We can admire each other’s strength, determination, and integrity. We can appreciate the viewpoint of someone who sees life from the same vantage point as we do. Not everyone’s story is out for the public to see. Often, we are given what passes as representation in the entertainment industry. However, now and then, filmmakers take the time and effort to tell the real stories and show the hardships, triumphs and transformations. Add these three to your must-watch list!
Full Circle
An extraordinary narrative unfolds in the vast expanse of the Colorado backcountry, where the snow-capped peaks stand as silent witnesses to the stories of resilience and reinvention. “Full Circle” invites us into the parallel journeys of Trevor and Barry, separated by 50 years yet intricately connected by fate, determination, and the indomitable human spirit.
Trevor Kennison’s story epitomizes the transformative power of adversity. From a fateful day in November 2014, when he broke his back while snowboarding, to his triumphant return to the slopes as the first sit-skier to conquer Corbet’s Couloir. He found a new purpose and passion through sit-skiing, pushing his boundaries and possibilities.
But Trevor’s path to triumph is intertwined with the legacy of Barry Corbet, the intrepid skier and mountaineer who broke his back in a helicopter crash in 1968. Despite facing a pre-ADA culture that did not support people with disabilities, Barry reinvented himself as a seminal leader in the disability community. His untold story lost to the shuffle of time, is a beacon of hope and inspiration for future generations.
David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived
This is a story about stuntman David Holmes, a prodigious teenage gymnast from Essex, England, who is selected to play Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double in the first Harry Potter film, when Radcliffe is just 11-years-old. Over the next 10 years, the two form a bond, but on the penultimate film, a tragic accident on set leaves Holmes paralyzed with a debilitating spinal injury, turning his world upside down. As Radcliffe and his closest stunt colleagues rally to support Holmes and his family in their moment of need, it is Holmes’ extraordinary spirit of resilience that becomes their greatest source of strength and inspiration. Featuring candid personal footage shot over the last decade, behind-the-scenes material from Holmes’ stunt work, scenes of his current life, and intimate interviews with David, Daniel Radcliffe, friends, family, and former crew, the film also reflects universal themes of living with adversity, growing up, forging identities in an uncertain world, and the bonds that bind us together and lift us up.
Hard-Nosed (A Muso Douro)
Through stunning cinematography and heartfelt storytelling, director Marco Pontecorvo captures the essence of resilience, determination, and the unwavering pursuit of purpose in the film “Hard-Nosed.” This remarkable film is a tribute to the legacy of Dr. Antonio Maglio, a pioneer in advocating for the social recovery of disabled individuals. The movie celebrates his life and sheds light on his pivotal role in organizing the inaugural Paralympic Games in 1960. As the credits roll, viewers are left with a profound sense of hope and empowerment, inspired to embrace their challenges and rewrite their destinies in the face of adversity.
As the final scenes fade to black in these impactful films, we are left in awe of the resilience that Trevor, Barry, David, and the visionary Antonio Maglio showcase. Their journeys remind us of the limitless potential within the human spirit and the profound impact of hope.
Check out our interviews with David Holmes and director Marco Pontecorvo on our Cortree platform: cortree.com
By: Zina Atkinson | Fall/Winter 2024
