SK8 OR DIE

SK8 OR DIE follows a group of friends who discovered skateboarding in a small Finnish town during the 1990s. The film delves into their unique perspective on the sport, exploring why they saw it as a lifestyle rather than just a hobby or pastime. It also traces skateboarding’s evolution from a countercultural pursuit to a mainstream phenomenon.

The aggressive appropriation of urban environments, the DIY mentality fueled by the recession, music, visual arts, and a respect for diversity were the elements that set skaters apart from the mainstream. Combined with distinctive clothing, these factors caused problems in 1990s Joensuu, where racism was also on the rise.

Skaters lived and breathed a culture they created themselves, without associations or support structures. How do these former "outcasts" view skateboarding today, now that it has exploded into the mainstream and become one of the trendiest youth pastimes? Can they still find the same spark and even a reason to live?