I felt like a giddy starstruck teenager with jello knees. It was the thrill of a lifetime to interview Michael French, well-known director, and Jim Byrnes (pictured), world-renowned actor and musician. Both men were jittery with excitement about the new film of Rick Hansen’s heart-wrenching climb over the Great Wall of China: Heart of a Dragon. French is at the helm of this mesmerizing movie and Byrnes brings his strong acting chops to the whole project. This eye-popping slide show of stunning oriental landscapes is also a poignant tale of personal courage and tenacity in going for the gold. Its messages are deep and profound regarding human possibilities and the whole concept of “disability.”
In the area of human achievement, Rick Hansen put British Columbia on the map. Following an accident that paralyzed him from the waist down, Hansen has proven himself to be more “able” than most of us. His heroic “Man In Motion World Tour” spanned 40,000 kilometres through 34 countries, raising $26 million. Rick Hansen is a paragon of limitless human potential. His remarkable story has inspired Michael French ever since he saw Hansen’s triumphant welcome in China over 20 years ago.
Heart of a Dragon zooms in on two agonizing days in Hansen’s marathon as he struggles up The Great Wall of China, pushing himself to the breaking point. Jim Byrnes was the obvious choice to star in the film as the jaded reporter.
Like Hansen, Byrnes has conquered his own personal Everests. Despite losing both legs in a car accident, Byrnes has enjoyed a hugely successful career in movies and the music world. Most people can only dream of what he has accomplished. That is a major theme in this film: Each one of us harbours infinite potential.
Both the director and the actor surprise me with a disconcerting statement: “We are all disabled in some way.” They believe that many people are handicapped by the limitations they impose on themselves and are disabled by their own negative perspectives. The director wants people everywhere to leave his film with this message of hope: We all have personal obstacles to overcome, but inside everyone is the courage and the power to make their dreams come true.
In the film backgrounder, Rick Hansen comments on the China tour and the film: “It (the tour) taught me the value of teamwork, perseverance and that if you try hard enough, anything is possible. My hope is that the film will continue to raise awareness of the potential of all people and will encourage others to believe in the power of a dream.”
Jim Byrnes confidently tells me that he always believed that he could do anything he wanted, before his injury and afterwards. There is no “us and them,” he says. Everyone has challenges to deal with in their lives. Rick Hansen teaches us that we are all alike in our ability to rise above these limitations and still shoot for the stars. The movie is about all of us.
This haunting film left an imprint on my mind and soul but one special line by Hansen is gilded in my memory: “We can all be giants!” This is a call to action. Hansen is a crusader for all of us to run like lions and soar like eagles. It is up to each one of us to use and exceed our potential, turn our dreams into reality and be “people in motion.”
By Doreen Marion Gee