"Cross-Country Skiing"

3 February 2022

45s

Ski it to believe it.

Discovery+ are the latest brand to argue that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery at the Winter Olympics. Like the recent International Olympic Committee film, this ad sees a fan copy the movements of an athlete—in this case, cross-country skier Frida Karlsson. Unlike the IOC's globetrotting effort, this is a private reverie.

With one slam of her ski poles, the protagonist turns her quiet journey home into a winner-takes-all race against a formidable opponent. As light pours through the trees and the music swells, director Martin de Thurah jolts us back to reality with aplomb.

It's a great cut that encapsulates how vivid childhood fantasies can be. Her accompanying cheer as she falls to the ground is another deft touch, and reminds cynical viewers of how sport fuels young imaginations.

Sweden

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