Is it 'Fact or Fiction?'

“Fact or Fiction,” a Nordic film released this summer by Stratton Mountain School students Tyler Foulkes and Mac Fisher, documents the the day-to-day life of cross-country racers.

The filmmakers ask the question, is it fact or is it fiction? Well, they say it’s both. These two polar extremes outline the heart of Nordic skiing. Their sport, while misunderstood by some, is truly extraordinary, they say.

“One of the things we mention in the film is how our time in high school kind of flew by,” said the 17-year-old Foulkes. “It was our first film, so we had a hard time coming up with a name. We tossed out a few names for the title and came up with this one. It leaves you wondering what it’s all about.”

Their production company, Revived Films, has pledged to “document and expand the heart of Nordic.” From the thin air of the rugged mountains of Colorado, to the bustling streets of Quebec City, “Fact or Fiction” was filmed on location around North America.

“Every fall, we’ve always ordered a big portion of the backcountry ski films,” said Foulkes. “Before and during my time at SMS, I had a lot of friends who alpine skied and spent a lot of time in terrain parks on the mountains, so I started filming all of that stuff. We kind of brought that style of editing and shooting to ‘Fact of Fiction.’ It’s definitely quicker cuts to get people stoked.”

The crew filmed at most of the races in which they were participating throughout the season, then sifted through the footage to determine what would best fit into the film.

“We just kept stashing everything in a hard drive throughout the year, and we started editing it in the spring,” Foulkes said. “Each segment was its own project. Then, we combined each project into one big project.'”

Fisher graduated from SMS last year, while Foulkes will enter his senior year this fall. The two hope to continue making films next season.

“We’ve got our business nailed down now, so we don’t want to just let it go,” Foulkes said. “Mac is going to try to film this winter, and I’m going to try to film — and anyone with a camera can help us along the way. So, I think we’re going to try to put something together along the lines of what we did this year.”

For more information or to view the trailer, visit their website at www.revivedfilms.com.