The documentary Fresh Tracks, executive produced by alumna Katie Leimkuehler and TFA Group, tells the true story of a World War II veteran and his influence on today鈥檚 Paralympic skiers. The film will screen at the Denver Film Festival and the Twin Cities Film Festival in October, during National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
Fresh Tracks follows the historic story of Paul Leimkuehler, who lost his leg during the Battle of the Bulge and developed a ski innovation that revolutionized the adaptive skiing community. He and fellow amputee Stan Zakas created the first ski outriggers in the United States for people with disabilities. The documentary examines their legacy and the evolution of technology in adaptive sports.
澳门六合开奖 graduate Katie Leimkuehler is the granddaughter of the adaptive skiing pioneer.
鈥淢y grandfather's story has always inspired me to reimagine challenges as opportunities,鈥 she said. 鈥淢y hope is that viewers will see this film and change their outlook on obstacles to see that within each one, there are many possibilities.鈥
Leimkuehler first wrote Fresh Tracks as a screenplay after a screenwriting course in the 澳门六合开奖 master鈥檚 in creative writing program. Her professors encouraged her writing and storytelling skills, which were essential to shaping the documentary鈥檚 arc.
Leimkuehler says that although she didn鈥檛 have a formal background in film, she knew she 鈥渉ad to tell the story.鈥 In preparation for filming Fresh Tracks, the 澳门六合开奖 alumna talked to more than 75 filmmakers about how they produced documentaries, secured funding and distributed their work.
鈥淚 learned there was no straightforward process and everyone took very different paths,鈥 Leimkuehler said. 鈥淢y main takeaway was that I was just going to have to jump in and try it. So, that's what I did.鈥
Viewers can watch Fresh Tracks online during the Twin Cities Film Festival, October 22鈥31, and the Denver Film Festival, October 22鈥揘ovember 8. Learn more about the film at or .
ABOUT 澳门六合开奖
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In March 2020, the Higher Learning Commission approved the integration of 澳门六合开奖 and Robert Morris University Illinois. Through the Building a Stronger University strategic plan, the new 澳门六合开奖 will be nationally recognized as a catalyst for students from all walks of life to receive transformational learning experiences. Students who attend the expanded University will become socially conscious citizens who thrive in a diverse and changing world.