The Mountain Within Me follows ex Rugby player Ed Jackson as he embarks on an epic recovery quest following a near-fatal spinal injury. He tackles climbing Snowdonia, the Alps, and the Himalayas through arduous mental and physical challenges.
At the peak of his career, Jackson found himself quadriplegic in the ICU with movement only in his right arm. He was warned he’d never walk again, let alone play professional rugby. At this point, the only mountain Jackson faced was mental – an uphill struggle motivated by loving family and friends.
Through raw and emotional interviews, we are brought into his struggle, looking back on the lowest of times. However, through resilience and mental strength, Ed finds himself moving his toes, standing up, learning to walk, and then learning to walk a mile. Within 12 months of the accident, he is surrounded by a loving community at the top of Mount Snowdon.
The accident took place in a friend’s swimming pool. Through powerful, blurry, and vague reenactment, the documentary brings the audience into the fear and confusion of that moment. The honest emotions of his family drive the feelings deep as they recount their experience of the accident. Polly Steele has delivered one of the most motivating and honest documentaries of the year.
The mountains are a character themselves in this documentary. As much as Ed and his family have a story to tell, so do they. The mountains represent pure freedom, and escapism from humanity, making the onlooker feel nothing more than a dot. A sense of insignificance in the universe is created. Beautiful shots of snow-capped mountains accompany the heartfelt narrative from Ed and his family, creating a truly inspiring and moving tale of resilience.
“I’m terrified of becoming stagnant”
This inspiration goes beyond the audience, as it becomes Ed’s mission to spread motivation for those facing equally ‘impossible’ challenges. We meet others who faced life-changing injuries, one of whom joins Ben to head to Nepal and attempt to climb their biggest challenge yet. The footage from the mission is honest and raw, optimistic until it becomes life-threatening. Altitude sickness, hidden crevasses, and uncooperative leg function do not hold these two back until it is physically impossible to continue. It is simple: The Mountain Within Me is nothing short of inspiring and breathtaking. Watching these determined people do something so challenging, and doing it all with a smile on their faces, makes you realise that there is no excuse not to climb a mountain.
You can read more about Ed Jackson’s story here.
The Edinburgh International Film Festival runs from 15-21 August. Tickets and showings are available here. Brig’s coverage of the festival can be found here.
Featured Image Credit: Dogwoof Releasing
Journalism student at the University of Stirling & BRAW Magazine editor 24/25 and 25/26 🙂
You can see my portfolio here: https://www.clippings.me/alicepollard
