A documentary about a challenge quickly became a story about recovery and the human spirit.
Four years ago, Sylvan Lake’s Scott McDermott asked Drew Kenworthy if he wanted to make a movie about him training for and running in the 2015 Ultraman World Championships.
But on Day 2 of the race, everything changed.
McDermott hit some algae on a bridge during the bike portion of the race, resulting in a near fatal crash.
Kenworthy continued to gather footage of everyone involved in the endurance challenge and they then started filming McDermott’s recovery.
“It was just three years of rehab and therapy, and five different surgeries and getting everything ready, so I could start training again,” said McDermott.
His training got serious again in 2018 as he prepared to return to Kona, Hawaii, for the 2018 Ultraman World Championships.
They filmed the journey of training and then the race, except this time, McDermott finished.
“I’m excited about the closure of it in a sense, like finishing the journey, because the journey was really hard on a lot of people,” said McDermott.
The documentary — Living the Warrior Code — will have its world premier at Sylvan Lake’s Landmark Cinemas on June 13.
“I wanted to do the world premier here… surrounded by the people who got me through this,” said McDermott.
McDermott, who will be viewing the film for the first time, is most curious to see the interviews from those involved in the aftermath of crash and his road to recovery.
“I haven’t seen any of these interviews… I don’t know how many of them are in the film, or how long they are, or if they’re excerpts or anything. But I’m fascinated to listen to everybody talk,” said McDermott.
Tickets for the film are free and can be reserved online through the “Warrior Code Film World Premier” Eventbrite page. Donations will be accepted at the door.