A DOCUMENTARY about a teenager who cycled from Scotland to Munich for the Euros is set to have its world premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival.
The film, titled Make It To Munich, explores the journey of 19-year-old Ethan Walker from Aberdeenshire, who – just six weeks into a football scholarship at a university in America – suffered life-threatening injuries when he was struck by a car travelling at speed.
The teenager was quickly airlifted to hospital and sustained multiple injuries, including several fractures, two brain haemorrhages and the complete dislocation of his right knee. He also suffered nerve damage and dysphagia, which affected his ability to swallow. His parents were told by medics he was unlikely to survive.
The teenager was handed the opening match pennant – a symbol of friendship between teams – by Scotland midfielder John McGinn to return to captain Andy Robertson when the group arrived in Munich ahead of the first match.
Robertson told the Sunday National that his intention wasn’t originally to make a film about the journey, but a “holiday video”.
The idea started when Robertson was approached by Collie, who wanted to cycle to Munich in honour of their late friend and fellow Tartan Army member Jason Lyons.
He told the Sunday National: “Fast forward a few months, and I’m on a plane with Professor Gordon Mackay, who’s a friend, a surgeon, and he’s bleeding on about another amazing case that he’s had where he’s been able to fix somebody.
“I’m kind of half listening, and then he said: ‘I got him running within three months.’ “At that point, I started listening to the story and that’s where I was introduced to Ethan.”
Robertson described Ethan as “such an inspiration, a machine”.
“You’re thinking, ‘Christ, this guy’s been through hell and back, so I have no excuses here, I have to just get on and do this.”
The film was difficult to make logistically, as Robertson was on a bike the whole time. He told the Sunday National that his biggest challenge was “not making a film of men’s backsides”, because he was cycling behind them for much of the journey.
Robertson had to be awake around two hours before the rest of the group to set up, as well as staying up later to review footage from six different cameras.
But ultimately, he was motivated to keep going so that he would be able to see Scotland perform in the Euros.
“What powered our mission was a complete passion to go and see our national team perform in the finals. I’ve been following Scotland since I was 12 years old, and I’ve never had that privilege,” he said.
“We were just so excited, we almost felt as if we were the team. We were representing the national team because we were carrying the pennant.”
Robertson added: “This has had no traditional film finance, it’s not had a broadcaster involved. This is just made on good spirit and humour and goodwill.
“That’s been the thing that’s carried it all the way, people have recognised the genuineness of the whole project.”
The group raised funds for The Duncan Hospital Charitable Trust – set up by Professor Mackay – which works to support the Duncan Hospital in Bihar, northern India, which was founded by Scotsman Cecil Duncan in 1930.
A portion of the funds also went to the British Heart Foundation, in memory of Robertson and Collie’s late friend Jason.
Robertson’s favourite memory of the journey is the moment the group cycled into Munich on the final day.
“It will stay with me all my life. It was the most emotional cycle ever, we had a soundtrack on, it was patriotic – it completely moved us,” he said.
The group met First Minister John Swinney upon arriving in Munich, who organised a special reception in a pub.
Robertson said: “It was a lovely thing to come together in that pub and spend some time with the First Minister and just celebrate what we’ve done and celebrate being Scottish.
“It was great to meet Craig. He’d been walking a lot longer than we’d been cycling, and we’d been keeping in touch on social media and sending each other updates.”
“I’s actually about a conversation that a surgeon found difficult to have with a boy who had a dream of being a footballer”, Robertson told the Sunday National.
“Because Gordon was a former footballer, it really struck a chord with him. He could not have that conversation in a consultancy room in a hospital in Glasgow.
“He had to invent another way, and his way was to challenge Ethan to do something remarkable and find a way of having that conversation on the bikes.
“The core of the film for me is friendship, it’s kindness, it’s sharing, and it’s Gordon trying to help Ethan shape his future, and it’s Ethan coming to terms with a different direction.”
Since filming the documentary, Ethan has decided to turn to football coaching and has already completed his first Scottish FA (SFA) coaching badges.
Robertson said it was “amazing” to have Make It To Munich chosen for the closing gala at this year’s festival, adding: “What a journey we’ve been on – from a daft conversation to a world premiere.”
Professor Mackay and Ethan will arrive at the red carpet next Sunday on bikes, in what will be the first time they have cycled since their journey last summer.
Following the premiere, Robertson said the film would have a UK cinema release in May.
The director also hinted at his hopes of the film being shared more widely, “maybe even with our national broadcaster”.
Make It To Munich will close the Glasgow Film Festival on March 9 at 7.30pm.
