The Footage of the Year award is rather straightforward. It recognizes who filmed the best work in snowboarding over the past season. While contest riders are offered a clear and established path toward recognition, we stand behind the idea that standout filming deserves the same spotlight. Even if awards can spark debate among our community, this category remains one of the key landmarks for celebrating exceptional creativity, commitment, and vision in front of the lens of snowboarding.
FOREST BAILEY: Forest Bailey landed on this list the easy way, by stacking an undeniable amount of heavy footage. Between standout clips in 686’s Atlas 2 and the depth of his own project Good Apple, he reminded everyone why his name has carried weight for so long. Forest has always been known for otherworldly board control, especially on spots that look completely unreasonable, and this year the filming matched that reputation stride for stride. The combination of creativity, commitment, and sheer volume made him an obvious contender for Footage of the Year, proof that his approach to snowboarding is still pushing the whole thing forward.
BEN FERGUSON: PAVED had one rider who seemed to stand out in every single section, and that was Ben Ferguson. For every insane clip someone else logged, Ben appeared to have two more waiting behind it. What made his footage even more notable was the range. While some backcountry snowboarding can feel like a slopestyle jump with a powder landing, Ben brought something deeper, stacking massive booters alongside fast, high consequence lines that demanded real riding, not just airtime. The ex-pipe Olympian showed a complete vision of what modern backcountry filming can look like, and it was impossible to ignore.
COPPER WHITTIER: If there was ever a moment that suggested Coop was up and coming, that day is long behind us. As one of the key members of Dustbox, and now stepping into another project for the first time in years, his footage in Atlas 2 had everyone who rides streets watching with their jaws on the floor. Big gaps, technical rails, and a kind of casual ease that made terrifying spots look not small, but manageable. Copper has reached that level where he doesn’t just ride features, he reshapes how people see them, and this year made it clear he is firmly planted at the very top of the conversation.
SAGE KOTSENBURG: Sage follows a lineage of snowboarding greats who reached the highest podiums and then transferred that same energy and skill to something in front of a lens. He will outwork anyone, he is mentally tough, and the proof is in the size and variety of his tricks. As the ringleader of Eternal Descent, Sage once again left an impression that was unquestionable, reminding everyone that his creativity and commitment have only grown since stepping away from the contest spotlight.
SEBBE DE BUCK: There is seldom a year where Beyond Medals does not make a serious splash in snowboarding, and an undeniable part of that force is Sebbe. The Belgian is rock solid with a bag of tricks shaped by years as a top level slopestyle rider, but delivered with the kind of style that can disappear once a bib enters the picture. His presence in Cease and Desist and Eternal Descent showed range, consistency, and an ability to make even the biggest moments look relaxed. Put it all together and Sebbe was a natural and deserving nomination for Footage of the Year.
BODE MERRILL: It’s possible that if Bode Merrill gave seventy-five percent of his focus he would still make this list, so with one hundred percent it felt guaranteed. As the brains behind When Doves Cry, Bode showed up in typical fashion with a trick list that stretches far beyond the staples and drifts into territory that feels like only he can reach. He remains one of the rare riders who can ride streets and backcountry at the exact same caliber, and this year’s footage was another reminder that his creativity and commitment continue to sit in a league of their own.
ESTELLE PENSIERO: Though Estelle’s footage may have been fewer clips than some of the other nominees, the feeling it carried matched them stride for stride. As a co-star to Travis Rice in Final Boss, Estelle became the first woman to conquer the intimidating Alaskan line known as The Wizard. Her composure in some of the most unforgiving and consequential terrain imaginable was impossible to overlook. That blend of courage, precision, and presence pointed us directly toward this nomination and reminded everyone what real mountain riding looks like.
SAVANNAH SHINSKE: There isn’t a single conversation on the chairlift or shop floor about Footage of the Year where Savannah’s name doesn’t come up. Her clips in Atlas 2 were composed, confident, and pointed straight at big features with zero hesitation. Every shot felt intentional, and more than a few of them became immediate standouts the moment the film dropped. Savannah rode with the kind of presence that makes people rewind to watch again, and this season made it clear she belongs at the center of the conversation.
IRIS PHAM: Iris Pham played a key role in Nitro’s Spike, and her continued rise lines up perfectly with the expectations around one of snowboarding’s most exciting young rail riders. Creative spot choices, hard tricks, and almost no filler made her footage feel sharp and purposeful from start to finish. Iris rides with a confidence that suggests she is only getting started, and this season showed exactly why so many people are paying close attention to what she does next.
LIVIA TANNO: We didn’t know all that much about Livia going into this season, but her name kept surfacing again and again during our deliberations. Just when you think you have a handle on all the key players, a new one rises up and demands attention. Livia delivered impressively sturdy footage in You Made My Day, the Vans Europe project with Hrund Hanna Thor and the Simpson Brothers, full of stylish riding and creative spots. She backed it up in A Light Behind the Window, proving the first impression was no fluke and that a new voice in snowboarding has officially arrived.