The Blueberries reveal their shooting secrets

Last winter was freezing with several days below -30°C, but it would have taken a lot more to slow down the accomplices of The Blueberries whose eyes light up as soon as 20 centimeters of powder are announced. These ski freaks have traveled from their native Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region to explore the snow-laden off-piste trails, and also to discover new white territory in the Gaspé Peninsula. Meet one of them, William Pilote, who takes us behind the scenes of the shooting of their fourth ski movie, AHOUH.

Text: Manon Rivard

They just returned from the iF3 in Montreal, an international ski and snowboard film festival where they presented their fourth project, AHOUH, the result of their prowess in the snow filmed during the winter months of 2022. Selected among 110 ski films submitted by video artists, a record year for the festival, the group has much to be proud of. They were warmly applauded by the crowd after the screening, happy to see that homegrown enthusiasts were able to make it to the competition.

The first three words that come to mind from William, one of the pioneers of The Blueberries about this vibrant experience are: fun, pure motivation - let's say it keeps the flame alive to produce another video! - and inspiration. "It took us at least 48 hours to get over it. We had a lot of fun out there. Let's just say that winter should be here soon, we can't wait to get back in the snow", he says with a sparkle in his eyes, having had the chance to meet his idol, skier Phil Casabon.

But who are they, these ski fanatics from their childhood, who are always looking for new places to explore and test? Let's refresh our memory. Behind the camera is Evans, who immortalizes the jumps of his comrades and acts as director of photography. Antoine, a kinesiologist, is the youngest. He likes to go beyond his limits, doing the biggest jumps and the biggest backflips. He's in great shape and has an amazing talent, says William. "Raphael, a firefighter by profession, is the oldest of the group," he says. He's the one who gave Antoine and me the fire. I saw him on the slopes and I wanted to follow in his footsteps. He is our emblem! " Nicolas, aka Nick, is the latest to join the ranks. A physiotherapist, he comes from Quebec City but has adopted the Saguenay and its white mountains. Finally, this year, Raphaël's sweetheart and mother of their baby daughter Alexis, Véronique, will add a feminine touch to The Blueberries. We can't wait to see it!

Discover their ambassador page

"AHOUH", pushed Antoine a little too hard between two glasses of beer sitting with his accomplices of The Blueberries at the only bar of Murdochville in Gaspésie. Inspired by the scene in the movie 300, when the Spartans shout this rallying cry before going into battle, that's all it took for the guys to adopt it as well. " Skiers bark, explains William with a smile on his face, still nostalgic about his last winter. The first time Antoine let out that cry, it became our source of motivation and as soon as we did a trick, we would shout it loudly to show off. " When you know that tennis balls go almost 4% faster when a player screams when hitting, do the tricks at The Blueberries also come out on top? "No, I don't think so, laughs William. But we get a good laugh out of it, for example. " Those five letters quickly became the title of their latest video creation.

With the years of growing experience, The Blueberries are gaining better images, pushing their creativity further, but also expanding their horizons. In fact, last winter, their members were able to go "play in the snow" on the Gaspé Peninsula with the RAC City outdoor cooperative in the village of Rivière-à-Claude. "Several friends had put us on the trail of this self-sufficient community because we had to discover their area. We experienced -35°C days and would have to drive about 12 km by snowmobile to get to the snowy mountain. It was incredible." Some days required up to 8 hours of filming but you'll see it was worth it when you watch the film. Were there any injuries or near misses? "No, fortunately. The last day of shooting in Gaspésie, we were more and more tired after 5 days of shooting. We also had less patience, and it was getting very late. We had to get back to the cottage before it got dark. In short, we never came down from the mountain so quickly," he jokes. The stories change, as do the locations, but the essence of The Blueberries remains. "We shoot, but it's important to keep it fun. It's in our DNA. I'm glad we're not filmed all the time, because we say a lot of stupid things. Together, we have a blast!"

Now, what can we wish them for the next few months, except a lot of snow? "That's pretty much what we want," says William. He and his friends will be returning to the Gaspé Peninsula to ski the bigger mountains there like Mont-Albert and Lyall. This will be a first for them. They also want to organize more camping trips in the spring, with good food, campfire, friends and a lot of fun. Because there's nothing like it to get away from it all and reset the batteries, he says. In short, all that's left is to wish them... lots of snow! Happy winter The Blueberries.

Four quick questions

What do The Blueberries pack in their backpacks for a day of shooting? Plenty of water, broth or soup in a thermos, soft bars and dry meat. "We travel as light as possible, because we ski with our backpack, which already contains a lot of accessories such as a shovel, spare mittens, a pair of glasses, etc... "
Does the group ever face injuries during or after the shoot? " No one was injured in the last season, we were lucky. But yes, injuries are a part of extreme sports."
What locations do we recognize in their latest film AHOUH? Some landscapes like l'Anse-Saint-Jean, the Monts-Valin, La Baie, some streets of Jonquière or Chicoutimi, and a little bit of Gaspésie.
What role did their Chlorophylle clothing play in their latest video? "It was a dream for us to represent a regional company. For my part, I was able to test for the first time the properties of a 3-ply shell with the Pico ski jacket. It allowed me to have a waterproof and breathable layer on top of my other layers and therefore, to be very comfortable in my movements and above all, to stay dry and warm, so that I don't have to worry about the long days outside going from the bottom to the top of the mountain."

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