Industry News
Jackson, Wyo. (October 18, 2022) – Teton Gravity Research (TGR), the global leader in action and adventure lifestyle media, today unveiled the trailer for their newest short film, In Pursuit of Soul 2: Midwest Independence. Inspired by a partnership with Indy Pass, the fastest-growing multi-resort ski pass product in North America, and supported by Atomic Skis, this film tells the story of skiers and snowboarders who measure their love for winter not by storm cycles, snow depths, or vertical feet. Indeed, this community has connections to their home hills that run deep and are steeped in family and friends.
“When I try to recall ski films about the Midwest, sadly, not too many come to mind. Given this lack of attention by the snow sports film industry, we are thrilled that TGR is unveiling this outstanding film about the culture, people, and resorts that make Midwest skiing and riding so special,” said Indy Pass founder Doug Fish.
Directed by lifelong adventurer, skier, and filmmaker Chris Kitchen and Minnesota-based filmer and founder of MidwestSkier.com, Matthew Zabransky, the film shows a crew of ragtag athletes who explore some of the most under-discussed ski resorts in the midwest while also trying to find the “unofficial mayor” of each town visited.
The new trailer for the film can be found on YouTube (view here) and on TGRtv, the company’s streaming platform. The full film will be available on October 25th, 2022.
In Pursuit of Soul 2 will take place at some of the most unique ski hills in the midwest, including Granite Peak, Lutsen, Caberfae, Buck Hill, Nordic Mountain, Little Switzerland, and more. Each visit will explore the intricacies that veer from the mainstream attractions that many ski hills present to the public, such as steep terrain, epic pow days, and thousands of feet of vertical skiing.
Alternatively, the focus will pivot toward the less discussed topics of the region’s ski history, including the dawn of the tow rope at Caberfae and the early inception of Granite Peak in 1937.
“What attracted me to this project was, as the title suggests, it’s the soul of skiing. These independent ski resorts are what get people into skiing, and it’s where most of us grew up skiing or started skiing,” said filmmaker Chris Kitchen. “I feel it’s where the soul of skiing still lies and lives. To be honest, the midwest was never on my list of places to go skiing, but I was super impressed with the strong ski culture in the midwest, and it blew me away.”
The quest for the town’s local legend will be a persistent theme throughout the movie, as the crew looks for the person who rides just outside the limelight, dedicating their life to a simple and common cause: To seek the next turn. The finding of the “local legend” helps play a big role in the stories that each unique ski resort holds on and off the hill.
“I think this project sheds a lot of light on the fact that bigger isn’t always better, and there is something to be said about these smaller hills. The Midwest often gets looked at as the ‘flyover states,’ and many are even shocked to find out that we have over 100+ ski areas in this region,” said creative director Matthew Zabransky. “But the fact is, we have some of the most passionate skiers and snowboarders out there.”
