“We are all, all my relations.”
SPIRIT OF THE PEAKS
Centered around skier and Hunkpapa Lakota, Connor Ryan, Spirit of the Peaks dives deep into the struggles of identity that comes with being stuck between two worlds. His mission is to connect the Ute people with the mountains that they were displaced from and work towards restoring balance through his own reciprocity. This film will call on anyone who spends time in the mountains to feel a deeper connection to the land and embrace traditional Indigenous ethics when fighting for the preservation of these sacred places.
Director: Tim Kressin & Connor Ryan
Producer: Davis Goslin, Greg Balkin
DP: Greg Balkin, Isaiah Branch-Boyle
Editor: Tim Kressin
Photographer: Micheli Oliver
Client: REI
Partners: Protect Our Winters, NativesOutdoors, Peak Design, Salomon
Starring: Connor Ryan, Cody Townsend, Bird Red, Teal Lehto, Lorelei Cloud, Roland McCook
Case Study
The Challenge
Connor Ryan started skiing with ducT taped boots, too-small skis, and a dream to one day go pro. As a Hunkpapa Lakota, he also carried within him a perspective that the ski industry needed to hear. And soon, people started to pay attention.
When Connor approached us with a Title and a couple of slides in a pitch deck, we were excited but hesitant. The film was nothing short of ambitious.
How could we tell a deeply personal story, cHallenge the ski industry, Honor Native History and Culture, and wrap it all in striking and powerful visuals to keep skiing fans enthralled?
But having known Connor for a few years, we knew this was something we had to take a chance on. Shortly thereafter, partners at REI Co-op Studios jumped on board with equal excitement and expectations.
Pre-Production
Co-directors connor Ryan and Tim Kressin spent considerable time with each other in pre-production, writing and mapping out the story. In pre-interviews, connor explained his deep connection to each mountain, each climb, each ski line, and how he views himself within all of that.
This idea, “Mitákuye Oyás'iŋ” or “All My Relations,” became the guiding principle to how we would approach the story and the visuals.
This meant connecting the act skinning into the backcountry to water access for ute people. Connecting the ski industry of today to the mining communities of yesterday. Connecting Connor’s story as a lakota on the plains, to Bird’s story as a musician.
The story came together once we fully embraced this powerful perspective.
Production
Over the course of 40+ Production days in the mountains surrounding Silverton, COlorado, we faced every type of weather. We faced extreme avalanche danger, extremely hot spring weather, we lost and found the ‘fancy drone’, and every once in awhile the stars would align and we would get the powder we were hoping for.
Greg Balkin handled the cinematography in town and on the reservation while Isaiah Branch-Boyle and the ‘no sleep club’ fluidly captured Connor in the depths of the backcountry.
As april came around, our crew turned into a family, a bit more physically drained, a bit more emotionally filled.
The Reaction
After a worldwide premiere at Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival, ‘Spirit of the Peaks’ screened with Q&A at Boulder, Salt lake City, and Seattle to over 2000 audience members.
It has since screened at 15+ film festivals and received best cinematography at both 5 point Film Festival and Wasatch Mountain Film Festival.
Above the online views and the many positive comments, we feel honored by the personal reactions from the native community. Members of the ute tribe shared with us how meaningful this film was for them personally and as a community, telling us that they had never seen their history told in such a powerful way.
Post-Production
Pouring over the mountains of footage we shot took dedication and time. Luckily, Tim had just welcomed his firstborn into the world and had the whole summer to change diapers, warm the milk, and trim, Cut and Dissolve his way to a forty minute edit.
Integral to the process was finding native musicians who could serve as the music bed. Additionally, we took great effort to source and license archival photos and videos that would serve to provide context to the final film.
👍
We’ll admit, we read the comments… (but you should too).
“I think this is the most thoughtful and meaningful outdoor rec movie i have ever seen. Thank you for sharing your story.”
“This film is profound in addressing not only climate but the importance of and connection to the mountains to indigenous people. My appreciation for the land and its original humans grows even deeper.”
“Spirit of the peaks is one of the most breathtaking and important ski films to watch this season.”
“This movie brought me to tears. Connecting to our land is who we are and Connor Ryan did such an amazing job displaying connection and reciprocity as well as what it feels like to be a native person in the ski community.”
Frames
