Ultra-running evokes notions of insanity, dedication, and the pursuit of mind over body. A blend of eye-popping scenery, extreme human achievement, and revealing personal stories, this film features Patrick Vaughan, an accomplished trail runner. Patrick shares his heartfelt story of healing and redemption while pursuing the record for completing the 470-kilometre Lebanon Mountain Trail, traversing from Syria to the Israeli border.
This film was part of VIMFF 2021, VIMFF 2021 Award Winning Films, VIMFF 2021 Tour and is no longer available for viewing.
Confessions of a Runner is a personal journey taken stride by stride along the spine of Lebanon’s scenic mountains. The film is a testament to the healing qualities of pushing one’s mind and body to the brink and coming through the darkness of depression and addiction using ultra-running as the vehicle. Director Bachar Khattar’s delicate treatment of the broken protagonist, Patrick Vaughan, allows the viewer to genuinely enter the experience of redemption and self-discovery while breaking records along the way. For excellence and authenticity in filmmaking, the 2021 VIMFF Film Jury is pleased to award the Best Mountain Sports Film to Bachar Khattar and Confessions of a Runner.
— Joanna Croston – VIMFF 2021 Jury Member
Bachar Khattar, Director, was born in Lebanon, and grew up in Beirut, obtaining a degree in Audiovisual Studies in 2008 from Saint Joseph University. His first short film won the Best Short Film Award in Lebanon at the Notre Dame University, and he immediately moved into filming commercials, TV shows, and web series for popular artists in the region, as well as short documentaries.
An avid outdoorsman, Bachar’s love for the Lebanese countryside led him to meet Avedis Kalpaklian, the first Lebanon Mountain Trail Ultra runner, and subsequently Patrick Vaughan. He is the principal cinematographer for Confessions of a Runner, beginning with the race footage from June 2017.
Bachar now lives with his wife and two-year-old son between Beirut and Ottawa. His fluency in three languages (English, Arabic, and French) allows him to meet different people with interesting stories to document.