A to B Rollerski

"We can't change where we came from, but we can choose where to go."

Jan 21 2017 N/A 1h 38m
Adventure, Documentary, Sport

A documentary film revealing the incredible and unique journey of the Latvia-born adventurer and Olympic biathlete Raimonds Dombrovskis back in 1988 as he roller-skis 4,200 miles (6,759 km) from Inuvik (The Arctic, Canada) to Baja (Mexico) in 90 days. He uses his rollerski trip as a way to protest against the Soviet regime and to explain to everyone he meets that somewhere on the map there is a small nation that has its own language and craves freedom.

Plot

A to B Rollerski tells the story of Raimonds Dombrovskis' incredible roller ski journey from Arctic to Baja, covering 4200 miles in 90 days. Raimonds is a successful Latvia-born athlete who emigrates from the USSR to the US in the 1970's at the age of 17 and becomes a seven-time US champion in biathlon. He secures his place on the Team USA at the 1988 Olympic Games in Calgary, but his dream is shattered as a sudden life threatening health condition forces him out of the competition shortly before the Olympics. But instead of giving up, Raimonds packs up his VW Westfalia van with canned soup and embarks on a 90-day roller ski trip from Inuvik, Canada, to Baja, Mexico. He's accompanied by his dog, Bucis, and his friend Martin, who drives the van and films the whole journey with a VHS camera. Raimonds uses his trip not only as a way to sort out his life but also as a way to protest the USSR and to promote the freedom of his native Latvia. Fast forward to 2014, and Raimonds, now an experienced adventure traveler in his 50's, retraces the same road trying to find the people he met in 1988 and reflecting on his life after his epic journey and the fall of the USSR.

Written by

Arnis Aspers, Aigars Grauba

Directed by

Arnis Aspers

Production Countries

Latvia

Production Companies

Look at Riga

Languages

English, Latviešu

Awards

N/A

Scores
# of Votes
79
Average Rating
8.8 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA