DESERT RUNNERS
Directed by Jennifer Steinman
With resolutions all the rage at the moment, there are undoubtedly countless Vancouverites digging their running shoes out of the closet and looking to pound the pavement in order to shed a few holiday pounds. For those well-intentioned souls, Jennifer Steinmans sweat-drenched documentary will either serve as a shot in the arm of inspiration or precisely the sort of intimidation that will send them scurrying back to the safety of the couch.
In Desert Runners, Steinman and her intrepid crew spend a calendar year following in the wake of four ultramarathon racers as they struggle to complete four gruelling 250km treks across the worlds driest, windiest, hottest and coldest deserts.
Viewers inclined to pick a proverbial pony in these competitions will be hard-pressed not to go with the sentimental choice: Dave OBrien, an avuncular 56-year-old Irishman. However, each of the amateur competitors offer fascinating insights into how pretty ordinary people contend with the most extreme conditions imaginable. (A montage of the blisters incurred will induce more squirming than most horror flicks.)
A longtime editor, Steinman remains strongest at the technical elements of filmmaking. Capturing the otherworldliness of the desert landscapes in striking compositions (the Atacama comes by its Mars comparisons honestly), she also ensures that the documentary unfolds at a vigorous pace. And while her storytelling is decidedly straightforward, the breathtaking topography and gripping travails encountered between Points A and B make it hard to take issue with her direct approach.
Plays Jan. 3-5, 18, 25 at the Vancity Theatre.
