As soon as we arrived Damascus, VA from New York City, we were greeted with a reminder of the powerful allure of the AT. Incredible vistas wrapped with a lush verdant blanket. Wow! Throngs of hikers wandered and rested around town, and I found myself envious of their journey yet inspired by their choice to take time out of “normal life” to get back to something perhaps far more basic and essential, Mother Earth. Even with the nightmarish vision of miles-long oil plumes choking the Gulf of Mexico looming in the back of my mind, the AT community still managed to encourage me…these are the kinds of people who we surely can count on to give voice to the growing concerns of any American worth their stripes. Maybe one day our patriotism and love for our country can be expressed by a little more green and not just the familiar red white and blue. Debuting “Trail Angels” for the very community that inspired the film was simply an experience we will never forget. Although we have been editing for the last year, and therefore “virtually” living with our beloved Angels, it had been a really long time since we had actually seen our subjects in person. So it was super emotional for me to see Mala, Mary, Jack and Janet, and I was more than a little nervous to share with them our vision of their ‘magic’. The screening set-up left a little to be desired (tiny speakers and a sun washed silver screen) but no amount of technical snafu could keep the spirit of the film and the voice of its subjects from taking shape in the packed auditorium. Watching the film again for probably the hundredth time, it was incredible to see it fresh, through the eyes of the hikers. More than ever, I was impressed with our subjects, the sincerity of their mission and message. And I felt so proud to be apart of creating a vessel for their words and deeds, one that will surely travel beyond the AT. When the final credits rolled so did a lot of tears down our faces! -- DANIEL PEDDLE |
