One Light, One World, the official film of the Albertville Winter Olympics, was directed by Americans Joe Jay Jalbert and R. Douglas Copsey. Jalbert got his start in the cinema world working as a technical director, stunt double and cameraman for the 1969 ski drama Downhill Racer. He produced the official film for the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics.
For this film, Jalbert and Copsey use a mixture of techniques from other official films. Like Bud Greenspan, they interview various athletes. However, the questions and answers are more superficial than the ones in Greenspan’s Olympics films. Commentary about the philosophy and benefits of the Olympic Movement also come off as platitudinous. Jalbert and Copsey do give us an overview of events in different sports, with narration providing descriptions of the favorites and their pre-Olympic records, and they explain some rules and strategies for uninitiated viewers.
Jean-Claude Killy explains how he and politician Michel Barnier, while eating fondue in 1981, decided that the best way to develop infrastructure in the Savoie region would be to lure the Winter Olympics to Albertville and the surrounding ski resorts. Commentary from Killy is inserted throughout the film. Most of it consists of more platitudes, but when Killy talks about the events themselves, his spirit shows, and his insights are useful. The film is also augmented by audio of CBS-TV’s coverage of specific ski runs and other events.
Athletes who are featured in post-Olympic interviews include French Alpine skier Franck Piccard, who earns the downhill silver medal despite starting from the 23rd spot; Austrian luge sisters Doris and Angelika Neuner, who won the gold and silver medals; Italian Alpine champion Alberto Tomba; and several U.S. athletes, including speed skater Bonnie Blair, Alpine skier Diann Roffe, moguls skier Donna Weinbrecht; and figure skaters Kristy Yamaguchi and Nancy Kerrigan.
There is also a brief section in which Italian cross-country skier Stefania Belmondo and U.S. figure skater Paul Wylie thank God and the power of prayer.
