Gold - Du kannst mehr als Du denkst

Summary

Gold - You Can Do More than You Think

When Kirsten Bruhn regained consciousness after a traffic accident in 1991 she couldn’t feel her legs. The months that followed were agonising for the 22-year-old: "I wanted to find a place where there was no past, no future and no pain." But then, eleven years later, she competed as a swimmer in the Athens Paralympics and won gold. In 2012, she participated in the London Paralympics and, drawing on all her strength and determination, once again secured success.

In his film, experienced cinematographer Michael Hammon follows three athletes on their way to the London Paralympics, capturing impressive moments that describe their hopes and doubts, victories and defeats. Besides Kirsten Bruhn he also portrays blind Kenyan long-distance runner Henry Wanyoike and Kurt Fearnley from Australia who was born in 1981 missing the lower part of his backbone and since youth has been dubbed the marathon man of wheelchair sports. All three athletes subscribe to Fearnley’s credo: "You can overcome any barrier if you really want to". The film shows them in their daily lives and in training, and describes how they are a source of energy and inspiration for others.

Source: 63. Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (Catalogue)