Experiencing Interruptions?

Trailblazer

An inspiring story of a father for whom running became a way to find his own son.

When his son came up with an idea to organise an ultramarathon event to commemorate Milan Rastislav Štefánik, he immediately joined in. Having turned 60, he took up running actively and now marks out the whole 144-km-long route of the STEFANIK TRAIL race from Bradlo to
Bratislava every year. He then joins his son as a support at every ultrarunning event at home or worldwide, and actively helps with ultra-races across Slovakia as a volunteer. All the while he keeps running…

On the day of his 70th birthday, his big dream comes true – he is standing at the start of the 5th STEFANIK TRAIL ULTRA (144 km | 5.330 m+), ready to run his own story…

  • Viliam Bendík
    Director
  • Viliam Bendík
    Writer
  • Viliam Bendík
    Producer
  • Pavol Urbaník
    Key Cast
    "Značkár"
  • Martin Urbaník
    Key Cast
  • Juraj Kačo
    Key Cast
  • Daniel Blonski
    Key Cast
  • Marián Kamendy
    Key Cast
  • Sally McRae
    Key Cast
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Značkár Stefanik Trail 140
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    44 minutes 50 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 5, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Slovakia
  • Country of Filming:
    France, Italy, Slovakia
  • Language:
    Slovak
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    21:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Festival dobrodružných filmov HORYZONTY
    Trenčín
    Slovakia
    November 9, 2019
    Grand Prix, Audience Award
  • International Mountain Film Festival, Poprad
    Poprad
    Slovakia
    October 12, 2019
    Honorable Mention
Director Biography - Viliam Bendík

Viliam Bendík worked for twelve years in management positions in
different international corporations. In 2013 he decided to leave it all and start again, this time in his own company. In his free time, he also took up amateur ultra-running. After many years he returned to his old pastime – shooting short documentary features. His first bigger movie attempt, covering trail running, 12CH Vysoké Tatry Trail (documentary, 36 min), was awarded with a number of prizes at domestic festivals. It proved to be a huge encouragement to start working on a more extensive project On the Edge (documentary, 42 min) which tells of six runners who
decided to make the authentic World War II story of Vrba and Wetzler come alive. More than 40.000 people have seen the movie version of this story and the author toured primary and secondary schools in Slovakia with this project, where more than 10.000 children were able to watch it during an educational programme. Currently, he is working within the Bendik Films brand on further interesting amateur movie projects, in Slovakia and abroad. Moving stories told as long distances on interesting routes are run remains their common theme.

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