A one-night-only screening of independent ski film Us and Them will be held in Nelson later this month, showcasing disabled athletes in action and challenging long-held stereotypes.
There is a strong Nelson connection, with many local young people appearing in the film.
The film was shot entirely in the Otago and Mackenzie regions and features Nelson’s Billy Dravitzki, Patrick Halgren, James Thurston and Aaron Ewen, alongside friends. Filming was carried out by Aaron and Ethan Archer, with editing by Aaron and graphic design by Billy.
Us and Them features four disabled skiers and was fully self-funded, produced, filmed and edited by the crew. Rather than focusing on trauma or backstory, the film aims to present disabled skiing as a sport in its own right, with its own style, progression and energy.
Billy’s journey into adaptive skiing followed a life-changing accident in 2016, when he was a Year 11 student at Nelson College. He broke and fractured his vertebrae, dislocated his back, compressed his spinal cord and suffered multiple other injuries while riding the downhill Kaka track near Nels
“It more or less stayed an idea until last year when we decided to go for it, and filmed from June until October. It took the same amount of time to edit and put everything together.”
Those behind the project say the film pushes back against the common narrative that disabled people should be viewed with pity, instead highlighting what is possible through determination, creativity and sport.
The film will screen at the Suter Theatre on 21 April, with doors opening at 6pm and the movie starting at 6.30pm. The theatre bar will be open for drinks and snacks, and the event is free, with tickets available through Eventbrite.
Organisers hope the Nelson community will support the screening and help spread the word about the free event.
