Standard Films Black Winter Movie Premiere | Recap and Photos

Friday, August 28, 2009 – The world premiere of Standard Films’ snowboard film, “Black Winter”, played at the King Cat Theater in Seattle in front of hundreds and the film lived up to the hype and then some. The theater was near capacity from the get go when doors opened at 7:00 p.m. and heads got nice and loose at the bar before the film started around 9:00 p.m. There was an electric buzz in the air in anticipation of not only the film, but the upcoming season and it made for one raucous night.

Before doors opened at the King Cat, SnoCon hosted a pre-FUNK gathering at their Yale Avenue shop. Lib Tech luminaries Mark Landvik and Eric Jackson came through to sign some posters, hang out and knock a couple brews back. The legendary Lib Tech founder Pete Saari was in the mix to join in the festivities as well. Also getting funky was SnoCon owner John Logic, Ryan Davis from Spacecraft, Jeff and Jessie Galbraith from Frequency and plenty of other regulars all having good times. We then bounced over to the theater to join the throngs of people parlaying and waiting in high anticipation of “Black Winter.” In order to keep the crowd peaceful while waiting, our Lib Tech rep. Kyle Phillips gave away a 2009 Lib Tech T. Rice deck to the first person who could tell him who has the current longest running pro model snowboard. Answer: The one and only, Matt Cummins.

The film illustrated why Lib Tech always has and always will have some of the best riders on earth: Mark Landvik and Eric Jackson just kill it in “Black Winter.” Plenty of hair raising shots of the riders tearing it up in Alaska, one of the most memorable being Mark Landvik’s near death escape from an avalanche, in which he says in the film, “… I just kind of started doing the backstroke and that’s probably what saved me.” Epic. So many other riders tore it up in the film, notably seventeen year old DC rider Halldór Helgason of Iceland. He is blowing up right now and his section in the film reinforces his extraordinary skills, especially a MASSIVE gap he hucks over and over again. Following the credits, Kyle raffled off a 2010 Lib Tech TRS 159 to a lucky guy who will undoubtedly enjoy it this upcoming season. Thanks to everyone who joined us at SnoCon and the King Cat. Shout outs to Lib Tech, SnoCon, King Cat Theater, DC, The North Face, K2, Rossignol, Monster, and everyone else involved.

- Joe Stephanson