"Downhill Skiers" - Brilliant World Premiere In Vienna

It was an evening that truly touched the soul: More than 700 enthusiastic guests celebrated at the glamorous premiere of “Downhill Skiers – Ain't No Mountain Steep Enough” in Vienna's Gartenbaukino.

Gerald Salmina's new ski documentary was met with a standing ovation. An emotional moment—not only for the director, but also for the protagonists themselves. The good news for all ski fans: "Downhill Skiers – Ain't No Mountain Steep Enough" will be released in Austria on October 23rd.

The downhill heroes Franz Klammer, Dominik Paris, Justin Murisier, Marco Odermatt, Gerald Salmina (director), Cyprien Sarrazin, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, Daniel Hemetsberger and Vincent Kriechmayr (from left) were impressed at the film premiere.

The crowd in front of the Gartenbaukino was enormous. Many big names from the world of skiing and beyond – including ski legend Franz Klammer , former athletes such as Alexandra Meissnitzer, Marco Büchel, Michaela Dorfmeister, Fritz Strobl, Matthias Mayer , and former ski jumpers Thomas Morgenstern and Andreas Goldberger – milled on the red carpet in front of numerous TV cameras, photographers, and fans. FIS President Johan Eliasch and ÖSV Managing Director Christian Scherer also attended the world premiere, with Armin Assinger and Michaela Kirchgasser serving as presenters.

The main stars of the evening, however, were different: Vincent Kriechmayr, Marco Odermatt, Daniel Hemetsberger, Dominik Paris, Cyprien Sarrazin, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde , and Justin Murisier. The world's best downhill skiers, who usually compete for hundredths of a second on icy slopes, interrupted their preparations to stop by their own film premiere.

This was their first reunion since the end of the season – and it quickly became clear that, despite the competition, the ski stars share a close relationship. This isn't surprising, as they're all chasing the same dream, the same passion, always straddling the narrow line between triumph and defeat. "We're a bunch of crazy people who just want to get down , " Vincent Kriechmayr describes it himself in the documentary.

The anticipation for the premiere was immense for everyone involved: "I deliberately didn't watch the film beforehand because I wanted to experience it on the big screen for the first time. This is something very special for all of us," explained Dominik Paris at the press conference. Cyprien Sarrazin, whose serious fall in Bormio is also addressed in the documentary, echoed this sentiment: "It will certainly be very emotional for me to see the images on the big screen; I'm already getting excited. "

This is also what defines " Downhill Skiers - Ain't No Mountain Steep Enough" : a documentary that shows, with equal sensitivity and brutality, how closely euphoria and shock lie in the world of downhill skiers. In just under 130 minutes, a closeness to the protagonists is established that has never been seen before - a deep look into the private and emotional lives of the world's best downhill skiers. What often remains hidden comes to light: the doubts, the fear, the euphoria, and the pain. Throughout the entire eventful 2024/25 season, the cameras were there up close, and not only the athletes but also their family members, coaches, and doctors have their say.