Who said that to write a beautiful story, there must always be a moral? Who said that to make a good ski film, structuring the script is essential? Certainly not Manon Loschi and Alex Remonnay. Indeed, the new gem of French freeride skiing – who will line up for the first time on the FWT this winter, at only 21 candles when the average age is 32 – and her friend, also from La Clusaz, sign a film – or rather a UFO – deliberately wacky that stands out with its singular grain and quirky story. Incredible ski images in the heart of the Aravis, an ode to friendship and a visceral passion for freeride: it can be said that the new generation is coming, and they are full of talent! ‘Double Trouble’, the film carried by our athlete Manon Loschi, is proof.
Double Trouble
“At 21, rookie Manon Loschi is a UFO on the Freeride World Tour. Her first film, ‘Double Trouble’ resembles her: it’s disconcerting, unlike any other!”
“WHO IS MANON LOSCHI?”
“I am Manon Loschi, 21, freeride skier and soon-to-be rookie on the Freeride World Tour (circuit starts on January 27, 2024, in Baqueira Beret, Spain). I am from Thônes, a small town near Annecy, where I sleep and have breakfast, before spending my entire days in La Clusaz, where I discovered freeride skiing 7 years ago. I practiced almost every existing activity – alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, pottery, tennis, hip-hop, judo, horseback riding, mountain biking, basketball – until I found the one that fulfilled me deeply. Today, I structure my life around freeskiing. Alongside my sports career, I am studying business at the IUT of Annecy.”
“THE FILM ‘DOUBLE TROUBLE’ IN A FEW WORDS”
“To preface, I would say that we went far in the madness, but we had a good laugh! And I hope that’s the feeling that will remain with viewers after seeing ‘Double Trouble’: a smile and a beautiful energy, almost solar. Regarding the script, we tell the story of two young inseparable friends, Alex Remonnay and myself, who built themselves together, on the fringes of their world, around a common and powerful passion for freeride skiing. The two characters fit well together, living a bit apart, in their bubble: they follow each other and blend together, to the point that some strange adventures happen to them. ‘Double Trouble’ is an ode to friendship and freeride skiing, coupled with a true aesthetic approach, with beautiful freeski images in the Aravis and some everyday scenes shot in '16 mm' for the connoisseurs.”
“We went far in the madness, but we had a good laugh!”
“I hope that’s the feeling that will remain with viewers after seeing ‘Double Trouble’: a smile and a beautiful energy, almost solar.”
“‘Double Trouble’ is an ode to friendship and freeride skiing, coupled with a true aesthetic approach, with beautiful freeski images in the Aravis and some everyday scenes shot in '16 mm' for the connoisseurs.”
“THE INJURY THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING”
“This film has a particular genesis since certain circumstances distanced the final result from the initial idea. We had this common video project with Alex Remonnay, a great friend, since the end of the 2022 season. Unfortunately, I got injured during the first days of shooting in January 2023, on a jump... I fractured a few vertebrae as well as my spleen. I was very lucky because three months later, I was back on skis. During my recovery, we brainstormed a lot with Alex and Antonin Claude (the director) to start from scratch. So, we decided to ride hard from March 10 until the last snowflake, accumulate beautiful images, and then structure the story afterwards. It was a great experience to build the film this way: more carefree and uninhibited.”
“It was a great experience to build the film this way: more carefree and uninhibited.”
“THE GOAL? TO GO FAR IN THE MADNESS”
“This film does not really carry a message. It’s a creative project aimed at entertaining by generating blur and confusion, around a unique aesthetic and an original story. With the team, we simply wanted to go as far as possible in the madness. To be disconcerting!”
“This film does not really carry a message. It’s a creative project aimed at entertaining by generating blur and confusion, around a unique aesthetic and an original story.”
“‘DOUBLE TROUBLE’ BECAUSE WE EMBODY A DOUBLE DOSE OF TROUBLE”
“The choice of the title was very spontaneous. In this film, with Alex, we are both identical and very different. The idea was to highlight this duality: blur the lines, follow each other until we blend together, to no longer know who is who, thus bringing a double dose of fun, skiing but also quirky situations, and troubles that provoke questioning and laughter!”
Double Trouble
“A FILM WITHOUT WORDS, LETTING THE IMAGE SPEAK”
“The decision for a film without words came naturally as we are not actors with Alex: embodying a character is not our job, and playing a role could have been particularly awkward. Moreover, we appreciate miming, silent comedy, absurd comedy... So, we were inspired by that for the absence of dialogue and Wes Anderson’s work for everything related to colors and image framing. For a result that is as funny and wacky as possible. I think the mission is accomplished!”
“MUSIC WE LIKE, COMPOSED BY FRIENDS”
“We found royalty-free music very ‘mainstream’, not unique, mismatched with the overall artistic direction of the project. On Alex's recommendation, we turned to the trio Occult Hand Order, a psychedelic rock band from the region, who granted us the privilege of using three of their tracks. Their universe matches perfectly with the film’s. This gave us the opportunity to choose music we like while also giving friends work!”
“This gave us the opportunity to choose music we like while also giving friends work!”
“BEING A ROOKIE ON THE FREERIDE WORLD TOUR? I FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT!”
“A few weeks before the start of the Freeride World Tour, I feel good. I’m excited, it’s going to be cool! I’m not putting pressure on myself, I just want to have fun, to succeed in lines that make me happy. I’m also looking forward to joining the ‘Tour’ athlete community. Because my passion is rooted in fun and sharing. Doing this alone would have much less flavor and interest. As for my strengths and weaknesses, I have very little perspective. I try not to compare myself to others, to do my own thing...”
“I prefer to let people decide what my strengths and weaknesses are. That being said, I’m aware that I do a lot of jumps, tricks, and that can be quite distinguishing. Alongside the competition, I will not undertake a second video project, but I have been selected to appear in the annual film produced by the legendary production company ‘MSP’. Filming with them is one of my dreams!”
“I’m not putting pressure on myself, I just want to have fun, to succeed in lines that make me happy.”
“MY PERFECT LINE”
“My perfect line takes place in Canada or Japan, on a super playful terrain, with big fun ‘pillows’ (fresh snow bumps) that allow me to be creative, especially in jumps.”
“IMPOSSIBLE TO RIDE WELL WITH FOOT PROBLEMS”
“In my opinion, it is impossible to ride properly with foot pain or discomfort. With average or wrongly sized skis, you can manage. With ill-fitting ski boots, it’s absolutely impossible, especially for me who regularly has problems in this area! In freeskiing, foot comfort is just essential.”
“In my opinion, it is impossible to ride properly with foot pain or discomfort.”
“WITH THE SIDAS GROUP? A FUNNY MEETING!”
“My dad runs a ski shop in La Clusaz, and it’s quite naturally that I spent my childhood there. This is where I met, through my dad, the guys from the SIDAS group! I was about 15 years old and was taking part in a ski cross race for fun. My dad convinced me to get footbeds at the SIDAS stand. It was a revelation. A few years later, I contacted them again and proposed a partnership, and they accepted!”
“It’s quite naturally that I spent my childhood there. This is where I met, through my dad, the guys from the SIDAS group!”
“STUDYING, OUTSIDE OF MY SPORTS CAREER”
“In parallel with my sports career, I am studying business at the IUT of Annecy. When I injured my back and spleen, I didn’t put my life on hold, I completed my studies remotely.”
