Thank you for visiting Run While You Can's Kickstarter page! Take a moment to watch me sputter through the promo video above, and learn more about the film in the synopsis below. Please consider making a donation to help us reach our $12,000 goal - every little bit counts and we truly appreciate it!

The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.          - Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

I. LOGLINE:

The film examines how a son copes with his mother’s struggle with Parkinson’s disease, by choosing to endure a physical test to demonstrate emotions that words cannot express.

II. SYNOPSIS:

In the fall of 2011, 24 year-old Sam Fox will embark on one of the greatest physical challenges imaginable: attempting to break the speed record on the 2650-mile long Pacific Crest Trail. To do it he will need to finish in 60 days, covering an average of 44 miles each day, pushing his body to the brink of destruction.  Sam sees this as an opportunity to test himself. But what really motivates a person to challenge himself so brutally?

For half of his life, Sam has watched his mother’s escalating struggle with Parkinson’s disease, and seeing her mobility decline has influenced his sense of the body’s limitations. Over the course of the 60-day run, his body will deteriorate. The stress will take its physical toll, putting him at risk for broken bones and long-term injuries. The chance of failure is high, and whether he finishes will be determined more by the strength of his mind than his body.

Imposing such demands on himself has a empathetic quality that draws parallels with the challenges that his mother faces daily. Unlike his mother, however, Sam’s struggle is voluntary, a choice. We want to create a film that explores the idea of empathy, of submerging oneself in an extreme challenge as a way of emulating another’s strength. Is it selfishness or the absence of self? What does it mean to honor someone? Do actions speak louder than words?

Prior to the Pacific Crest Trail run we will film a series of interviews with Sam, members of his family, friends, and mentors. Those interviews will provide the critical perspectives that propel the narrative forward. When he begins his run in late August 2011, the crew will document his progress in regular intervals at scouted locations, and will spend time with him on the trail and in camp. We want to capture the evolution of Sam’s physical and mental state as he progresses, and plan to film for 22 of the estimated 60 days of the run. With the help of GPS systems, radio communication, and careful planning, we will shoot in a variety of locations and scenarios over the course of the journey.

III. TIMELINE:

The film is currently in production, with fundraising continuing, and interviews and training footage being shot in an ongoing process. The majority of photography will take place along the Pacific Crest Trail between August and October 2011. Editing will begin in early November with an expected finish in the spring of 2012, at which point we will submit the film to festivals.

IV. AUDIENCE & OUTREACH:

The film is a character study that incorporates elements of extreme sports, family portrait, and medical inquiry. With a growing following facilitated by social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and the film website, we plan to raise the project’s visibility and rally support within the film community and with supporters of Parkinson’s research. 

It is our goal to present the audience with an honest and thoughtful discussion of Parkinson’s disease within the context of Sam’s story. Focusing the issue on a single family illustrates the realities of the disease on a manageable scale. In creating an emotional connection between the issue and the audience we believe that we can play a role in helping to raise awareness.