Torsten Brinkema

Biography

Torsten Brinkema is a Minnesota-born artist based in Brooklyn, New York. His work explores the fragile balance between people and their environments through films, still photography, and sculpture. As a former collegiate ski racer, Torsten spent years on the snow competing against the best in the Northeast, all the while developing his visual practice in the landscapes that sport took him. With two award-winning short films behind him, he set out to merge his lifelong connection to skiing with a long-form film that could fully realize his creative vision. Drawing on his experience racing alongside elite athletes—and a deep sense of empathy—he built a story rooted in trust. Threshold ultimately became a journey far beyond what he imagined, both as a filmmaker and as a witness.