The Unknown Runner …

Am Mittwoch fand ich mich ganz unerwartet auf der Premiere des Lauffilmes „The Unknown Runner“ im Filmtheather Friedrichshain wieder. In diesem Film geht es um den kenianischen Topathleten Geoffrey Kipsang. Das Filmteam um den niederländischen Produzenten Boudewijn de Kemp hat den Läufer in seiner Heimat und beim Berlin-Marathon mit der Kamera begleitet.

Bekannt wurde Geoffrey Kipsang vor zwei Jahren als Pacer für den späteren Weltrekordler Patrick Makau. Darüber hinaus gewann er den Berliner Halbmarathon im selben Jahr. 2012 erreichte er bei seinem Marathondebüt – erneut in Berlin – den dritten Platz.

„The Unknown Runner“ zeigt Geoffrey Kipsang beim Training im kenianischen Laufcamp, bei seiner Vorbereitung auf den Berlin-Marathon und schließlich werden wir Zeuge von seinen Erlebnissen beim Marathon selbst. Schon zu Beginn des Filmes hat man Geoffrey ins Herz geschlossen. Ein sehr bescheidener und lustiger, aber auch sehr ehrgeiziger junger Mann!

Auch Mark Milde,  der Race Director des Berlin-Marathons, kam im Film zu Wort und war bei der Premiere anwesend. Er teilte uns mit, dass Geoffrey Kipsang am Freitag in Berlin ankommen wird und zum engeren Favoritenkreis für Sonntag gehört. Auf dem Foto unten sehr Ihr neben Mark Milde auch Tegla Lourope, die 1999 in Berlin einen Weltrekord lief.

Ich hatte auch Gelegenheit mit der Produzentin Miriam Steinberg zu sprechen. Sie erzählte mir, dass die Produktionszeit ca. zwei Jahre betrug und alles überwiegend privat finanziert wurde. Geoffrey Kipsang als Protagonist wurde übrigens von Global Sports Communication vorgeschlagen. Wietse de Zwart, der für das Schneiden das Films verantwortlich war, sagte mir, dass er teilweise Schwierigkeiten hatte Geoffrey immer unter all‘ den kenianischen Läufern zu erkennen. Dies war vor allem deshalb nicht so einfach, da er leider selbst nie die Gelegenheit hatte Geoffrey persönlich kennenzulernen.

 

Und hier findet Ihr das Interview mit dem niederländischen Filmdirektor Boudewijn de Kemp auf Englisch:

How did you get the idea for this movie?

Being a runner myself I wondered more and more how it was that these Kenyan runners debut on marathons in such amazing times seemingness out of nowhere. Soon I learned about the training camps in Kenya and my curiosity was complete but there was almost no footage of the camps and the life of the athletes in it.Then I knew that I just had to make a documentary about this.

What was the most funny or special moment you had when producing the movie?

The most funny moment was that our safari bus was too high for passing through the finish line of the Kabarak Half marathon in Kenya. We had to rush to pull the top of the bus down so we could pass through while the the first male athlete was about to finish, under a lot of shouting and encouragement we got it just in time down for him to finish undisturbed. Most special moment for me was after we came back from Kenya the Olympics started and one of the athletes in the camp who assisted us a lot in filming was running the marathon for Uganda. He was a complete underdog but managed to win the golden medal, I am talking about Stephen Kiprotich of course. I was so happy for him and the last stage of the race nearly cost me my voice because I could not stop shouting towards the tv.

Mit freundlicher Genehmigung von „The Unknown Runner“

Why did you choose Geoffrey?

I went to the management (Global Sports Communication) and told them about this idea I had for a documentary I wanted to make. I asked them if they would allow to follow a young athlete towards his debut on major marathon and grand me full access to his training camp and training.They came back with one profile that would fit the bill in the timeframe I was thinking about. This was Geoffrey Kipsang.

How is the runner Geoffrey as a person (outside of running)?

He is the same as you see him in the film. He is a very focused young man who has set his goals and will do everything in his power to achieve them. He is also a very humble person and very passionate about running. Running literally is his life.

Do you run as well?

Yes but not at an high level. I just run for fun and it helps me clear my head and gather my thoughts.

How was it like to be in Kenya with all these runners?

At first they where a bit weary about us, but after they realised what where trying to do they really took us in their group. On the last long run athletes where so used to us that  they also  started dropping their jackets and drinks in our bus if we passed by them.

How was it like to talk to the running hero Haile?

Very natural, he is so relaxed and really took his time with us even though we filmed him during his day off before the Vienna half marathon.

Do you know what the elite runners think about us Europeans just running for fun?

It’s different from the way they view running. For them it is a job. There are hardly any joggers in Kenya and those whom jog usually do it because a doctor told them to do it for the sake of their own health. So when I went for a run with my sound recordist for fun we were received with a lot of smiles by the locals and they found it very funny to see us running.

Der Film könnt Ihr Euch auf Vimeo ansehen.

Mein Fazit für „The Unknown Runner“: Unbedingt ansehen! Empfehlenswert!

PS: Mein Dank geht an Andreas, der mir die Teilnahme an der Filmpremiere ermöglicht hat!