What happens when you're an athlete and your body lets you down? That's a question Nat Segal addresses in her latest short film, Mountain Joy.
As a longtime professional skier, Segal's life turned upside down when she began experiencing chronic pain. The Melbourne, Australia native initially had no idea why she was in agony, but two years ago she was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis: an inflammatory disease that causes one's vertebrae to fuse together. She was relieved to know the source of her affliction, but realized also that everything would be different going forward.
Segal has now decided to share a glimpse of her journey with the public.
"I first had the idea for this project two years ago. Initially I wanted to create a longer doc film titled Anatomy of a Dream that would explore medical setbacks and the way different athletes have managed them," she explains. "The current film Mountain Joy is a shorter, distilled version of this idea.
"My friends and family were the reason that this film was possible. This includes two good friends and filmmakers Ryan Collins and Colleen Gentemann who helped film and edit this project. I also couldn’t have created the film without the support of my sponsor Helly Hansen and other film sponsors Ortovox and Tourism Revelstoke. Several years ago I would have never had the confidence to share this story with my sponsors, let alone the world, as I would have been worried I may lose their support. I am incredibly grateful to be in a position to be vulnerable and not risk losing my livelihood."
Segal isn't done challenging herself to perform at a high level thanks to various medical treatments. She wants to keep skiing into old age, but admits that it can be "incredibly difficult" to focus on aspects of her life outside of pain. Despite all the bad days, she continues to find empowerment in sport and knows the most important thing for her to do now is put her health first.
Drop by the iF3 Film Festival's "All Girls Night" on Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. to witness Segal's story and other compelling projects by women. Each screening will be held at the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre (SLCC) with more details available here.
