Desert Runners, the 2013 Vancouver International Film Festival Audience Award winner for best documentary is retuning to Vancouver this month. Here are the details:
DESERT RUNNERS
VIFF Audience Award: Best Documentary
DIRECTOR: Jennifer Steinman
(USA, 2013, 91 min.)
Jan 3 – 25
Their battles—against the terrain as well as their own bodies and self-confidence—is at the heart of the film, all played out against a stunning series of backdrops…” — Mark Adams, Screen
The power, intensity and drama of desert ultramarathon racing is impressively conveyed in Jennifer Steinman’s documentary. Somehow keeping pace with the rare breed of athletes willing to tackle the 4 Deserts race series—which encompasses the Atacama, the Gobi, the Sahara and the Antarctic—the film is a compelling look at what motivates these extraordinary competitors to brave four grueling 250km treks across such inhospitable—but wholly cinematic—landscapes.
Steinman illustrates the distinct perils presented by each of these deserts—they represent the driest, windiest, hottest and coldest places on Earth—and examines the disparate motivations that guide these non-professional athletes. While one competitor is honouring the memory of his late wife, another is celebrating surviving a recent health scare. Thanks to the intimate bond that’s created with the intrepid racers, we watch with bated breath as they push themselves to—and frequently beyond—their breaking points.
There’s an upbeat tenor to Desert Runners that develops real rooting value for the protags.” — Dennis Harvey, Variety
Screening Information
- Friday, January 3, 6:30pm
- Saturday, January 4, 6:30pm
- Sunday, January 5, 1:50pm + 5:45pm
- Saturday, January 18, 4:45pm
- Saturday, January 25, 4:45pm
Tickets and Information
Call the Film Info Line 604.683.FILM (3456) for the latest info and listings.
Showtimes and tickets
