Stams

World premiere: Berlinale 2023 / Panorama

In the Alpine region of Austria lies Stams, one of the most successful - and very elite - ski boarding schools in the world. The students here come to follow their dreams, but with being all too aware that only two percent of them will make it to the top. Director Bernhard Braunstein takes a look behind the scenes and shows the meticulously timed daily routine of extreme physical training, not-so ordinary school classes, sparse free time and everyday boarding school life. How do these young people deal with the constant pressure to perform, the high risk of injury, and the power relationships within the sports? Over the course of one year, STAMS follows the youngsters through their ups and downs and shows what it means to go all-in on a sports career at a very young age.

A FILM BY Bernhard Braunstein | Austria, 2023, 97'