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Blazing Trail

Caine Warburton is an Australian firefighter and accomplished, sponsored trail runner. This story follows Caine through The Scenic Rim, as the worlds of a sponsored athlete and professional firefighter collide. Blazing Trail explores Caine’s passion for trail running the ridgelines of the gorgeous Mt Barney and the fragile ecology of the regenerating National Park.
This film follows his journey on the trail and the front line of defending Queensland from bushfire devastation, close to one year since the devastating fires that engulfed Australia.

  • Lachlan Gardiner
    Director
  • Kai Pantano
    Director
  • Alexander Wootten
    Director
  • Kai Pantano
    Writer
  • Alexander Wootten
    Writer
  • Lachlan Gardiner
    Writer
  • Lachlan Gardiner
    Producer
  • Kai Pantano
    Producer
  • Alexander Wootten
    Producer
  • Caine Warburton
    Key Cast
  • Innes Larkin
    Key Cast
  • Indie Warburton
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 54 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 29, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    9,500 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital Cinema 4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    17:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Run Nation Film Festival
    Multiple
    Australia
    October 23, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Run Nation Film Festival
    Multiple
    New Zealand
    October 30, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Run Nation Film Festival
    Lisbon
    Portugal
    November 18, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Boulder Environmental/Nature/Outdoors Film Festival
    Boulder, Colorado
    United States
    July 15, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Maine Outdoor Film Festival
    Portland, Maine
    United States
    July 29, 2021
    Official Selection
  • MOUNTAIN - NATURE - ADVENTURE FILM FESTIVAL - 32 MML-Video and Photo
    Asturias
    Spain
    May 8, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Adventure Uncovered Film Festival
    United Kingdom
    May 1, 2021
    Official Selection
Distribution Information
  • Southbound Collective
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Lachlan Gardiner, Kai Pantano, Alexander Wootten

Combining a shared passion for adventure and narrative-driven storytelling Southbound Collective brings together Lachlan Gardiner, Kai Pantano and Alex Wootten.
The Southbound team have each forged successful careers spanning photography, filmmaking and adventure sports. Working individually on numerous projects, commercial campaigns, editorial assignments, feature films, remote expeditions and much more. Visually stunning narrative-driven adventure storytelling is at the heart of all of this. Combining forces in early 2020, Blazing Trail is the inaugural project to fall under the Southbound Collective banner.

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Director Statement

Blazing Trail was very much a shared passion project, cooked up as the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions began to ease in Australia. The opportunity to create a short cinematic adventure film presented itself, after developing the story with Caine. Producing the film allowed the team to get back out creating in nature again, doing what they love. Whilst at the same time the overarching hope was to share a positive message with viewers. Touching on themes of family, running passion and fitness, but also deeper issues around bushfire management and environmental stewardship. The hope is that this film will inspire an audience to explore outdoors and run through the hills. But to do so with a healthy respect for these beautiful and fragile environments.