From Ben:
I wish I could be there to feel the warmth in that room — for me, it’s kinda like sitting by a campfire. You can’t take your eyes off it and you can just feel it replenishing something in your bones that you didn’t know you needed. Film festivals matter.
When Berne forced me to come up to Vermont to see about this film idea, I was hesitant. Mainly because I’m getting old and tired — but also because I felt I hadn’t seen an adaptive film I loved. Filmmakers often capitalize on any chance to make an audience feel something and I’m guilty of that at times for sure — but with Best Day Ever I wanted to make sure whatever we felt watching it was for the right reasons. When I met Allie and Greg and the trail volunteers, I could see what those reasons were, and there wasn’t a damn thing sad about any of it.
I get asked sometimes about why I filmed their scars. I think I saw their scars as a signature or a symbol of sorts. Something unique to every level of paralysis and a symbol they all share that represents the day their lives changed. But the part that resonates most with me is that I doubt they ever think about their scars. The scars are quite literally behind them and they’ve been doing nothing but moving forward ever since.
From Berne:
As a career journalist, I know that sometimes you don’t go looking for a story, it finds you. And that’s what happened with Best Day Ever. Meeting Greg and Allie taught me so much. I hope that you learn from them too. The community in Richmond, Vermont came together to make change, to welcome everyone on the trails. I hope Best Day Ever has inspired you to think about how you can make change too, wherever you live, and whether it’s trails or something else.
