Climb

Discovered as part of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) the documentary film about and by Neil Myers has established itself as one of the highlights of this festival but above all as an anthem to courage and to the fact that sport is the best treatment to regain one's life and inner strength and balance.

Santa Barbara triathlete Neil Myers was nearly killed in a horrific training accident on Gibraltar Road in 2018. A week after the accident, he signed up to compete in a triathlon that was a year away, with the goal of simply crossing the finish line. Four months after healing and leaving rehab, Neil began his intensive cycling training. Just one year after the accident, he surpassed the goal he had set for himself while in the hospital. He and his team won the 2019 Santa Barbara Triathlon. This documentary tells us this true story from archives, interviews, relatives of Neil Myers who made this documentary about what happened to him to testify to his courage.

In spite of its short duration of about one hour, Climb totally enthused us because it totally succeeds in creating a real reconstitution by the one who really lived this strong story and testifying of a real thirst for life. By staging an important part of his life, Neil Myers is in the best position to stay focused on the essentials and Climb not only benefits from an excellent editing but above all retransmits perfectly the path of struggle that Neil Myers had to go through with the support of his family and his close friends.

It is also interesting to understand why Neil Myers made this documentary because it is not to put himself forward far from there but to collect funds for the trauma centers of the United States. His accident indeed allowed him to understand the importance of such a center for many people and without the one located in Santa Barbara and close to the place of his terrible accident, he would not be here to propose this fascinating and totally mastered documentary

Climb
Written and directed by Neil Myers
Starring Neil Myers
Music by Eric Colvin
Cinematography : Neil Myers, Ryan Slattery, Jason Lee and Jem Schofield
Production companies : Campfire production
Release date : April 1, 2021 (SBIFF)
Running time : 57 minutes

Seen on April 3, 2021 (SXSW)

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