A refugee marathoner strives to raise his new country’s flag at the Olympics.
Born into civil war in South Sudan, Guor Mading Maker (known as Guor Marial), endured a life of struggle most of us could never imagine. As a little boy, his parents sent him away as the only way for him to survive not knowing he would be kidnapped and tortured by the enemies. After refusing to give up, he made his final escape at sunrise by running until he reached a relative in another part of Sudan. At last, he would begin a new life when selected as part of the US refugee program. Running came to him accidentally as he had no idea it was a sport. While attending school, a coach noticed his athleticism and invited him to run on the team. His natural abilities along with hard-work got him noticed after winning many races and he shocked everyone when he beat the time limit that would qualify him for the Olympics.
His experience would be unforgettable as his story touched so many lives. While dealing with internal trauma and the death of eight out of nine siblings, he managed to remain strong and focused. Determined to make his country proud, Guar continued running and eventually opened the door for South Sudanese runners to compete. Because of his passion to fight and never give up, there are now many Sudanese marathoners training for the next Olympics. This film is emotional, empowering, and truly inspires us all to push through even in our toughest times. Guar shows us that if a little boy who survived a civil war alone could still rise and inspire the world, so can we.
“Runner” will receive a virtual release Friday, June 19th at participating movie theaters including Laemmle Theaters, Alamo on Demand, Red River Theater, Emagine Theaters, Galaxy Theaters, The Cabot, Grand Cinema Tacoma, Riverview Minneapolis, Farmington Theater, Cleveland Cinemas, Sunrise Theater, C.U. Boulder, and Tull Family Theater.
Participating film festivals and societies include Detroit Free Press’s Freep Festival, Berkshire International Film Festival, FilmScene, and Heartland Film.
Participating marathons and running clubs include Revel Race Series, Portland Marathon, Detroit Freep Marathon, Rugged Races/Fargo marathon, Ottawa Marathon.
