The world needs more joy. We know that playing on snow is a sure route to that “feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” Offering 14 minutes of it, Hugo Laugier‘s new film JOY (directed by Jeremy Pancras) doesn’t take itself too seriously. We see Hugo and the other pro skiers—Axel Lepalabe, Antoine Adelisse, Edgar Cheylus and Antonin Raso—wipe out more than once while attempting tricks.
The wipeouts are all part of the joyful process of playing on snow, finding freedom of expression between the mountain and the sky.
Twenty-eight-year-old French freestyle skier Hugo Laugier always has a smile on his face, whether on skis or in life.
He joined the French ski team in 2015 just after freestyle skiing became an Olympic sport. As part of the team, Laugier claimed victories in the European Cup and reached top 10 in the World Cup.
Based in the Vercors region of the French Alps, Laugier has shifted from competitive slopestyle and big air to freestyle, filming parts including the ‘La Lodge TV’ YouTube series.
“After leaving racing, I turned my career towards creating video content, working mainly for Rossignol,” Laugier told Assure Ton Sport. “This change has allowed me to explore new facets of skiing, such as freeride and backcountry, while continuing to share my passion for the sport. Video gives me the opportunity to express my creativity and stay connected to the freestyle community”.
Through the lens of Jeremy Pancras—who also directed Keep It Real, a deep dive into freeski culture—JOY showcases the skiers’ creative (and joyful) use of natural features of the Alps. And Laugier’s enthusiasm and passion for skiing can be seen throughout JOY: ‘There are too many words to describe a session, a day of shaping or an entire season, but only one can sum up the feeling I get from skiing’.
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