Hot Docs

“I’m soooo happy drinking my can of beer.” Amen! These catchy lyrics introduce a group of pot smoking, beer guzzling longboarders who plummet pavement on the West Coast with a DIY spirit that puts X Games half-pipers to shame. These longboarders owe a lot to Jody ‘Schnitzel’ Wilcock, who engineers custom-designed boards in Kimberley, B.C., for little more than a two-four. Meanwhile, in Ottawa, 52-year-old Claude Regnier keeps up with the kids at his struggling skate park. This is impressive, considering he’s been competing in slalom skateboard events for 25 years and his knees aren’t what they used to be. This behind-the-scenes look at an extreme sport and the lifestyle that supports it is raucous and irreverent in the best ways possible. Jaret Belliveau’s photography background is evident in each well-composed frame, revealing the humanity that exists below the surface or that gets smeared on the highway. Alex Rogalski

Screening with Nodin (Wind).

Media Coverage

• Now Magazine review
• National Post review
• BlogTO review (recommended)
• Maclean’s.ca What’s Hot at Hot Docs
• Criticize This Hot Docs Preview