Sinneslös
Documentary
Challenge
The main challenge was to portray a personal story about a rare disease in an emotional and authentic way without reducing the individual to his diagnosis. Balancing Vilmer's personal struggle with a strong visual narrative, while also educating the audience about LHON and inspiring them through his sports journey, required both in-depth research and sensitive storytelling. Additionally, the international context and the competition in Rio presented logistical and production challenges.
Solution
To address these challenges, me and Alexander Edqvist from the Swedish Skateboard Association discussed extensively how we wanted the documentary to be told. We considered using a narrator to describe Vilmer's life and emotions surrounding both his condition and the expectations and challenges of traveling to Rio to compete. Ultimately, we decided that Vilmer should tell his own story, using his voice without a voiceover. The visuals and his interactions would convey the narrative. This approach was chosen to ensure that Vilmer would not be portrayed differently than intended and to allow viewers to experience a sense of authenticity.
Results
As of today, the documentary has not yet premiered. However, I have presented the documentary to the Swedish Skateboard Association's board, receiving extremely positive feedback. This presentation sparked discussions within the association about exploring other inspiring individuals who have faced significant life challenges or suffer from other conditions that could be highlighted in future documentaries. I have also created a trailer for the documentary, which was shared on Instagram in collaboration with the association. The trailer has received over 5,000 views and numerous positive comments. After the premiere, the full film will be uploaded to YouTube to inspire others with disabilities to try skateboarding and embrace the mindset that anything is possible.
