WATERCROSS

From snow to water: Adam Amengual’s shortdocu introduces us to an atypical sports subject

If you don’t know what watercross is, don’t worry, you’re not the only one. Imagine fast snowmobiles, obviously created for winter mountains, slicing through the water at almost 100 km/h. Sounds strange, doesn’t it? Yet for a long time this intersection of scenarios and motors has created a microcosm driven by pure passion. ‘Watercross’ is also the title of the intimate short film directed by Adam Amengual, a poetic and dynamic documentary journey through the words, sounds and emotions of the young riders who are evolving this atypical form of competition. From snow to water. From mountains to lakes. The U.S. photographer and filmmaker helps us discover an irrational, yet captivating sporting landscape, introducing us to a film about fluidity, love, power and, above all, community.

“I learned about this sport almost by accident a decade ago. I was doing some research on the Internet and saw that there was an event in New Hampshire, in the same town my father lives in. It was pure coincidence. At that time I only shot a photo series, because I was not yet focused on filmmaking. Now things have changed, and I decided to portray this atypical sport community again, creating a documentary short. This discipline began as an offseason hobby for those who ride snowmobiles and, over time, has evolved into so much more. When you come in contact with these athletes, you sense the all-encompassing passion they have for this sport. They do not race for money and fame. The essence of Watercross simply lies in the love of these vehicles and the sharing of this bond. It is a small world, where riders are surrounded by parents, brothers, sisters and relatives. Everyone seems to be part of a big family, where competition is strong, but it is not everything. I think this sport has an extremely interesting aesthetic because of its fluidity and intensity, snowmobiles reach very high speeds and riders have to manage them between turns and the other racers. There is no difference between men and women, participation is open to all. And everyone gets their hands dirty working on engines and mechanical details. In this short film I want to portray the characteristics and faces of a generally unknown microcosm, emphasizing the visceral feeling of the event, the stories that populate it, and the human relationships that surround it.”