"By turns pulse-quickening and contemplative, The Crash Reel is a thoroughly winning portrait of former pro snowboarder Kevin Pearce." – Variety

Two-time Oscar-nominated director Lucy Walker (Waste Land, MIFF 2010) is at the top of her game in this brilliantly told account of the rise and literal fall of snowboarding champ Kevin Pearce, whose career was cut short at age 22 in a near-fatal crash.

Through her use of vérité footage, Walker delivers an exhilarating, at times jaw-dropping, insight into the sport, which is counterbalanced by the horror of Pearce's accident and his long rehabilitation at the side of his close-knit family. At its heart the film poses the ultimate question: how much risk is too much?

Winner of the Audience Award: Festival Favourite at SXSW Film Festival.

"An intelligent, exciting and compassionate film … Kevin Pearce is a remarkable personality." – Screen Daily

Kevin Pearce is a guest of the festival. Join him, along with Australian surfing legend Wayne Lynch and more, to talk about sports storytelling on film in our Talking Pictures event.

D Lucy Walker P Julian Cautherley, Lucy Walker Dist Hopscotch TD digibeta/2013