the film fest was borne from a desire to create a catalyst for more creative films connected to running. in this third year, we have adjusted the categories for submission and prizing to allow for more films at the festival, and to prioritize original films premiered at the festival.
the official selection films were evaluated by our judges (brenden clarke - director and photographer, darcy hennessey turenne - director and writer, simon freeman - like the wind magazine co-founder, julie freeman - like the wind magazine co-founder, and brad peyton - film director), in the following categories:
runs like the roadrunner
by jeremy belack.
mi'randa villanueva connects to her indigenous roots through runs in the desert. her drive to set an example for her community is an inspiration.
chasing shadows
by sara price.
at the peak of the 2023 writer’s guild strike, a television writer reflects on the isolation that can come with a hollywood career. seeking a means to reconnect with her community, she organizes a marathon weaving along the picket lines of ten studios through sprawling los angeles. chasing shadows will be premiering at a film festival in august.
run away with me
by matt wisner and carter christman.
a former track star feels suffocated at her family reunion.
to be the man
by alden roth.
a look inside the mind of gagz, aka michael gagliardi, while he battles for his 5th consecutive win at loopy looper 12-hour endurance race.
17 years: casey neistat’s story
by alex andrei.
this is an independent film that delivers a deep archival view into filmmaker casey neistat’s spirited relationship with running and the marathon.
run wyld
by grady robertson and noah vaton.
ultra-marathoner and outdoor instructor sophie o’brien embarks on a mission to raise funds that will allow underprivileged youth from remote communities to experience the transformative power of outdoor education.
resilient
by caleb gingras and david ouimet.
this is a story about a girl living with multiple mental illnesses who finds calmness through trail running and community.
run for noah
by samuel scofy.
run for noah takes viewers along the emotional journey of a young family from bromont whose lives take an unexpected turn shortly after the birth of their son. marc-antoine forand, the father and ultra-trail running athlete, pushes himself through the challenge of his lifetime: running from nyc back to their home, the equivalent of 17 marathons in 7 days. he braves the distance to show noah there are no physical or mental barriers that cannot be overcome by sheer will. and to remind us all that true beauty lies within our differences.
h: strength is in the pack
by wolpertinger.
in 2015, coach hatim jean-louis, known as h, undertook the remarkable task of revitalizing a struggling citywide cross country program in boston.
the streak
by johnny pace.
a story 25 years in the making. chris farley has broken 3 hours in the marathon every year since 1999, and returns to the place where it all began – here in nyc – to see if he can keep the streak alive.
the stove
by ryan sterner / rabbitwolf creative.
american record holder and olympian, woody kincaid, is known for his ferocious kick. in this short film, we get a glimpse into woody's mindset to see how he's been able to run down some of the best names in the sport.
trail grit
by josh rosenthal.
i have DNFed 7 100 mile races out of 8 attempts. that's a 12% finish rate. trail grit explores why we get back out and try again even in the face of constant failure, when evidence suggests that we will continue to fail. what is about these distances and races that get into our heads?
trail grit is the journey back to the 100 mile effort to go for lucky #9.
miles to go
by palmer morse.
in 2022 alone there have been over 300 anti lgbtq+ bills proposed in various states across the country. refusing to sit idly by, trans trail runner perry cohen formed a team of fellow runners, who identify as trans men, with an aim to compete in trail races in states proposing and passing hateful legislation. miles to go follows their journey into the world of trail running and the freedom to be themselves on the trail.
empathy
by jordan dudek.
on december 2nd, 2023, over 20,000 people will run in the st jude marathon in memphis, tn to support the future of childhood cancer research and treatment for over 400,000 kids around the world. this short film was created to inspire you to join and support the 20,000 runners by “running in someone else’s shoes”. you or your loved ones may not be directly affected by childhood cancer, but we are called to share each other’s burdens. by placing yourself in the shoes of someone who is affected by childhood cancer, you too will recognize the dire need for supporting future research and treatment.
unknown limit
by stephen kersh / rabbitwolf creative.
adam peterman's brief, but illustrious career in ultrarunning has been unlike anything in previous history. this film, the first of 3 in a series produced by hoka, focuses on adam's humble roots in missoula, montana and culminates with his victory at the 2022 world trail running championships.
this years winners as deemed by the panel of judges:
best original, unaired film: runs like the roadrunner
best original, previously aired film: resilient
best brand spot: miles to go
the 4th edition of the film fest is open for submissions, until april 30th. for details and submission info, click here.
votes of the audience are now closed.
30 films were submitted, and 14 were selected to move forward to the panel of judges: darcy hennessey turenne (filmmaker), erica stanley-dottin (tracksmith), alexi pappas (runner, filmmaker, writer), julie freeman kummer (like the wind magazine), simon freeman (like the wind magazine), and brenden clarke (photographer, filmmaker).
on december 8th 2022, at motivny, new york, we presented the 14 films and the judges selection. the festival was hosted by daniel winn.