“Maneuvers (Manöver)” is an experimental animation combining skiing with stop-motion animation.

Director: Sämi Ortlieb

Sämi Ortlieb is an accomplished skier, designer, filmmaker, animator, and member of a hardcore punk band. In “Maneuvers,” his many passions collide into a playful ode to the do-it-yourself origins of skiing and its close relationship to nature.

Using stop-motion animation for a fittingly hand-made feel, Sämi transforms natural materials into an endless playground. Former obstacles such as melting snow and tree branches become unexpected opportunities for skiers to play and interact with the environment.

We first saw Sämi explore this “landscape animation” technique in his 2017 Staff Pick “Birds Brigade,” and were thrilled to see his vision evolve in ambition and scale while bursting with a contagious excitement for the sport. True to the roots of skiing and animation, the film is a laborious piece of filmmaking that somehow feels effortlessly brought to life by a spontaneous touch of magic bending the laws of nature.