkaido, Japan, BC, Canada, Tahoe: they went everywhere they needed to go, and the action matches the budget.
SWARM is Rome’s street project, and here’s where things get interesting if you pay attention to brand positioning. Rome’s been cultivating this rebellious, street-focused identity for years, and SWARM delivers exactly on that promise. The Coville brothers (Noah and Micah) filmed and edited alongside Joey Leon, and the East Coast/Canada spot selection feels authentic rather than aspirational. Maggie Leon, Lolo Derminio, Drake Warner: this is Rome’s next generation, and they’re not trying to be Burton or YES. They’re carving out their own lane, and SWARM clarifies that lane involves consequence, style, and the kind of progression that puts your palms sweating.
CEASE AND DESIST from Beyond Medals might be the most culturally interesting release of the bunch. Kevin Bäckström and Tor Lundström built Beyond Medals on the premise that there’s more to snowboarding than podiums (hence the name), and this production reinforces that ethos. Shot on 16mm with a self-described “Hollywood cinematic vibe,” it spans Norway backcountry, Japan powder, North American lines, and LAAX, Switzerland park sessions. Beyond Medals understands better than most that snowboarding’s creative class isn’t just about tricks but about aesthetic, energy, and the complete package. This squad gets that concept, and CEASE AND DESIST leans into it hard.
Buster 2 deserves attention because it represents something increasingly rare: independent rider projects that actually matter. Cal Aamodt’s follow-up to 2023’s Buster takes the four D’s (Dillon and Dusty Henricksen, Denver Orr, and Drayden Gardner) from Mammoth to Montreal to Kansas City to Donner Ranch, proving you don’t need a major brand budget to make something people want to watch. Torment Mag nailed it when they said this crew “carries a real respect for the classics (early 2000s films, deep-cut music, OG magazines) but still does things entirely their way.” That combination of reverence and independence is exactly what keeps independent snowboard media vital. These aren’t riders waiting for brand approval to make something. They’re just going out and doing it, which is increasingly uncommon in an industry where everything’s filtered through marketing departments. The Bigger Picture Here’s the revelation from watching these projects back-to-back: snowboarding’s current media landscape isn’t unified, and that’s probably healthy. Burton’s producing content that acknowledges legacy. YES is celebrating creative chaos. Rome’s doubling down on street credibility. Beyond Medals is pushing the artistic envelope. Megafauna’s just executing technically excellent traditional cinematography. They’re all valid approaches, and they’re all finding their audiences. What you won’t find here is the monoculture that existed when Standard Films or Mack Dawg dominated the conversation. That era’s over. If you’re a snowboarder who actually shreds, you’ll find something to appreciate in each of these. If you’re trying to understand where snowboarding culture is right now, watch all five and pay attention to the values each one prioritizes. The differences tell you everything you need to know about why this sport still matters. You’re currently a free subscriber to that snowboarding blog. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.
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Selasa, 16 Desember 2025
Five Films That Define Where Snowboarding Is Right Now
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