In 2012, legendary French freeskier Candide released Few Words, his first ever feature-length film. Shot in Europe and Alaska, it follows Thovex’s career as he climbs to the very top of his sport, including two gold medal wins at the X Games golds, his 2010 win at the Freeride World Tour, and a devastating back injury which threatened to end his career (spoiler – it didn’t, although things were touch and go there for a while).

At the time, the film won numerous awards at the Powder Awards in Utah, including the Best Documentary Award, the Best Cinematography Award and Best Male Performance. And well deserved they were too. This was a magnificently shot exploration of the skiing prowess of one of the sports true greats, and the depth of insight if gave into the life of an athlete of Thovex’s stature made it compelling viewing. Throw in the incredible feats of skill and stunning backdrops it featured and you had nothing less than an absolute stone cold classic.

The film was very much a labour of love for Thovex, who had previously been most well-known for somewhat quirkier, shorter clips which showcased his more playful side, such as a near-miss involving a cow, or for set pieces like his world-first jump across Chad’s Gap in the Wasatch Mountains, Utah. Although this background had established Thovex as a recognisable name in the skiing world, Few Words catapulted him into a different league altogether.

Thovex’s more recent releases, One of those days and its imaginatively-title sequel One of those days 2, have been far shorter in length and more in keeping with his earlier, slightly slapstick approach, albeit exquisitely filmed. Now though, you can watch Few Words all over again, for free, in your own home. Enjoy!