Concord Filmmaker Screens 30-Minute Skateboarding Film at Red River Theaters

A Concord filmmaker, Nicholas Lajoie, has unveiled a new skateboarding film, Arrogance Is Bliss. The 30-minute film captures an old-school, gritty skate vibe rooted in New England and New Hampshire scenes.

An audience of skateboarding enthusiasts packed Red River Theaters on Saturday, Jan. 24, for a chance to catch the new film.

Lajoie, the director and owner of his own skateboard apparel and filmmaking company called PEMDAS, said the project was driven by his passion for skateboarding rather than fame or money. 

Lajoie and a crew of skaters traveled to multiple spots — from Baltimore and Pittsburgh to Albany, Boston, Portland, Nashua, and Manchester — filming raw, non-polished locations and wintery terrain. The film blends skate footage with retro yet futuristic graphics and music, mirroring Lajoie's scientific mind and rough-around-the-edges exterior. 

“It's like trying to show that our area is not perfect. Yeah, we don't have everything, like we don't have perfect parks, perfect spots. We have a long winter,” Lajoie said in a statement shared with the Concord Monitor.

Lajoie recalled his childhood days skating in Concord. He said it almost felt illegal to skate downtown Concord when he was younger, as he witnessed many skate shops open and close.

Through his film, Lajoie, who works for a 3D printing company that creates physics simulations, said he hopes people will be inspired by his film to advance skateboarding.