The Avoriaz History Project

The format for the competition requires films to be no more than 60 seconds long, so the challenge is for film makers to tell their story in a short period of time.

With 20,000 euros in prize money up for grabs, Stewart and Nichole are hoping to raise the money to finish this unique film. A judge’s selection of the best videos will also be shown at special viewings in London and Chamonix, further raising the profile of the long history of snowboarding in Avoriaz.

From a first few pioneering snowboarders in the 1980s Avoriaz has grown in importance to become one of the centres of European snowboarding, home to French legends such as Nico Droz and a favourite spot of British Olympic snowboarders such as Jenny Jones, Billy Morgan and Aimee Fuller. Avoriaz was home to the first ever natural snow park and has long been a pioneer for snowboarding. The film will show unique footage from the 1980s and 1990s captured by the snowboarders themselves to offer a true insight into what it was like at the time and to show the growth of snowboarding in the area from those first few pioneers into what it is today. Avoriaz was one of the first European resorts to embrace snowboarding back at a time when snowboarders were not welcome in many places and the story of snowboarding in Avoriaz is an important chapter in the history of snowboarding throughout Europe, and even the world.

The film will feature interviews with Nico Droz, Jean Pierre Calvet, who was the director of SERMA (the Avoriaz lift company) at the time the snowboard park was first built, American pro Eddie Wall as well as many others who were inspired by what was happening or helped inspire others from the early days of snowboarding through to the modern day.

As a resort that is renowned for park riding, the film will also question whether the lift company today acknowledges the important role that snow parks play in the tourist industry of the area and whether enough is being done today to maintain the reputation Avoriaz has. Whilst showing the past of the resort, a story that has not been told before and that many younger riders coming to Morzine and Avoriaz might be unaware of, the film also hopes to look to the future and inspire new ideas to improve facilities and ensure that Avoriaz remains at the forefront of European snow parks. The standard of snowboarding and skiing in the parks of Avoriaz remains exceptionally high and this can be traced right back to the efforts of the first few responsible for the early snowparks.

Hopefully the film can be finished soon and the story can be told.