So I missed a few of the early morning films because I had to interview
Richard Wiese, the President of the
club. He showed me around his office and some pictures of a few of some of the
amazing trips he’s done. Great guy. Really young and enthusiastic and smart as hell. He’s a great face to the world for
the explorer’s club at it seeks to bring in younger people.
Anyway, I did just get out of a great film. I watching the film
ALONE ACROSS AUSTRALIA, produced by Ian Darling and
John Muir. Muir is a well-known explorer and all around hard core dude. An Aussie, Muir in this film goes solo on foot
from the very south of Australia to the very north, a journey of some 2,500 kilometers. He travels at first with his
cute little dog, who, tragically (and I’m sorry to give this away) dies in one of the film’s most poignant moments.
Muir himself is a great character. He’s funny and self-deprecating and he reveals all the miseries and mishaps that are
guaranteed to happen to someone during a trip like his. For example, more than halfway through the walk, he somehow
loses his sleeping bad and must hike back tens of miles to get a spare, but not before freezing his tush off in the
night. He is hassled by dingoes and looked at as if he is a lunatic by numerous fellow Aussies who themselves make a
living in the bush.
So far, this has been my favorite film among the small more indie-type films shown.