Ruin and Rose Review

 Ruin and Rose is the newest film from Matchstick Productions, written and directed by Ben Sturgulewski. The film showcases two contrasting environments: the snow covered landscapes we expect in a ski film, and a seemingly endless desert of sand dunes. These landscapes set the stage for a different kind of ski movie, one with a story line that provokes thoughts of our changing climate and offers hope in the form of the perseverance of the human spirit. 

 This cinematic experience begins with a young boy’s narrative as he finds a token of a forgotten world while scavenging for goods in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. As the film moves on, the boys journey is alternated with all the epic ski shots that we can expect from both the ski veterans and newcomers featured in the film. Throughout the progression of the story, parallels can be drawn between the ups and downs involved with both the boy’s journey and experienced by those on skis, while offering a deeper binary parallel of our changing climate. 

 The film climaxes with big mountain lines and the boy’s journey being fulfilled. A rose emerges as a symbol of renewal, and the film draws to a close leaving viewers hopeful for a bright future, and yearning to get back into the mountains. Through this film, Ben Sturgulewski brings light to the current climate situation in a way that highlights the beauty of the outdoors and the power of the human spirit.