Everyday Activist - The Great Alone (CIFF 2015)

Posted on Saturday, September 26, 2015 at 05:00 PM

Movie: Great Alone, The

CIFF 2015 Review: The Great Alone

Movie Review by Everyday Activist X CalgaryMovies.com

If you read my blog regularly, you’ll know that since January 2013, I spend about 6 weeks a year working in the Yukon. Because of this, it’s kind of my adopted home where I’m both a local and a tourist. I go to the museums and recognize certain names. When I read the description for The Great Alone, I immediately recognized Dick Mackey, who had a hand in setting up the first dog sled races in both Alaska and the Yukon. The movie is actually about his son, Lance Mackey, also a sled dog racing legend for both the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod.

Lance Mackey had quite the eventful life before his championship racing days. The storyline goes into Lance’s childhood and stays with him as he is racing in the Iditarod in 2013, where we can see just how much he’s suffering in the Alaskan cold. In so many ways his sled dogs saved his life, giving him a reason to keep going even with odds that were heavily stacked against him.

Director, Greg Kohs, keeps the movie going at a good pace. Despite some of the more depressing events the film never feels too long. Our hero manages to rise to the occasion each time you think life has him down. I liked the depth in which he chose to capture Lance Mackey’s story. The movie wasn’t just about winning dog sled races, it was also about what it means to have family and celebrate life. No matter what age you are, you always want to make your parents proud.

Poetically, the movie starts with his father’s win back in the 70’s and ends with Lance and his sled dogs. Having been on part of the Yukon Quest route I have no idea why people decide it’s a good idea to race in the middle of nowhere. Mind you, they seem to have great bakeries at the stops. It's okay to drive in summer, but I can’t imagine doing it in winter, even in a car; though cinnamon buns the size of dinner plates would definitely raise morale in the sub-zero temperatures. If you have never been to the Yukon, the documentary has previous Iditarod champions narrating about the difficulties of the course and shows the route as well as some of the beautiful scenery that keeps me coming back year after year, even in winter. I might get to see part of the Yukon Quest next year in February 2016 when I visit, as it will finish in Whitehorse.

CIFF will present the Canadian Premiere on October 1st, 2015 @ 10:00 PM at the Globe Cinema and an encore screening on October 4, 2015 @ 6:30 PM at Eau Claire Market Cinemas.

**UPDATE:  The Great Alone has also been selected to be part of the upcoming Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival 2015, screening on Sunday, November 8, 2015 @ 2:00 PM in Rolston Recital Hall.

Calgary Local Scene Event Listing: Calgary International Film Festival 2015 >
CalgaryMovies.com's CIFF 2015 Coverage >

Calgary Showtimes: Great Alone, The >