Fantastic Short Film Friday - Always A Fire (documentary)

And we are back with another installment in our Fantastic Short Film Friday series, as we continue to showcase films released in the "lesser" known form of cinema- the short film.

It's time for another amazing short film for all you short film lovers out there. For me, nothing hits closer to the heart, nothing is more inspiration, more emotional, then a sports movie. You don't have to be a sports fan to appreciate the heartfelt enthusiasm of its characters and the issues/fears/problems they must face and overcome. This week's short is one of the better stories out there. Here is the 6-minute documentary, Always A Fire from filmmakers Nathan Caswell & Jeremiah Zagar.

Here's the synopsis:

ALWAYS A FIRE is a short documentary film on former New York Giant CHAD JONES—a star athlete from LSU whose promising professional career was put on hold by a tragic car accident before it even had a chance to begin.

The film details Chad's incredible rehabilitation and recovery from the horrific accident that nearly cost him his life. Comprised of intimate interviews with Chad and his trainers, as well as never-before-seen footage of his long road to recovery, the film provides an unflinching view of an elite athlete facing unimaginable tragedy and refusing to submit.

I'm a big football fan so I already knew the man's name and story, but seeing it here, seeing where he is now, hearing about his hopes and dreams - everything just pulled at my cold dark heart. A wonderful melding of old and new footage, the shot of Chad standing in the middle of an empty football stadium, as he hears the roar of the crowd in his minds eye, as he dreams of one day standing on the field, taking at least one snap - a snap of the eternal hope of dreams - it just left me speechless.

Check this out if you want to see an inspirational story of hope and dreams. Check this out if you want to see how sport stories can capture the range of human emotions and heart. Enjoy this weeks dose of short film goodness with, Always A Fire.

 
Always A Fire | Chad Jones Documentary from Union HZ on Vimeo.