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Alexi Godbout: Challenge-Driven Powder Specialist

  • October 21, 2021
  • Mountain Life Media
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words :: Sandra Mathieu. For French-language text, click here or scroll down.

While his latest film, The 7 Stages of Blank, just won the award for Best Editing in the Pro Skiing Category at the iF3 Festival in Montreal, an important annual gathering of freeski and freeride film producers, Alexi Godbout, the “Skier of the Impossible” from Tremblant, reflects on his unique journey to the Big League.

Back in the days when his parents were true pillars of the Laurentians skiing community, Godbout fell straight into the cauldron. His early career took off with remarkable slopestyle appearances at the X Games, the Dew Tour, the Euro Open and many other international competitions.

Alexi Godbout skiing GUY FATTAL photo
Alexi Godbout. Photo: Guy Fattal

In 2014, he and his friends launched the Blank Collective, a film production company. “I had taken a year off from competition because of yet another knee injury after which time I was no longer qualified for races,” says the 28-year-old director.

That’s when he received the call from Mike Douglas, the Godfather of Freeskiing and creator of the Salomon Freeski TV web series with his company Switchback Entertainment. “He invited me to tour with his team in Western Canada. We would be dropped from a helicopter in the Monashees. I was awestruck, I simply fell in love with Big Mountain skiing. I immediately knew that I belonged there.”

FIVE MOVIES AND SIX YEARS LATER

Godbout is grateful for this smooth transition from competition to filmmaking and freeskiing. In fact, all his sponsors (including Salomon, who has been a believer since he was 10 years old) have been with him since the very beginning of his video adventures which are action filled and emotionally inspiring.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alexi Godbout (@alexigodbout_)

“I am self-taught, I learn as I go and I have great support, for instance, from my mentor Jeff Thomas,” says this challenge-driven powder specialist. “I am very proud the film has had such good reviews. We are also nominated for the Banff Mountain Film Festival, it’s a huge honour!”

Godbout who now lives in Pemberton, British Columbia, won the award for Standout Big Mountain Film at the 2018 iF3 Awards in Montreal with Before Blank, a film that takes us back in time to witness the birth and growth of a passion.

A WAY OF LIFE!

“I’ve always dreamed of this way of life,” he says enthusiastically. “I am surrounded by people who are as passionate as me. As soon as a film is finished, ideas for the next one are already taking shape. We spend the winter travelling and shooting images and sometimes we just linger in the most amazing places. There are no rules and no fixed plans other than if the snow is good, we are there! In summer, between film editing stages, I am out mountain biking and surfing.”

Of all the destinations he’s explored, he admits having had a soft spot for Europe, which he believes is the Major Leagues of the Big Mountain. “I have the utmost respect for the skiers there. We are talking about 200 to 300-metre-high cliffs with several no-fall zones. Let’s just say skiing is even more committed than in North America, no room for error.”

HIS TAKE ON DEATH 

Of course, Godbout and his team are well aware of the dangers, but he argues that the risks are calculated and, he knocks on wood, as he has never had a close call, not even an avalanche to speak of.

“We have friends who are no longer of this world, but we all continue for a reason, what we get out of it far exceeds the fear and it’s exactly this insanity that we explored in the last film,” he admits. “The most important thing is to always trust that the team will make the right decision. We learn from the mountains, we are trained in first aid, we carry the necessary equipment.”

For those who want more, he reveals that his next film will take us into the heart of cultures all over the world with episodes hosted by different guests, who are in search of discoveries just like him.

From Vie en montagne, winter ’20.


Alors que son dernier film The 7 Stages of Blank vient tout juste de remporter le prix du meilleur montage freeski dans la catégorie pro lors du Festival iF3 de Montréal, important rassemblement annuel de producteurs de films de ski et de planche à neige, le skieur de l’impossible tremblantois, Alexi Godbout, songe à voix haute à ce parcours singulier vers la cour des grands.

Ses parents étant à l’époque de véritables piliers du ski dans les Laurentides, Alexi est rapidement tombé dans la marmite. On lui connaît un début de carrière prolifique avec des participations remarquées de slopestyle aux X Games, au Dew Tour, à l’Euro Open et lors de nombreuses autres compétitions internationales.

