Interview with Andre Nutini

By: Therese Nadeau

Hello to all you online diehards! Welcome to my first online publication and definitely not the last. I plan on using this space for getting to know people who kick ass. Each article will be an easy to read interview. I will interview people from extreme climbers to professional photographers and anyone seriously dedicated.

Meet Andre Nutini, a young film maker with a passion for skiing. His first film, White Dreams recently won the People's Choice Awards at the Rossland Film Festival and has turned the heads of many prominent film makers. Currently filming on location in the United States, Andre is embarking on a new ski adventure and into his bright future.

White Dreams gives us a look into the past, when ski movies were strictly about skiing. It was filmed on local ski hills in British Columbia and Alberta.

Andre travelled around with his ski buddies, directing, editing and marketing his film. The movie shows rail slides, jibbin', big airs, and deep powder shots. It's suited for families with no profanity or sexual content. As a rookie film, it captures the essence of skiing for fun and not fame and is really well done. He reminds us that skiing is not just for the pro's but for love of the sport, if you ski.

Born: Calgary, Alta
Birthday: Jan 23, 1989
Hometown: Rossland, BC

When did you first get on skis?

When I was eight.

What was your first video camera?

Canon GL2. I took film and television class to borrow the school's camera until I could afford one. So at the beginning of last season I got my first one.

How old were you when you first decided to make a film?

Grade 10. I was 16.

What's the biggest challenge you face as a young film maker?

Budget, trying to get money when I'm relatively inexperienced, young and people think I don’t know what I want to do. I do know. Whistler kids whose parents buy their camera gear for them, didn't have to work as hard. There's a million kids out there making videos and they think theirs is the best video out there.

Can you share with us your best memory during the filming of White Dreams?

It's hard to pick just one. I would have to say the trip to Lake Louise because of the big mountain competition. When we were driving out it was dumping and dumping snow. The skies opened up and we got blue bird skies to film. It was probably the most rewarding and fun trip that we took.

The worst?

Probably anytime we had a camera issue. We had a big cold snap and the camera froze and stopped working. We didn't give it time to equalize and it got condensation, so all our footage was useless. Any time there was a camera issue was a bad time through the whole process.

Who are your sponsors?

Rossvegas Boardshop, Powderhound and Ethica Enviro Wax.

If you could choose anyone to work with, who would it be?

Warren Miller. He probably pays well.

Favorite Film?

Believe, a Tanner Hall movie.

What are you working on next?

We're filming for a movie, hopefully to be released in the fall. We don’t have a name for it yet. I should be heading to Whistler soon to film. Hopefully, I will get it done because of the other stuff, I'm working on.

What other stuff are you working on?

I shouldn't really talk about it.

What are you doing to help the environment?

We work with Ethica Enviro wax. They are pushing bio-degradable wax that doesn't put any pollutants out when you hit the snow. I recycle.

Where's your favorite place to ski?

Probably Red Mountain.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Fat and bald (laughing). Hopefully doing something along the lines of what I'm doing now.

What advice would you give to other young film makers starting out?

Quit, make it easier for me. No, just keep being persistent and make something new no one else is doing and it will work out.