42.195

By Alejandro STRAUSS

WANT-E FILMS - as PROD

Documentary - Completed 2023

42.195 dives into the profound human connection with the act of running. We traveled to every continent, where our protagonists, women from different cultures and social backgrounds, will guide us to uncover the true meaning of the sport, one that touches upon the very fibers of what makes us human.

Festivals
& Awards

DocsValencia 2023
Global Docs
    • Year of production
    • 2023
    • Genres
    • Documentary, Sport
    • Countries
    • MEXICO
    • Languages
    • SPANISH, ENGLISH, JAPANESE
    • Budget
    • 0.3 - 0.6 M$
    • Duration
    • 82 mn
    • Director(s)
    • Alejandro STRAUSS
    • Producer(s)
    • Maria ROMERO (WANT-E FILMS), Rafael MUÑOZCANO (WANT-E FILMS)
    • Synopsis
    • Filmed in Mexico, Spain, Greece, Japan and Kenya, our film follows the stories of five women from different social backgrounds and varying athletic abilities, interwoven in a fabric that seeks to find out why is it that marathon running has become such an ubiquitous phenomenon, inspiring millions all over the world to surpass the limits of they thought possible in the quest of completing a race they know they cannot win. The result is a meditation on what drives us to succeed, our ability and desire to overcome obstacles, and the things that give life meaning.
      Much has been made of the legendary running ability of the Tarahumara people in northern Mexico. The truth however, is far less romantic. In Juarez, Veronica Palma is a prime example of the hardships that indigenous people still face in most of the country, and how running is a way of regaining our sense of self even in the most averse conditions, such as poverty, drug addiction and abandonement.
      Valencia is home to one of the fastest marathons on Earth. It is also the home of Natacha Lopez, a woman who has made a habit of testing the limits of her body to reach new athletic heights, whether that means winning a half marathon while five months pregnant, or just days removed from a mastectomy. Her story reminds us that athletics can be a path not only to overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds, but to true happiness and a life full of purpose.
      In Nagoya, Japan, we talk to Naoko Takahashi, Olympic gold medalist and former world-record holder, who galvanized an entire country that has embraced marathon running as a metaphor for life, and showed them that enjoyment can go hand in hand with discipline and tenacity.
      We journey to Kenya, home of the fastest athletes in the world, to witness with Rebby Cherono what it truly takes to become a champion and a competitor at the highest levels, far from the glamour that comes with record setting performances and multi million dollar industries. In Iten, marathon running is a viable path to success, something that Rebby knows full well, as she is descendant from a family of athletes. We will join her as she gives it her all trying to shine in the marathon world's largest stage, all the while looking to secure a future for her children.
      Finally, we train together with Marcela in Mexico City, as she attempts to run her very first marathon, a process in which she'll to need to exceed all her expectations in order to reach the finish line. She will be the eyes of the ordinary runner, the one that looks not to win the race, but just to finish, raising their arms in victory as they cross the finish line.