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We didn’t need the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) to tell us that Markus Eder’s 10-minute freeskiing film, “The Ultimate Run,” is a work of art. Watch it, and you’ll realize it’s a freeskiing film that transcends all the other ski edits out there because Eder’s skiing is that much more beautiful, and the cinematography that much more artistic.
So the two Sports Emmy nominations “The Ultimate Run” received today—one for Outstanding Camera Work in the Longform category, and one for Outstanding Sound – Post Produced—come as no huge surprise to us fans. But it’s rare for a ski film to make it onto the Sports Emmy nomination list and be acknowledged by mainstream media, a testament to just how amazing the piece is.
It took Eder, an Italian freeskier best known for his appearances in MSP films and winning multiple freeskiing competitions over the years, two years to cobble together the footage that eventually became the ultimate run from the top of Zermatt’s glacier all the way down to the base village. Not to mention the amount of cutting-edge camera work involved, including aerial and remote cinematography, follow-cam segments, as well as race drone footage. Two years during a pandemic well spent, we say.
“The challenges these talented sports professionals have overcome to deliver exciting, entertaining, and innovative coverage of the world of sports these last two years during a world-wide pandemic is extraordinary,” said Adam Sharp, President & CEO, NATAS.
Watch: Markus Eder’s “The Ultimate Run”
What makes the film, written by Eder and directed by Christoph Thoresen, so masterful—beyond Eder’s show-stopping skiing—is the thoughtful and artistic intention behind it. Everything from the careful selection of natural features Eder decides to make his playground to the shot framing, sound, and lighting make the “The Ultimate Run” so much more than just another ski edit.
The film, created by Legs of Steel productions and co-produced by Red Bull, is up against stiff competition in both of its nomination categories. In the Outstanding Camera Work category, it’s vying for the Emmy against Netflix’s “The Alpinist” as well as Outside TV’s “Dispatches” and “Outsiders of the Year,” among others. In the Outstanding Sound category, it’s up against HBO’s “Hard Knocks” and others.
The 43rd Sports Emmy Awards will be announced during the first live ceremony in two years on May 24. If “The Ultimate Run” goes home with two Sports Emmys, it will be a big win for Eder and the sport of freeskiing. If it doesn’t, we’ll demand a recount.