The Crash Reel

U.S. champion snowboarder Kevin Pearce was at the top of his sport in 2009 when he suffered massive head trauma while training for the 2010 Winter Olympics. What begins as a documentary of a daring and tireless athlete working to become the new face of a growing sport, quickly becomes a chronicle of a young man’s brave journey towards rehabilitation and the understanding of his own limits. Two-time Academy Award® nominee Lucy Walker directs a brilliant and beautiful film that will open your eyes to the daring feats of today’s most extreme athletes and open your heart to the devastation that can be caused within a fraction of a second. With interviews and insights from Pearce’s close-knit family, his doctors, and snowboarding’s top talents including Shawn White, Pearce’s longtime friend and rival, THE CRASH REEL is an intimate and thoughtful look into the trials and tribulations of facing your fears on a mountain and the long journey toward recovery. While a professional snowboarder, Pearce was a hero to many; while recovering from his accident, Pearce has become an inspiration to all. – T.W.