The Space Inside

Best Short Film

Runtime: 10 minutes, 20 seconds
Directed by: Heather Falenski

Overview:
Internationally accomplished highliner Faith Dickey is known for the gaps she crosses while balancing thousands of feet in the air above valleys and canyon floors. The Space Inside by director Heather Falenski explores a different void — the one she must cross in her rich, inner landscape to reach her full human potential and for which highlining is simply a tool.

As we enter the depths of Faith’s mind, we are afforded a glimpse into the vulnerabilities and raw humanness that we all share, regardless of our backgrounds. She reminds us that it was never about eliminating our fears, but rather continuing to step through them.

Director Biography – Heather Falenski:
Heather Falenski is a filmmaker based in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. She is the owner of One World Media, a full service production company specializing in documentary and adventure film. Before transitioning to adventure film, her early work focused on displaced populations in post-conflict areas on the African continent.

Director Statement:
Traditionally, films featuring adventure athletes have relied heavily on showcasing external pursuits of mastery within their respective sports. Although this type of storytelling may include trials and tribulations, it often does so in a way that portrays these athletes as “superhuman” and places them on a pedestal that can feel out of reach. While creating the concept for The Space Inside, it was important to me to emphasize Faith’s humanity and highlight her struggles in a universally-relatable and honest way. I wanted to make it clear that she must overcome the same voices of fear and doubt that we all experience when putting ourselves on the line, whether literally or metaphorically. In other words, she’s not some monk on a mountain; she’s in the trenches with us.

In order to accomplish that, we employed non-linear storytelling narrated in the first person with a vulnerable account of Faith’s inner dialogue. We crafted the visuals and sound design in a way which transports the audience directly to “the space inside.” With her mind front-and-center, the outer accomplishments are seen for what they really are — a supporting mechanism by which to initiate a process of self-inquiry and personal growth. We realize that the hardest lines to cross are not thousands of feet off the ground but rather consist of the fears and doubts that live within us. Bridging the gap between our heads and our hearts requires stepping through all of our perceived limitations and aligning with the deepest inner reservoirs of our wisdom and strength.

In order to shoot one of the film’s main scenes, Faith and I traversed 5 countries in 24 hours in a journey that started in eastern Czechia and ended on a glacier in France overlooking Chamonix in the shadow of Mont Blanc. After pulling an all-nighter to join the team in time, we crossed the glacier with all of our gear on our backs and set up base camp near the highline. Using fixed ropes, we ascended hundreds of feet up the Trident du Tacul to get into position. This line had been first established just a few days prior by an accomplished international team of French, German and American athletes. Without the efforts and coordination of many talented individuals, this film would not have been possible. I am in deep gratitude and awe of everything that aligned to support this beautiful collaboration.