KING OF THE MOUNTAINS

Director's Statement

'King of the Mountains' is a project that came to us through a local group of filmmakers who live in the Blue Mountains, Australia, where I also live. After 10 years living in the mountains I always had in the back of my mind that someone should make a feature length sport/adventure documentary about the Blue Mountains. I just didn't know where to start. So when I found out that local ultra-marathon runner William Corlett was wanting to make a film about his ambitious running challenge, I was instantly hooked. William explained to us he wanted to do this running challenge in order to raise awareness for mental health - something very personal to both of us. With that in mind the film would promote getting out there and exploring the bush - stepping away from our phones and tablets for a moment, and being in the moment in nature. Straightaway we knew how to approach the story of the film. It would be about mental health and resilience, and at the same time it would be about the Blue Mountains and how they have to be resilient in the face of climate change. The run would be the thread that takes the audience through that journey. The Blue Mountains are a rugged, unpredictable terrain, where we can sometimes have four seasons in one day. We've had our fair share of natural disasters up here over the years (bushfires and yearly floods), so it only made sense to address these events in a poetic way throughout the film. That's why water and fire play such an integral part in the progression of the story. It's all about extremes and how far William will need to push his body to finish the 500km run under 7 days. Thank you. Romain