Bud Greenspan Presents

I was checking The Movie Network on demand to see if there was anything worth watching. I found a documentary about the 2010 Vancouver Olympics:

Bud Greenspan Presents: Vancouver 2010 Stories of Olympic Glory

What a treat. Being the Olympic fan that I am, I was surprised that I hadn't heard about it before. I thought it was a Canadian film but it's American.

I watched this film that included some amazing stories.

It started with the women's moguls. Jennifer Heil attempting (and failing) to win Canada's first medal. They told the story from Jennifer's perspective as well as the gold medal winner Hannah Kearney from the United States. It was told well enough that I still thought it was a Canadian documentary.

Other great stories included:

• Canadian Clara Hughes who won her 6th Olympic medal competing in winter and summer Olympics.
• The Chinese pairs figure skaters (3 pairs in the top 4)
• Petra Majdic the cross-country skier who won a bronze medal with five broken ribs and a collapsed lung.
• The American nordic ski team who became the first Americans to win a medal in their sport and left Vancouver with four medals.
• women's and men's ice hockey

The stories included interviews with the athletes looking back on their challenges and achievements. It was wonderful to be brought back and see highlights from the games including the opening and closing ceremonies.

Sadly, I learned afterwards that Bud Greenspan (who has directed numerous Olympic films) passed away in December 2010. This was his last documentary.

Terry Fox Documentary - Into The Wind

Originally published on My Life Is Like A Song September 20, 2010

Into The Wind is a documentary about Terry Fox directed by Steve Nash and Ezra Holland. The documentary is part of ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary series which is described as:

An unprecedented documentary series featuring thirty films from some of today’s finest storytellers. Each filmmaker will bring their passion and personal point of view to their film detailing the issues, trends, athletes, teams, rivalries, games and events that transformed the sports landscape from 1979 to 2009. (from ESPN website)

Last Sunday, I was fortunate enough to be part of the first audience to see Into The Wind at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The documentary doesn't only recount the Marathon of Hope from 1980, it includes current interviews with key figures in the story including his parents, his brother and his best friend (Doug Alward) who drove the van during the Marathon of Hope.

They also interviewed Douglas Coupland who wrote the book Terry commemorating the 25th anniversary of the run and Leslie Scrivener a Toronto Star journalist who after following Terry on the Marathon of Hope wrote the book Terry Fox: His Story in 1981 and re-released it in 2000.

The filmmakers didn't portray an idealistic view of the Marathon of Hope. They didn't sugar coat the story. They showed the struggles and the frustration experienced both by Terry, his friend and his family. In doing so, it makes us feel closer to Terry, like if we knew him. He wasn't perfect but there is no doubt of his dedication to his cause.

The documentary covers the Marathon of Hope, but also gives us a glimpse of his life before he had cancer. It reveals how Terry came up with the idea to run across the country and how he prepared for it. It documents the struggles Steve and his friend Doug experienced at the beginning when getting the media to pay attention was difficult and then when the opposite occurred in Ontario where media attention was overwhelming.

In honour of the 30th anniversary of the Marathon of Hope, the documentary about Terry Fox that Steve Nash directed was aired on TSN2 last night, with upcoming encore broadcasts on TSN and CTV. You can see more detail here. It will debut in the U.S. on ESPN on September 30th.

Steve Nash and Ezra Holland are hoping to introduce more people to Terry's story by making this film for an American audience, but also celebrate a Canadian icon.

Although it is heartbreaking, more importantly, it is so inspiring. Terry is a great example of what one person can do. He was truly an exceptional human being who had incredible motivation to achieve his goals and overcome obstacles.

Whether you are very familiar with Terry's story or are new to it, Into The Wind is a documentary worth watching.