Created to recognize the industry that pioneered the action sports film, the POWDER Video Awards and Reader Poll honors skiing’s most triumphant achievements from the 2005-06 season in a red-carpet night.

The PVA selection process is unprecedented in the ski world. It involves taking all of the footage from every movie, breaking it down and watching every minute of every film. It takes months to narrow it down to the top four or five. Then, the nominees are voted on by a diverse panel made up of athletes, cinematographers and industry experts.

Filmmakers and athletes will be nominated for categories such as Best Line, Best Air, Movie of the Year, and Best Male and Female Performance. With nearly 30 videos released in 2006, the competition awards will be tougher than ever.

The POWDER Reader poll honors the top 10 male and top five female skiers of the year. This contest is about the most enthusiastic fans of skiing—the readers of Powder—choosing their favorites. Many athletes consider a Powder Reader Poll Award the ultimate achievement.

The first awards show was a small affair held in a theater in Las Vegas during the annual Snowsports Industry of America tradeshow. This grassroots event marked the first time filmmakers from different companies had gathered to celebrate each other’s work. The event put a spotlight on smaller filmmakers whose work was often overlooked.

For the past three years, the awards show has taken place in Aspen during the Winter X-Games. Surrounded by one of the biggest action sports events of the year, the event has catapulted to a new level. Thousands of fans, media and athletes rally yearly to see the best of the best of ski cinematography.