The Ski Channel's 2nd Annual Film Tour Launches "Winter" In US Theaters January 2012

Online, December 22, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Steve Bellamy, Chairman and CEO of The Ski Channel television network announced their new film "Winter" will be touring the country starting in January 2012, and has been officially selected for the X-Dance Film Festival for 2012 in Salt Lake City from January 12th through the 15th.

The year-long project shot in nearly 100 locations around the world tells the stories of some of the world's most inspiring and accomplished athletes including: Olympic gold medalist, Ted Ligety; Women's freeski pioneer, Sarah Burke; world record holder, Simon Dumont and a plethora of the worlds' best action and mountain sport athletes. Most of the athletes attended the star-studded red carpet gala last week in Los Angeles at the famed Westwood Village Theater.

"This year's film is a non-stop thrill ride," said Bellamy who wrote and directed the project. "Viewers journey to the top of Everest, they look over the edge of insane ski descents, they fly like a bird and they hear first hand why these people assume these risks. The stories are not always pretty and don't always end well, but there is hardly anything on screen that isn't jaw dropping or mesmerizing. And although the film is a deep narrative, it sits on a bed of high octane, racing fuel tracks from BUSH that we will be listening to 20 years from now."

"Winter" takes viewers into the history of US skiing through the 10th mountain division, the ski division that helped win World War II with their triumph in Italy. Those same soldiers came back and birthed the ski industry. Like last year's film "The Story" which won awards at 12 Film Festivals, "Winter" chronicles the quirky, unusual and astonishing. Mountain Unicyclist Kris Holm rides the lip of a 2500-foot cliff, Julian Carr front flips a 210-foot cliff, Mike Wilson and Rory Bushfield perform stunts that will leave viewers scratching heads.

The Los Angeles premiere was at the historic 1400 seat Village Theatre in Westwood, which has hosted premieres from James Bond to Batman to Harry Potter. The red carpet event was packed to the rafters with over 100 athletes, celebs, Hollywood and business VIP's in the completely packed theatre. Amy Smart (Crank, Varsity Blues) Donna Mills (Knots Landing, Melrose Place) George Lazenby (James Bond,) Annie Potts (Ghostbusters, Pretty In Pink,) Tommy Haas (ATP star) and from the film the world's best skier Sean Pettit, World Champion Rory Bushfield, World Heli Champion Ted Davenport, Mount Everest climber Melissa Arnot, YouTube phenom Mike Wilson, World Record cliff hucker Julian Carr, ski filmmaker Johnny DeCesare, extreme skier Matt Reardon and the Michael Jordan of mountain unicycling Kris Holm were some of the attendees.

"Winter" features songs from "The Sea Of Memories," the new album from BUSH, and the films title track, "The Sound Of Winter" has hit #1 on both the US alternative and rock charts. "Steve sent me the trailer and I was very surprised," says BUSH vocalist/guitarist Gavin Rossdale. "It was brilliant footage of insane skiers, which I love to watch. We sent him the 'Sound Of Winter' - thought it could be a perfect fit."

"I've been to a lot of ski film premiere's, but nothing remotely close to that," said Sean Pettit. "Everywhere you turned there was some famous person or someone you recognized from television or the movies. And the film was flat out spectacular! Clearly it was different than just a ski film. This was one of the best films I have ever seen."

"What an incredible film," said film star Amy Smart. "The people in it were so unbelievable and daring. The history was amazing, the unicycle guy was insane and I sort of want to be a human flyer now."

The following athletes star in the film:

• Ted Ligety - World Champion & Olympic Gold Medalist
• Sarah Burke - 4 time X-Game Gold Medalist
• Rory Bushfield - Freeski Icon
• Simon Dumont - World Record Holder, X-Games Icon
• Sean Pettit - Cold Rush /Line Catcher Champion
• Melissa Arnot - High Altitude Climber
• Johnny DeCesare - Filmmaker & Skier
• Jen Hudak - 2 Time X-Games Gold Medalist
• Julian Carr - World Record Cliff Hucker
• Senator Bob Dole - 10th Mountain Division Veteran
• Phil Mahre - Olympic Gold Medalist
• Steve Mahre -Olympic Silver Medal
• Andy Mahre - Freeski Icon
• Mike Wilson - Freeskier & Human Flyer
• Karina Hollekim - Freeskier & Human Flyer
• Kris Holm - Mountain Unicyclist
• Ted Davenport - 2 Time World Heli Champ & Flyer
• Chip Hildebrand - Ski Bum & Human Flyer
• Kirk Bauer - Skier & Climber
• Matt Reardon - Freeskier & Recording Artist

Tanner Hall, Mike Douglas, Ed Vjisters, Peter Whitakker, Neil Duncan, Blake Nyman and Bobby Brown also make appearances in the film.

To view the trailer for "Winter" please visit www.theskichannel.com