La Liste: Everything or Nothing movie review

MOVIE TITLE: La Liste: Everything or Nothing

This beautiful documentary about daring athletics releases on Apple+ on February 15, 2022

RATING: The documentary doesn’t have a rating but I would rate it R for multiple F-bombs

LENGTH: 85 minutes

IN A NUTSHELL:

It’s winter, which means ski season! I grew up skiing and love the sport. In fact, I have a 1^st place trophy to prove it. Technically, I won it because I fell down the mountain faster than anyone else in the competition! I’m not even kidding.

Back in 2016, free-skier Jérémie Heitz compiled a list of some of the most daunting and iconic peaks in The Alps to then freeride down them at record speeds. Having developed a taste for adrenaline, the Swiss skier, known amongst his peers as the fastest free-skier in the world, collaborates with his close friend Sam Anthamatten to set off on an ambitious new endeavor that will take them across the world!

The plan is simple, but by no means safe, as the duo write up a new shortlist, this time of some of the most awe-inspiring, intimidating mountain ranges on Earth, finding high-altitude peaks that surpass 6000m, taking the notion of steep-skiing to a whole new level, and redefining what it means to be a free-rider. On this journey, which takes them from the Andes mountain range in Peru, to the Karakoram in Pakistan, Jérémie and Sam set off on the trip of a lifetime. Though what goes up, must come down – and in their case, it does so at a frightening pace!

The film was directed by Eric Crosland. Crosland is one of the principal founders of Sherpas Cinema. For the last 20 years, he’s been filming and directing action sports films that have redefined the genre with intricate storytelling, hard-hitting visuals, genuine character development, and creative sound design. As one of the creative forces behind All I Can (2010), Into Into the Mind (2013), TSIRKU (2016), Loved By All (2018), and countless other films, he’s developed a directorial style all his own, one that conveys the soulful core of his subjects.

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THINGS I LIKED:

Absolutely gorgeous cinematography by Leo Hoorn, Dave Mossop, Josh Lavigne, and Jamie Tanner. I also really loved that cameras were on the skiers’ helmets so that we could see their runs from their perspective.
I had never seen a film produced by Red Bull Studios before. It makes sense that they would be involved with such a high adrenaline film like this.
I learned a new phrase: schrund. A bergschrund (from the German word for mountain cleft) is a crevasse that forms where moving glacier ice separates from the stagnant ice or firn above. It is often a serious obstacle for mountaineers, who sometimes abbreviate “bergschrund” to “schrund”.
One of the skiers gets injured very badly. I appreciated that the film spent some time showing the real dangers and risks of what these extreme athletes were doing.
We get to visit Peru, Pakistan, Switzerland, and London.
Really great soundtrack.
It didn’t surprise me that one of the skiers had a big chipped tooth. There’s no way you can be that kind of an extreme skier and not have many damaged body parts! It’s truly amazing what these skiers do.
Keep watching during the final rolling credits for more footage of incredible skiing.
In the press notes that were sent to me, the director stated, “I chose to direct this film because I wanted to show people outside of the ski community how incredibly dangerous and challenging high altitude ski mountaineering is. While watching this film, I would like the viewer to experience the intense feelings, emotions, and decision-making of navigating, traveling, and skiing the highest altitude mountain ranges in the world. Most ski films show just ski descent; I wanted to show everything behind the scenes that goes into getting to those skiing descents. The challenges of making this film were working in a high elevation with little oxygen and a frigid environment, with no electricity, with minimal crews, and in some of the most dangerous mountains in the world, during the most challenging time of year in these mountains for avalanche conditions. Covid also really isolated everybody on the film team, and we did not use the same crews for all the expeditions. This film will always be special because I am so proud of Jérémie and the crew for the life-changing experiences they faced. My experience working on this film will help with future projects because I learned precious lessons about every facet of production, but mainly what it takes to raise the bar in sport in the modern world.”

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

If you’re afraid of heights, you’re definitely going to feel uncomfortable quite a few times during this film!
I would love to have learned at the end of the film what project these skiers are planning next.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

There are a lot of subtitles to read, as French is spoken often in the film (but not always).
A skier gets injured very badly and you see a lot of blood.
There are many F-bombs and other profanity.
Kids may be tempted to do what they see in this film! While raising my 4 sons, I’m thankful only one of them has gone on to do dangerous things!

THEMES:

Downhill skiing
Extreme sports
Risk
Passion
Pushing one’s limits
Nature

INTERESTING LINES:

“These mountains, I mean they are nature’s finest work. I mean they are real cathedrals.” – skier talking about the mountains in Pakistan.
“Those who love the mountain are the ones who fight with the mountain.” – older, retired expert skier
“Everything in an expedition has the capacity to change you.” – skier
“Joy gives life purpose.” – skier