At the beginning of the year I was invited to Polyana as a photographer for a new filming project of Victor De La Rue, a really great rider. Our friend Grego also arrived there as a cameraman for the movie, it was called ‘Insight’. Xavier had to appear a lit bit later. The crew was welcomed in Rosa Khutor like at home, enjoyed the hospitality of the Riders Lodge and got complimentary ski passes. The guys from the Avalanche Rescue Service of the resort organized our stay at the very top: they allowed us to ride in the closed zones after the heavy snowfalls and offered to use their Rescue mountain hut to catch the best light for the movie. An episode about Krasnaya Polyana is already online so I’ve decided to skype with Victor to get his firsthand opinion about that trip and his future plans.

Max: Why did you decide to go to this trip? Who created the idea to film 'Insight' movie in Kraskaya Polyana?

Victor: I wanted to organize heli-boarding trip to different places. And I have been ones in Krasnaya Polyana, like 7 years before. I have heard about heli-skiing companies there and that the terrain is crazy beautiful for snowboarding. I knew that Rosa Khutor as a resort is nice too, and it is important for filming as well. So it was a perfect place to make it happened.

M: That means your memories about Krasnaya Polyana pushed you to come again?

V: Yes, when I was there before the Olympics, there was so much snow like I haven’t seen before in my whole life. So I choose February – the same month as it was 7 years before.

M: Did you see some changes in Polyana?

V: I couldn’t recognize the place at all. Last time I spent 3 weeks in Russia. When I came in 2016 nothing was similar to that, except snow! It was a different place in another part of the world.

M: You invited Andrey Moskvin to this project. What was your concept for the Russian part in this movie?

V: For the first part we wanted to have experience with local riders. They are very important – people always ride better at their home resorts. The second part we planned to film about me, my brother Xavier and heliboarding itself. But we were very unlucky because of the rain. And Putin was there, so the airspace was closed anyway. We had to come back and try again. This terrain is unique!

M: What do you think about Russian riders? Have you met anybody else?

V: For sure I spent most of the time with Andrey and sometimes he was a really badass. Crazy guy! Then I met Artem Sheldovitskiy and we had much fun in the mountains!

M: Where else did you film for the 'Inside' movie?

V: I spent January in Japan, February in Russia and May in Chamonix in Switzerland.

M: What other different projects you took part in?

V: I worked with Travis Rice for his last movie, for Nitro, and a very nice project - The Eternal Beauty of Snowboarding. You should check it!

M: What about your future projects?

V: I am working on interesting movie with skier Rechard Permin. It’s about traveling and riding in Alaska.

M: Any plans to come to Russia? Kamchatka?

V: Maybe next year!

M: Which trick was the best in that trip to Krasnaya Polyana?

V: BS 360 one foot on a huge kicker! I have many pictures from that! I think something is already in a new Transworld Magazine!

M: Wish something to Russian riders!

V: Stay badass as you are!!! That’s awesome!