C’est en 2014 que lui et ses compères fondent la boîte de production de films Blank Collective. « J’avais pris une année off de la compétition à cause d’une énième blessure au genou et, par la suite, je n’étais plus qualifié pour aucune course », raconte le réalisateur de 28 ans.

C’est alors qu’il reçoit l’appel de Mike Douglas, parrain du freeski et réalisateur de la websérie Salomon Freeski TV avec sa société Switchback Entertainment. « Il m’a invité à tourner avec son équipe dans l’Ouest canadien. On nous déposait en hélico sur la chaîne des Monashee. J’ai trippé, ça a été un réel coup de cœur pour le Big Mountain. J’ai su immédiatement que ma place était là-bas. »

CINQ FILMS ET SIX ANS PLUS TARD

Alexi est reconnaissant de cette transition tout en douceur de la compétition à la réalisation et au freeski. Effectivement, tous ses commanditaires (dont Salomon qui lui est fidèle depuis qu’il a 10 ans) l’ont suivi dès le début de ses aventures vidéos, toujours dans un rendu au cœur de l’action et remplies d’émotions fortes.

« Je suis un autodidacte, j’apprends sur le tas et je suis bien entouré, entre autres de mon mentor Jeff Thomas, souligne ce spécialiste de la poudreuse qui carbure aux défis. C’est une grande fierté d’avoir eu un si bel accueil pour le film. Nous sommes également en nomination au Festival du film de montagne de Banff, un grand honneur! »

Celui qui habite maintenant Pemberton, en Colombie-Britannique, avait remporté avec ses complices le prix du meilleur film de Freeride Big Mountain au iF3 de Montréal 2018 avec Before Blank, une œuvre qui propose un réel retour dans le temps, un témoin de la naissance et de l’évolution d’une passion.

UN MODE DE VIE!

« J’ai toujours rêvé de ce mode de vie, lance-t-il avec enthousiasme. Je suis entouré de gens passionnés comme moi. Dès qu’un film est terminé, déjà des idées se mettent en place pour le prochain, et on passe l’hiver à voyager pour tourner et parfois on s’accroche les pieds dans des endroits incroyables. Il n’y a pas de plan ni de règles fixes autres que, si la neige est bonne, on y va! L’été, entre les périodes de montage, c’est le vélo de montagne et le surf qui occupent mon temps. » Parmi toutes les destinations explorées, il confie avoir eu un faible pour l’Europe, selon lui les ligues majeures du Big Mountain. « J’ai le plus grand des respects pour les skieurs là-bas. On parle de cliff de 200 à 300 mètres avec plusieurs no fall zones. Disons que c’est du ski encore plus engagé qu’en Amérique du Nord, aucune place à l’erreur. »

VISION DE LA MORT 

Bien sûr, Alexi et son équipe sont bien conscients des dangers, mais ce dernier confirme que les risques sont calculés et, il touche du bois, il considère qu’il n’a jamais failli y passer, sans même une avalanche au compteur.

« On a des amis qui ne sont plus de ce monde, mais on continue tous pour une raison, ce qu’on en retire est plus fort que la peur, et c’est justement cette folie qu’on a explorée dans le dernier film, confie-t-il. Le plus important c’est de toujours faire confiance que l’équipe prendra la bonne décision. On apprend de la montagne, on est formé en secourisme, on a avec nous l’équipement nécessaire. »

Pour les plus curieux, il dévoile que sa prochaine réalisation nous fera voyager partout dans le monde au cœur des cultures grâce à des épisodes présentés par différents invités, mordus de découvertes tout comme lui.

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@lhymnedestrembles.ca is no mirage. Set in the lush Laurentian forest, yet easily accessible (less than an hour and a half from Montreal), this luxurious ski-in ski-out residential resort by @groupebrivia is nestled at the foot of the Versant Soleil side of Mont Tremblant. The Tremblant region is a perennial destination for outdoor enthusiasts from around the world, and within the province, attracting 3.5 million visitors annually.
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