FESTIVAL REPORT: "The Movement"

By Mary Rususky
BIFF DigiComm Commando

Kurt Miller and Greg I. Hamilton both love happy endings.  They recognize that festival films are often calling attention to tragedies, and they were determined to create a film that would be inspiring and give people back something that was lost. Building on a lifetime of high-risk action ski films, Kurt Miller, former head of Warren Miller Entertainment, turns his attention to adaptive sport skiing. This uplifting film shows that even after a disabling tragedy, people can find that their life is not over, they can get something back that they lost, give something back, and go forward.

"The Movement" tells the amazing stories of athletes with disabilities who have regained freedom and brought joy into their life through adaptive sports.  Not being able to do things in the same way, we see a paralyzed athlete build a life again against all odds. When you take away one skill, others compensate and ultimately one becomes whole again. It’s not letting life have the last say and instead saying “this is me now, and I’m excited to be me. I have the last say”. 

“Movies are fun and we will be taking this film in as many directions as possible. The film is not about making money, it’s about giving back.” The film is being shown in sold-out venues at independent film festivals, calling attention to and raising funds for adaptive sport programs throughout the country. It’s being taken to rehab hospitals giving people hope in the midst of their trauma. It’s inspiring adaptive athletes to compete and win against able bodied athletes. And it motivates everyone to be grateful for what we have, our movement, our freedom.
 
Most of the money raised by the film stays in the community to support local adaptive sports programs. For more information visit www.makeahero.org.