#OptInside: Watch a Documentary

Written by Meg Rod

This week for our #OptInside series we’re sharing something that resonates with us at Wilderness Inquiry – documentaries that focus on diversity, inclusion, and human connection. Our goals at WI are to provide outdoor experiences to everyone regardless of age, background, or ability. These inclusive documentaries offer insight into the lives of people who have overcome these labels.

Now more than ever it’s essential for us to be empathetic towards one another and keep connected in ways we weren’t before. So, pull up your comfy chair, get some popcorn going, and binge-watch something that stimulates your mind and feeds your soul!

Including Samuel

Including people with disabilities into typical societal environments has been an ongoing challenge. Even today we are discovering new ways to do so. Dan Habib, the director of this film, makes a point to show how important “closing the gap” truly is—a perfect​ example of this is of his son, Sa​muel. This one-hour inclusive documentary follows Samuel Habib, a boy with cerebral palsy. Throughout the film the viewer sees that he is not defined by his disability – and no one else should be either. A personal story about growth, this film inspires everyone to overturn the societal perception of the word “normal.”

The Canoe

This 26-minute film by Goh Iromoto invites the viewer into a visually poetic experience between a canoe and its paddlers. The cinematography focuses on the close bond between humans and the earth. It provides the viewer with a deeply sensory experience as they travel through the Canadian wilderness. Another compelling aspect of this film is the theme of how this inanimate object is capable of bringing humans together emotionally and spiritually. Each canoe trip varies from the next. However, there remains a consistency in how this vessel unites us with people and our surroundings.

Pretty Faces

Directed by Lynsey Dyer, this documentary follows female skiers and the stereotypes they aim to break while doing what they love in the outdoors. As the title hints, this film confronts the idea that women are defined by their looks. To this Dyer asks, “why can’t women be beautiful and talented?”

On the film’s Kickstarter page Dyer says, “​We see this as an opportunity to provide an inspiring documentary ski film told from a female’s perspective to connect with and celebrate skiing’s female population.” This empowering and inclusive documentary film alludes not only to skiing, but also the unity that women should feel among each other through their skills and aspirations.

Maiden Trip

If you’re looking for a gripping film about modern youth and adventure, ​Maiden Trip​ should be your top pick. Fourteen-year-old Laura Dekker made it her goal to circumnavigate the globe solo by sail. By doing so she’d be recognized as the youngest sailor to ever achieve this feat. After a ten-month court hearing, she was granted the ability to explore the world on her own terms. This film captures the essence of willpower and the beauty of true independence through Dekker’s two-year journey.

​An American Ascent

This film by George Potter & Andy Adkins documents the first all-African-American group to reach the peak of Denali. There is an enormous lack of people of color partaking in outdoor programs. Much of this is due to an absence of representation. The nine climbers in this documentary address this by explaining the physical struggles of the actual climb. In addition they address the symbolic climb they face when it comes to proving themselves capable in this environment. This amazing documentary will have you rethinking inclusivity and what it means to leave your mark in the world.

Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution