Documentary follows pursuit of an ultimate dream
The School of Performing Arts at Virginia Tech will screen the award-winning 2014 documentary "Finding Traction" at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19 at the Lyric Theatre in Blacksburg.
"Finding Traction," directed by Jaime Jacobsen, is the story of ultra runner Nikki Kimball's passion to become the fastest person to run the 273-mile Long Trail across Vermont's beautiful and brutal Green Mountains. With interviews from the world's leading evolutionary biologists, including Bernd Heinrich, author of "Why We Run," the documentary gives viewers a new perspective on the determination of the human body and spirit.
A lifelong student of endurance sports, Kimball's run gave her the opportunity to raise awareness of trail running and hiking. Viewers will witness a grit-filled journey of pain, exhaustion, and fear as they get an up-close look at Kimball's pursuit of a childhood dream.
Faculty member Charles Dye, the film's co-producer and director, said of the film, "A large part of the creative team's motivation to make the film was to help Nikki encourage women and girls to take an equal place for themselves in professional sports. On one level, this is just a well-short story of an incredible adventure, but on a deeper level, I think it's a sensory experience that gives viewers a new perspective on the endurance of the human spirit. My hope is that this is a work that inspires a viewer, regardless of gender, to reach with their true potential toward their greatest dreams."
The run time is 57 minutes, and will be followed by a question-and-answer session with Dye immediately after the screening. Admission is free and no ticket is required.
The Lyric Theatre is located at 135 College Avenue in Blacksburg. Free parking is available in the Squires Lot, located at the corner of College Avenue and Otey Street, and in the Architecture Annex Lot on Otey Street. Find more parking information online. Alternative parking is available in the Kent Square parking garage or the Farmers Market metered parking lot, both located on Draper Road.
See more events at the School of Performing Arts website.
Written by Daveisha Gibson of Mitchellville, Maryland, a graduate student studying arts leadership in the School of Performing Arts.
