The Albatross © Greg Rabejac 2

These outdoor sports movies to watch in 2021

While there was less filming in 2020 (due to the epidemic), a few notable productions have still been unveiled in recent months. Here are the outdoor sports films you need to see this year.

The Albatross

This 52-minute documentary produced by Oxbow tells the story of Ludovic Dulou. For five years, the brand's teams followed the French waterman who lives in Bidart in the Basque Country. In 2005, he suffered a tragedy with the death of his girlfriend from cancer. It is in his passion for water and the disciplines he can practice there that Ludovic Dulou will rebuild himself. From his rowing competitions such as the Molokai2Oahu in Hawaii, to mystical sessions on a tidal bore in the Entre-deux-mers, to this hydrofoil crossing between two islands in the Canaries, this production is a must-see this year. The film is available below for free in its entirety.

Arc of Aleutia

Arc of Aleutia is a film that invites travel and contemplation. This little gem was directed by Ben Weiland and world-renowned photographer Chris Burkard. Filmed in the Aleutian Islands in southwest Alaska, this production takes us to this corner of the world with surfers Nate Zoller, Parker Coffin and Harrison Roach. It is in this archipelago composed of 300 volcanic islands that stretch over nearly 1,765 kilometers that these men will seek out a mythical surf spot. A legendary wave discovered in the 1970s by a former military man... This 30-minute documentary is available on Vimeo at 7,99 euros. The trailer can be seen below.

Breaking 20

Winner of the UTMB in 2019, Pau Capell sees himself unable to defend his title in 2020, the race being cancelled by the organisers due to the epidemic. However, the Spaniard has not said his last word and is now challenging himself to complete the 171km race in less than 20 hours. In 2019, The North Face athlete had won in 20:19. His sponsor will follow him throughout this challenge, which will be completed in August 2020.

360 Ascent

360 meters high, 13 pitches ranging from 7B to 8B+ and two tons of holds on this large artificial route. The figures for the project led by climbers Janja Garnbret and Domen Skofic on the chimney of the Trbovlje power plant in Slovenia set the tone for the film 360 Ascent, which traces the opening and creation of this route. On this site, which has been shut down since 2014, the two climbers finally took 12 hours to reach the summit on their first attempt, then 7 hours and 32 minutes on the second without falling. A titanic project recounted in this film produced by Red Bull, which you can watch in full at this address.

Dani Arnold at Lake Baikal: too cold to climb?

Okay, this production is from last November, but for those who missed it, it's worth seeing in 2021. Swiss mountain guide and mountaineer Dani Arnold travels to Russia's vast Lake Baikal. His goal: to climb the shores of the lake and the fabulous icefalls that surround this immensity (the lake is more than 600 km long). But the challenge is formidable when it comes to making an effort at minus 40 degrees.... The film is in German, but English subtitles are available in the Youtube player.

Aizu

Ten years after the Fukushima tragedy in Japan, the region is still recovering from the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the area and left 22,500 people dead and missing. Nearby, the Aizu area is also reborn thanks to its passionate snowboarders and skiers. Among them, Futa and Hiroki, two childhood friends for whom this region is not condemned to remain eternally dormant. Director Matthias Evangelista met them and followed their daily work to revive Aizu.

The last year

For several months, the Puzzle Media teams followed the French women's snowboard halfpipe team. Closer to the riders during their training, on the competitions or during the periods of injuries. Mirabelle Thovex, Sophie Rodriguez and Clémence Grimal will all try to qualify for the PyeongChang Olympic Games.

Water get no enemy

Awarded in three adventure or surf film festivals in France, "Water get no enemy" is a production directed by Arthur Bourbon and Damien Castera. These two professional surfers went to Liberia, a country ravaged 15 years ago by a civil war. The opportunity for them to meet the children of war who, in some areas of the country, have exchanged their assault rifle for surfboards. The trailer of this film can be seen below and the full documentary is available on VOD on various platforms including iTunes or Amazon.