The moments of stillness are perhaps what best defines Carhartt WIP’s new full length skate film. They are brief, delivered often as silent vignettes – alone, in a bedroom; at a playpark with neighboring families – or as murmured, unrehearsed lines that offer momentary reflection or encouragement in the midst of a skate session.
This quality is likely what will hold the greatest intrigue to the casual viewer, giving glimpses into the mindsets and everyday realities of its cast. Indeed, the title INSIDE OUT is a subtle nod to this dynamic of spectator and participant, as the film attempts the feeling of both, immersing the viewer in the lives of a skate team garnered from cities across Europe.
Very quickly, however, you are reminded of the occasional benefit of being a mere spectator. Single scenes afford you moments to wince, laugh, and gawp in quick succession. There is no shortage of bravery, grit, or absurdity on display. Occasionally, when these qualities come together all at once, the result is one of pure effortlessness. Featuring the likes of Rémy Taveira, Ibu Sanyang, Felipe Bartolomé, Matlok Bennett-Jones, and Tolia Titaev, the skaters repeatedly contrive to make things look easy.
Shot across four cities – Madrid, Milan, London, and Paris – the film’s director Joaquim Bayle and cinematographer Angelo Marques lend scenes a cinematic quality, eschewing the dominant lo-fi aesthetic of skate videos in recent years. Instead, there is a warmth and texture to INSIDE OUT, with each respective city allowed to flaunt its respective color and identity.
With a running time of just under 29 minutes, INSIDE OUT is a film that speaks to its core audience, with no lack of impressive skate parts, captured by renowned filmer Romain Batard, while also reexamining just how a skate video can look or feel. In doing so, even those with a passing interest are able to feel, just for a moment, like they’re on the inside looking out.
INSIDE OUT is now available to watch online.
