Emil Johansson was so good in ‘Esperanto’ that Teton made a second cut

Usually when Emil Johansson drops in for one of his winning runs, everything happens so fast it is hard to keep up with the Swede’s stunning combo moves. While filming Esperanto, Teton Gravity Research ended up with so much good footage, they decided to re-cut and expand Johansson’s segment. The result, Menacing Tranquility, slows his riding down just enough that the rest of us mortals can keep up.

Slowing down the film also lets viewers appreciate another side of Johansson’s riding, says Esperanto director Jeremy Grant.

“It’s often highlighted what a strong competitor Emil is with so many slopestyle wins but what struck me on the shoot was his artistry. With Menacing Tranquility we wanted to build an edit that stripped everything away and just illuminated the art in Emil’s riding.”

Filmed over 10 days at La Fenasosa Bike Park in Spain, Menacing Tranquility does exactly that. The results are, of course, amazing to watch.

Emil Johansson: Menacing Tranquility

What does Teton Gravity Research say about Menacing Tranquility

Director Jeremy Grant dug through the Esperanto archives to pick out the best shots from Emil Johansson’s groundbreaking slopestyle segment in Teton Gravity Research’s 2022 mountain bike film. Going through the archives months after a project can yield some new perspectives on a memorable shoot. When we filmed Esperanto over the last two years, we ended up with an insane amount of extra footage that deserved to see the light of day, but one segment in particular stood out: Emil Johansson putting 110 percent into the pursuit of perfection at La Fenasosa Bike Park. With so many amazing clips left on the cutting room floor, he and Director Jeremy Grant teamed up to cut an athlete cut with all the amazing clips stacked over the team’s ten days in Spain.

Starring: Emil Johansson
Build by: Nico Vink + team
Director of Photography: Clay Porter
Drone: Jonathan Chandler
Cine: Aaron Whitley + Griffin Kerwin
Audio: Keith White
Director/Editor: Jeremy Grant

Esperanto is available now through Teton Gravity Research or on Red Bull TV.