Mountainfilm: “Hurdle,” A Colorado Premiere

19 May Mountainfilm: “Hurdle,” A Colorado Premiere

The line-up for the 41st annual gathering of the tribe features guest director Cheryl Strayed, plus Sir Chris Bonington, Hilaree Nelson, Erin Parisi, Arthur Brooks, and top Obama aide Ben Rhodes. (For more on Rhodes, go here.)

Passes/tickets to the 41st annual Mountainfilm are on selling out.

And the full schedule is here.

Please scroll down to watch a trailer and  learn more about the Colorado premiere of “Hurdle,” a doc about the resilience  and creativity of Palestinian youth at the border wall, changing the narrative about The Other at least in this part of our troubled world.

“Hurdle” screens twice at Mountainfilm: Friday, May 24, 1:45 p.m. at Masons Hall; Sunday, May 26, The Palm’s Off-Width (Black Box).

In the shadow of a wall stands a new generation of Palestinian. With defiant creativity they prove that no matter the height of the obstacle, one can always climb. From Texas filmmaker Michael Rowley comes the Colorado Premiere of his feature documentary directorial debut “Hurdle.”

As the Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian territories approached its 50th year, “Hurdle” reveals an important and intimate story emerging from the hearts and actions of Palestinian youth. This new generation responds to a world of walls, checkpoints and arrests in an unexpected and inspiring way—through the thrilling sport of parkour—the act of moving rapidly through an urban environment while negotiating obstacles by running, jumping and climbing. “Hurdle”’s protagonists, Sami and Mohammad, begin teaching the creative practices of parkour and photography, respectively, to the youth of their communities as a means to overcome the personal and political obstacles that often feel inescapable. Though these young men are separated by a wall, they are united in leading the next generation toward freedom and self-determination through non-violent, creative practices.

With breathtaking visuals, amazing access and action-packed scenes, “Hurdle” provides an edge-of-your-seat look at an old conflict. From gunshot wounds and arrests, to brotherhood and faith, the film navigates the politics of the region through the first-hand experience of the characters, revealing a deeply personal and human investigation of the lives of the Muslim youth of Palestine in the Occupied Territories.

The story provides an opportunity for a diverse audience to connect on a human level with a community that is underrepresented in the mainstream narrative. In a time when the global conversation is focused on wall-building and dehumanizing “The Other,” “Hurdle” not only documents the evolution of an age-old conflict, but stands as a global harbinger.

Sami, a 24-year-old Palestinian living in Occupied East Jerusalem is the founder and coach of the Jerusalem Parkour team. He taught himself parkour by watching videos on YouTube. Sami’s passion is unwavering as he teaches youth ages eight to 21 to overcome fear and avoid political danger by finding strength in parkour.

Mohammad, a 26-year-old Palestinian in the Occupied West Bank, is a photojournalist and the director of the media unit of Aida Refugee Camp’s Lajee Center. A lifetime resident of the camp, Mohammad uses his skills in photography to document life under military occupation. He teaches the children of the camp to use photography as an escape from daily pressures and encourages them to tell stories about themselves, because they are human and should be viewed as such in the eyes of the world.

“With my evangelical upbringing, came not only principles and theology, but a way to view the world. For many evangelicals, the standard for approaching the Israeli/Palestinian conflict should be nothing less than an unquestioning and adamant support for all Israeli policy,” said “Hurdle” director Michael Rowley. “As I studied and deconstructed my worldview and religious affiliations, this conflict came into closer personal focus and scrutiny. I made my first journey to the region in 2015 working with an NGO that focused on sharing stories of those who have experienced loss, and I learned of young Palestinians who were addressing these physical barriers with defiance and creativity through parkour and photography. They represent the people I once misunderstood. By offering an intimate look at the hopes and challenges of these young men, I hope ‘Hurdle’ will act as a catalyst for better conversations and understanding.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SRpcXxSLkY

About the “Hurdle” team:

Michael Rowley (Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor) is an emerging documentary filmmaker from Dallas, Texas who has worked in the commercial film industry for nearly a decade. Founding the film production company Fold Studios in 2012, Rowley has demonstrated the ability to apply his technical skill and honest approach to transform challenging subject matter into impactful narratives. Rowley’s documentary feature directorial debut, Hurdle, is the recipient of Austin Film Society’s North Texas Pioneer Film Grant and a winner of the American Documentary Film Festival Pitch Competition. Hurdle enjoyed its world premiere at the 2019 Dallas International Film Festival as a part of the Documentary Features Competition and is currently continuing to engage and inspire audiences around the world.

Andrew Brown (Producer) is a Dallas-based marketing and business professional with a decade of experience in fundraising, international development and startups. He is the winner of 7 Telly awards for his work as a director and producer. Brown’s educational background is in broadcasting/digital media and he holds a masters degree in business.

Remoy Philip (Producer) is a Brooklyn, New York, based editorial journalist and creative producer. His work has taken him around the globe telling stories of underserved and marginalized people groups, resulting in humanization and audience activism. Philip co-founded Theo Media, LLC in 2016.