Synopsis Don’t Crack Under Pressure

Thierry Donard has completed another round-the-world journey with his camera, bringing us right into awe-inspiring natural settings where men and women carry out incredible feats. From the most beautiful snowy alpine faces to the peaks towering above the Norwegian fjords, from the waves of Fakarava to proximity-fly above the glaciers to the heart of Swiss Alps…

Skiers, snowboarders, wingsuit pilots, surfers all have one thing in common: the desire to reach the goals they set for themselves, sometimes at the price of waiting months for various weather conditions to converge, and all this in a time when nature is becoming more and more chaotic.

They all know they should make the most of Mother Nature’s excesses like the abundant and abnormal spring snowfalls that transform 1000m high faces into a freerider’s dream.

The Nuit de la Glisse athletes have to confront the dangers of such excess if they are to seize their chance. The pressure is on, fully aware of the danger, their line must be perfect at the fateful moment and that the slightest error of judgment has the gravest of consequences.

It’s in these moments that an athlete’s mental strength is tested. Will they be able to deal with the pressure and use it as an ally or will they crumble?

These are the themes in Thierry Donard’s 2015 film.

Synopsis Don’t Crack Under Pressure – Season 2

Thierry Donard always chooses athletes with strong human values for his films. He is driven by a passion for providing them with the environment, confidence and security they need to fulfil their dreams.

What do athletes from Tahiti, Sweden, Australia, Mexico, America, Hawaii and Switzerland have in common? The determination to get up after each failure, their courage to continue after an injury or perhaps their humility when revelling in success? This film relates the adventures of men and women who are fuelled by a zest for life, which springs forth from a passion for their art: sticking to a line you’ve chosen to follow, in life as you do in sport, this is the art of living.

To create this direct follow up to “Don’t Crack Under Pressure”, patience was a pre-requisite. State-of-the-art weather forecasting technology was essential to being able to make the most of the most extreme conditions that nature had to offer. When that moment comes, in the face of doubt, in the face of danger, you must not hesitate or crack under pressure.

For this shoot we had to travel far and wide to reach extraordinary locations, confronting rare situations in Zapatista country in Mexico, the peaks of the Dolomites, the depths of Polynesia, the heart of the Alps and the grand finale where we all regrouped in the mythical arena that is the fjords of Norway; a spot where all disciplines can be practised within a small radius, the promised land of light and breath-taking contrast.

A 90-minute film using modern technology to project the strongest of human emotions onto the best cinema screens in the world.

Synopsis Don’t Crack Under Pressure – Season 3

The last opus of a trilogy, the apogee of a time when friendship and sharing reach their paroxysm. Nuit de la Glisse propels us into a new era towards new disciplines and describes the transmission of values between two generations of riders, ultimate tribute to the athletes who have marked their sports by their exploits.

90 minutes of strong and profound sensations and emotions. Thanks to the placement of his cameras, Thierry Donard, it’s director, let us dive into the intimacy of these characters who are out of the ordinary. A film shot for large screens in 4K Cinemascope to fully feel the cinema experience, an immersion in the world of gliding sports.