IF3 Whistler wrapped up after four loose days of ski films and partying. The judges this year had to sit through and analyze a whopping 110 films. I don’t envy them whatsoever.

Photo: Oisin McHugh

The days blur together a little bit but ladies' night was pretty interesting - all featuring female-led films which provided an awesome change of pace from classic ski films with the mixture of narration and storytelling on characters that are often overlooked in the ski industry. Laura Obermeyers' film, In Your Dreams, was a personal highlight on the ski side, it’s going to be awesome to see how all of the people involved are going to continue pushing women's skiing in the streets and backcountry. On the snowboard side, Maria Thomsen’s Hot Coco was insane and I’d highly recommend it.

I’m biased, but throughout all the films, Mango and Brady’s latest concoction There’s Something In The Water, stood out as a beautifully made film that will surely stand the test of time. Other notable films that are worthy of some major appreciation would be Hunter Hess’s solo project, Soulstar and Joey Craft’s film, Braj. Another film that I surprisingly enjoyed was Jerome Tanon’s film, Freerider. I don’t usually get too stoked on POV footage but the Alaskan lines that Sam Anthamatten (ski) and Victor De Le Rue (snowboard) rode were bonkers. The narration was pretty funny too, definitely worth a watch.

Hosts Amie Engerbretson & Mark Warner. Photo by Oisin McHugh

The awards and afterparty followed suit with lots of industry heads running around and the Fairmont Hotel, kindly offering $20 drinks, creating quite the spectacle for everyone in attendance. I’m pretty sure someone got a concussion from falling while crowd surfing, and when asking Jeff Schmuck for a quote and all he said was, “don’t talk to me about the awards.” While Jeff and the other judges have certainly gotten their fair share of scolding in the past, I think they hit it out of the park this year on the ski side.

Take a look below for the complete list of winners and nominees.

FILM OF THE YEAR

Blank Collective Films – Feel Real

Matchstick Productions – Anywhere From Here (Winner)

Shannon Corsi Media – Nexus

Teton Gravity Research – Magic Hour

The Bunch – Many Fantasies Later

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Blank Collective Films – Feel Real

CK9 Studios – Cole Richardson: Yours Truly (Winner)

Matchstick Productions – Anywhere From Here

Teton Gravity Research – Magic Hour

The Bunch – Many Fantasies Later

BEST EDITING

CK9 Studios – Cole Richardson: Yours Truly

Matchstick Productions – Anywhere From Here

Sämf Vision & Rad Packs – AdVENNture

Teton Gravity Research – Magic Hour

The Bunch – Many Fantasies Later (Winner)

STANDOUT FEMALE SKIER OF THE YEAR

Anna Segal in Blank Collective Films – Feel Real

Coline Ballet-Baz in Bluemax Media – Recipe

Jess Hotter in Blank Collective Films – Feel Real

Michelle Parker in Teton Gravity Research – Magic Hour

Tonje Kvivik in Matchstick Productions – Anywhere From Here (Winner)

STANDOUT MALE SKIER OF THE YEAR

Cole Richardson in CK9 Studios – Cole Richardson: Yours Truly

Craig Murray in Matchstick Productions – Anywhere From Here

Dane Tudor in Blank Collective Films – Feel Real (Winner)

Kai Jones in Teton Gravity Research – Magic Hour

Sammy Carlson in Sammy Carlson – Yup

BREAKOUT SKIER OF THE YEAR

Andrew Egan in Child Labour – Why Not?

Dennis Ranalter in Matchstick Productions – Anywhere From Here (Winner)

Malou Peterson Pilchard Productions – The Joy of Skiing

Manon Loschi in Bluemax Media – Recipe

Mathieu Dufresne in Mayrand Agency – MTL

JURY’S PICK (BOTH SKI & SNOWBOARD FILMS WERE ELIGIBLE)

Homestead Creative – Fleeting Time

MFC NZ – Highway 73: The Great Alpine Highway

Rusty Toothbrush – Fake Teeth Real Friends

Stellar Equipment – Odyssey Of The Five Lucky Bastards

The Bunch – Many Fantasies Later (Winner)

BEST SHORT MOVIE (UNDER 20 MINUTES)

CK9 Studios – Cole Richardson: Yours Truly (Winner)

Level 1 Productions – Something In The Water

MAGMA – Soulstar

Sämf Vision & Rad Packs – AdVENNture

Stellar Equipment – Odyssey Of The Five Lucky Bastards

BEST BACKCOUNTRY SEGMENT

Blank Collective Films – Feel Real: Alex Armstrong, Alexi Godbout, Anna Segal, Ian Morrison, Jordy Kidner

Jérôme Tanon – Free Rider: Sam Anthamatten

Matchstick Productions – Anywhere From Here: Caite Zeliff, Dennis Ranalter, Eric Hjorleifson, Lucy Sack Bauer, Markus Eder

Shannon Corsi Media – Nexus: Michelle Parker & Brooklyn Bell

Teton Gravity Research – Magic Hour: Ian McIntosh & Sage Cattabriga-Alosa (Winner)

BEST URBAN SEGMENT

Bluemax Media – Recipe: Coline Ballet-Baz, Jennie-Lee Burmansson, Shiori Takahashi, Taylor Lundquist

Child Labor – Why Not?: Andrew Egan

Forre – Cast: Joona Sipola (Winner)

Lupe Hagearty – Rhythm In Chaos: Lupe Hagearty & Tyler Sosnowski

Mayrand Agency – MTL: Mathieu Dufresne

BEST STORYTELLING

Jérôme Tanon – Free Rider

MFC NZ – Highway 73: The Great Alpine Highway

Shannon Corsi Media – Nexus (Winner)

Switchback Entertainment – Tracing Influence

Wester Sjöberg Productions – A Part Of Us

AMATEUR FILM OF THE YEAR

Entourage – From Us To You (Winner)

Laura Obermeyer – In Your Dreams

Powder Chicken Productions – A Little Rogue A Little Rowdy

Sharp Studios – Vertical Vision

Speedbumb Crew – Speedbumb 2

AMATEUR SKIER OF THE YEAR

Aapo Myllarinen in Speedbumb Crew – Speedbumb 2

Carson Sharp in Sharp Studios – Vertical Vision (Winner)

Jasper Skidmore in Entourage – From Us To You

Rosina Friedel in Laura Obermeyer – In Your Dreams

Shondra Charbonneau in Laura Obermeyer – In Your Dreams