Absinthe Films' high-end 16 mm films live and thrive mostly through corporate sponsorships, and in smaller part by its paying customers, and now the worldwide film tour.
"I think there is a pretty big mentality shift to be honest. Maybe not so much in the older generation, but definitely in the newer generations," says Patrick Armbruster when asked about the popularity rise of back protection and snowboard protection in general. "It's like the sport has progressed so much and the risks have gotten bigger too, so it makes sense to protect."
The heightened public consciousness about back protection is the backdrop of how Brusti - Absinthe part owner and producer - came to meet Carlo Salmini, Slytech Protection's chief engineer. With two of the Slytech's rider's (Wolfgang Nyvelt and Romain de Marchi) shredding it up in Absinthe's September release of NEVERLAND, he felt it was a natural sponsorship fit for Absinthe as well. Says Brusti, "We met in person in Milan, he showed me the product and from there on I saw that it was good protection, you know, top solid. Carlo was a guy who wasn't just talking, but there was action behind it."
Just a few short months later, Slytech signed on to sponsor Absinthe's NEVERLAND film as well as the European leg of the NEVERLAND film tour called SPHERE OF INFLUENCE. Says Brusti, "Without the sponsors, we couldn't produce any snowboard movies. They're the major funding part, the financial backbone of snowboard movies, that's for sure."
As the official back protection sponsor of Absinthe Film's NEVERLAND, the marriage spells a trifecta:
1. the cast and crew's backs are covered
2. the art of cutting edge snowboard filmmaking can continue to wow fans all over the world
3. Slytech gains a cutting-edge media partner with whom to collaborate and plug into
Catch Absinthe Film's release of NEVERLAND September, 2009 (available at major snowboard shops around the world, as well as Amazon.com or iTunes) and the Neverland Sphere of Influence Tour all year long.
Details can be found at http://slytechprotection.com/slytech-sponsors-absinthe-films-neverland or at http://www.absinthe-films.com
About Slytech Protection
The team and riders at Slytech Protection feel that life is best lived with maximum passion, confidence, comfort and protection. We're based around a rider's love for shredding and being free, to keep pushing the limits and to give yourself the chance to get up and ride again. Being sidelined with a bad spinal injury is the last thing we want, and so comfortable back protection is the first thing we grab.
Go to www.slytechprotection.com