Film screening and PowderPeople | Ialakha by Heli Hoffmann and Sammy Theurer

Ciao Sammy, ciao Heli,

We have now seen Ialakha and congratulate you on making it through and also on the very successful film adaptation! Let me ask you a stupid question first, how did it end with the dogs? It seems like you started with two and came back with four!

Sammy: Well, that's one thing about dogs in Georgia. They're everywhere and they usually follow the people they find most interesting. And when we passed a group of farm labourers, two more dogs joined us (perhaps for that very reason).

Heli: Unfortunately, the story of the construction workers didn't make it into the film. We actually assumed that we wouldn't meet a soul on the traverse. On day 5, we had to bootpack for most of the day due to the lack of snow in the valley. Suddenly we heard a deep honking sound through the valley, but at first we didn't know where it was coming from? A boat? Probably not up here. So it must be lorries. And so it was: due to the mild winter, the pass road to Ushguli was already partially passable and the repair work was already in full swing. And whether we wanted to or not, two more dogs followed us from there. As two dogs were enough for us, we tried to send the other two away. At first we were successful. But when we pitched our tents a few hours later, they came back. At first, 'our' two dogs didn't find that funny at all.

PG: Thank you for clarifying that right away. Next question, clarification of terms, what does Ialakha mean?

Sammy: IALAKHA is a Svan word. Svan is spoken in the Svaneti region and is a bit like Rhaeto-Romanic here. Translated, it means something like: Everything you are, you feel, that is you - and you can be happy about that! - As if by chance, exactly the motto for our project.

PG: Sammy, let me come back to you first. How did you get into outdoor filming and in particular filming Ialakha? And apart from filming, what are your own interests in the mountains?

Sammy: I got into outdoor photography through climbing. However, I made one of my first films early on about a ski manufacturer from Freiburg. And since my greatest passion has always been winter and the mountains, I was all the more pleased to be able to combine work and career this winter and realise my first 'real' ski documentary!

PG: It seems like Heli is the mastermind of the company. How would you describe him in three sentences, without a comma?

Sammy: Heli sets his mind to things and then puts them into practice. Calm and composed, but always focussed. The perfect partner for any project in the mountains.

PG: Heli, what do you have to counter that? How would you describe yourself and how did you come up with the idea of Ialakha? Have you travelled in the Caucasus before? What ambitions did you have for the Spine Walls?

Heli: No, I would agree with that. If I've thought through a project too many times in my head, then I have to try it out. I've been to Georgia several times. I first did a voluntary social year there with an NGO. During that year, I got to know the local mountains, as well as some very good friends who were also here on the Traverse.
The trigger for the project was a spine wall, a snow-covered slope that stretches like narrow fingers from the summit towards the valley floor, which we skied in winter 22/23. When Levi and I discovered more of it on the map, the idea of exploring the region even further naturally came up.

PG: And how did you come up with Sammy as a filmmaker and how would you describe him in three sentences?

Heli: Sammy and I got to know each other a few years ago through climbing. We've realised a few sporting projects since then, but mostly not on film. When I told Sammy about my idea for this project, he naturally wanted to realise it as a documentary film.
When Sammy sets himself a goal, he does everything he can to realise it as perfectly as possible. This perfectionist realisation sometimes means that other things get left behind, such as his snowboard boots, which are just as important. (laughs)

PG: Sammy, back to you, as a film maker you have an extra burden, both in terms of time investment and weight, how do you deal with that?

Sammy: I'm busy giving weight to the others (laughs). Seriously, as I do this full-time, I have the privilege of being able to call the mountain of tasks that such a big project entails my work. And even if it can sometimes be difficult to appreciate this privilege during the stressful phases, in the end I know what I'm doing it all for!

PG: You were travelling as a group of six, which may seem like a lot for this kind of undertaking. How did the group come together? What do you have to say about the other four?

Sammy: Six people was the defined upper limit for us in advance. A smaller group would certainly have been easier to organise and quicker to make decisions. However, a big plus was that we could share the weight of the cookers, tents etc. and take weight off each other depending on how we were feeling on the day. That was very helpful, even for me as a film maker. I didn't have to carry all the batteries myself.

Heli: I realised relatively quickly that there should be no fewer than four people in case we got into an emergency situation. But no more than six either, then you slow down again. Levi and Eva have been in Georgia for the whole season and I've already been on a few wild tours with them. They also have a similar mindset to me - we like to try things out and are enthusiastic about the pioneering spirit that gives rise to a project like this. It's an exciting feeling when you don't know in advance whether everything will work out the way you imagined.
Zura is a Georgian friend who is also extremely fit in the mountains and works as a guide for the entire season. Sammy joined us from home as a film maker and good touring partner and Yessi, a friend of Sammy's, jumped in at short notice. She normally works as a ski instructor and researches ski cores. So we all had a strong connection to ski touring.

PG: What conclusions do you draw from the concept of traversing? Would you rather set up a base camp with more comfort, time and flexibility or is a traverse always more appealing?

Sammy: A base camp would have the advantage that it would 'only' be 1-2 days of walking with heavy luggage on large pulkas. However, I still find the mode of crossing very interesting. The opportunity to get to the most remote places in winter and freeride there is just great! We were able to ski down slopes as steep as 40°, which is always a huge effort with pulkas and hardly possible without a pulley. Learning for next time: We need a lightweight pully alternative so that we can pull the backpacks behind us on the flat sections. My hips and shoulders really couldn't take the weight on my back for a longer distance.

PG: Then perhaps about the cultural or even political conditions of your company in Georgia. How would you describe the culture of the area? It seems like you were welcomed with open arms. I've only done a little research. Georgia seems politically divided between the government's links to Russia and the opposition and president who are in favour of joining the EU. Have you heard or felt anything about this?

Heli: You researched that correctly! Since Russia also occupies two Georgian territories and there have already been violent clashes between the two countries, the majority there don't take too kindly to Russia. The war in Ukraine doesn't make the Georgians feel any better in this respect, although this also means that both Ukrainian and Russian refugees are immigrating to Georgia. The former are very welcome, the latter not so much.
We as German tourists are always welcome, and the people in Georgia are extremely hospitable and you always get a very warm welcome. As I and a few others from the team are regularly in Georgia during the winter season, we already know the country quite well and have our contact points, which makes planning an expedition like this much easier.

PG: And finally, will you be visiting the Caucasus again and if so, when? Ialakha 2? Or what are your projects for the winter in the Alps? Or are you going to fly to the real Alaska soon?

Sammy: The ideas are definitely there! However, nothing is concretely planned yet, we are still looking for support for the next project. An IALAKHA 2 would definitely be conceivable. In the end, we actually had to leave 95% of the lines behind. That literally calls for another attempt. At the same time, the idea of adapting this style to other terrain appeals to me. Alaska has already been discussed. Until then, we'll be travelling as much as possible in the Alps and setting up camp in the snow for a few days over New Year's Eve.

PG: Thank you for your time and we wish you all the best for your upcoming shoots and adventures!

The galleries with analogue photos by Eva Stribrna and then Sammy follow.

Ialakha!