After sold-out screenings nationwide, ‘Lupe’, an inspiring and acclaimed ski documentary by former X Games athlete @lupe860 and @pangeacreatives, is now available to watch for free on the X Games YouTube channel. We caught up with freeski legend Lupe Hagearty and Director Ethan Herman to get the full story...
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/1083091/Lupe-
Scott Gaffney, Matchstick Productions"Lupe Hagearty not only brings style, creativity, and serious wow factor to urban riding, but he pours his heart and soul into what he does, and that comes across vividly in 'Lupe'."
Q: Why did you want to make this documentary?
Lupe: I want to share my story with the world. To show people how pursuing my passion for skiing has given me so much in life. I have been able to travel to places I've dreamed of, create friendships across the world, and experience new cultures and life lessons. When I ski it makes me feel happy, skiing makes me a better person and balances out my life with all the craziness going on in my head. I hope my story will inspire people to chase their dreams and just go for it.
Ethan: As a documentary filmmaker I believe in telling compelling stories about athletes, not just concerning their sports but also their background and personal lives. When Lupe approached us with his story it was a no-brainer, this was the kind of project that I had been searching for.
Q: How did you get connected?
Lupe: I learned about Pangea through Marin Hamill while I was coaching at the UOP recovering from a knee injury in the summer of 2022. I always was open to the idea of having representation but did not find anything that was a good fit for me. I went to meet the guys up in Park City and right from the start things clicked between Ethan, Noah, and myself. These guys are family. I'm extremely grateful they believed in my vision from day one and always supported how I wanted to approach my career and projects.
Ethan: I can't remember exactly how it happened, but I know Lupe got connected with Pangea through one of our other athletes, Marin Hamill. We were all out in Park City for the 2022 Pangea Summit, so Lupe pulled up to the house to say hi... He shared his vision with us and it was a great fit right away.
Twig Spensley, Newschoolers"Lupe is one of skiing's few true grinders. He's built a career away from the competition circuit, on blood, sweat, and tears. He remains underrated despite a decade of pushing it in the streets. His story is one well worth discovering."
Q: Describe the process of working with each other.
Lupe: It was a huge weight off my shoulders having Pangea on board. I have a lot of experience making strictly ski films, but I have no experience making a documentary. I am extremely picky about how my skiing is portrayed. Ethan was very patient with my vision and understanding it's not personal, just how I am. This project took a lot of time and work, I could not have done it without Ethan and Noah.
Ethan: Working with Lupe has been a dream. It's been a pleasure to get to know him throughout this process and I'm so grateful that he was willing to share such a personal part of his life and allow me to tell his story. Spending time with him is always a blast, he's a passionate and charismatic person and I'm stoked to be able to call him my friend.
Q: What was the most challenging part of making this film?
Lupe: For myself, it was opening up about my personal life specifically childhood and teen years. It feels extremely vulnerable to share information about my family and life experiences at a young age.
Ethan: Definitely the edit. Lupe's career spans over the course of a decade, so there was more archive footage to manage than I've ever worked with before. It meant that there were a lot of moving parts, a lot of different storylines, and a lot of directions that we could take the edit in. Although I teased Lupe about being too fussy, his attention to detail and the feedback he provided during the edit was priceless and helped make the film what it is.
Q: What changes have you seen in the ski industry throughout your career?
Lupe: The level of skiing has progressed at an insane rate. It has become harder and harder to get paid as a professional athlete. Ski media, specifically magazines and movies have become less and less common and the focus has shifted to social media.
Q: What is the impact of local independent ski hills?
Lupe: Small independent ski hills are so important. These hills give people the opportunity to experience skiing and give kids and adults a place to have fun and connect with nature. Major resorts are making skiing less and less accessible to the average person by increasing the cost of lift tickets. Skiing has been an outlet for me, a source of healing, and bringing so much joy to my life. I think it's something everyone should have the opportunity to experience.
Q: With the rise in social media content, why are films still important in the ski industry?
Lupe: Films are so important to skiing because they are timeless pieces of art people can go back and revisit for years and years. The films and premieres can inspire and positively impact the next generations to chase their dreams and leave their mark on skiing. Also, the process of making films is huge. The amount of passion, energy, creativity, and hard work that go into making a film is something that should always be celebrated and a part of skiing's core.
Ethan: With the growth of social media and the desire for fast content over the last few years, I believe that films are more important than ever to the ski industry (and similar industries). Short content is consumed and forgotten about so quickly, but films, especially ones with a compelling story, have an impact on people and stay relevant for years to come. Films become engrained in a sport's history and culture, keeping existing fans engaged and bringing in new audiences. We want to share our love for skiing with everyone!
Q: What's next for you?
Lupe: I want to make a difference in the world, to inspire people through my skiing and life path to chase their dreams and live life to the fullest. Even if it's one kid's life I can positively affect - I will feel like I have succeeded. I want to continue to make ski films and give back to the community.
Ethan: I'm heading out on the Freeride World Tour to work on a series about our athletes competing.
Josh Berman, Level 1 Productions"I’ve seen very few athletes work so hard and consistently push themselves as Lupe has over the years. This raw and honest film is a testament to his dedication to the sport, and what it’s given him in return."
If you haven't seen it already, you can watch the full film right here:
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/1083091/Lupe-
A PANGEA Production
Presented By: Hilx Roxa Deviation Works
Supported By: OMFG D-Structure Leathers
Written & Produced By: Lupe Hagearty Ethan Herman
Executive Producer: Noah Schneider
Directed & Edited By: Ethan Herman
Cinematography: Owen Dahlberg Ethan Herman
Starring: Lupe Hagearty Featuring: Tom Wallisch Tanner Hall Saleh Triplets Alex Hall
Additional Cinematography: Zach Lefter Chris DeJohn Jeff Kohnstamm Scott Klumb
Archive Footage: X Games
© Pangea Creative Agency LLC 2023
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