Sure, the bopping musical intro of Hors Piste is not quite as iconic as the Super Mario Bros. theme song or the chipper beeps of Pac-Man, but it has the potential to be. The characters have that old-school soft and squishy claymation look of Wallace and Gromit, yet the animated rendition of wind-blown snow and whirring helicopter blades is spot on.
In Hors Piste, there’s only one goal: “Save the world!”
Hors Piste features SAR ski mountain rescue team, Salami and Parmesan. Yes, the names are fantastic. Moving on. The movie opens on an unnamed, jagged matterhorn rising above the clouds. Salami and Parmesan are tasked with rescuing a fallen skier, but the mission quickly takes a turn. There are some epically dangerous mountaineering moves executed on their descent. This film is essentially about how not to cross a glacier, how not evac an injured person on a litter, and how not to make it down the mountain in one piece. Or is it?
We aren’t going to spoil all the fun for you. Trust us, just give Hors Piste (aka the adventures of Salami and Parmesan) a watch.
Over the years since its debut, Hors Piste has won 51 awards in festivals (including a BAFTA for best student film) and more than 150 selections (such as best animated short at the 2020 Oscars). It’s directed by French creatives Léo Brunel, Loris Cavalier, Camille Jalabert, and Oscar Malet.
Runtime: 6 minutes
