The Will to Fly
Image: Equal Love Melbourne's Nic McAtamney
The Will to Fly tells the story of Australia’s gold medal winning aerial freestylist, Lydia Lassila. The film is part biography, part history, and is an interesting tale of determination and triumph.
Lydia is a good subject for a documentary. She’s an articulate, focused athlete and a wife and mother. The movie recounts the journeys of the pioneers who came before her (Kristy Marshall, Jackie Cooper and Alisa Camplin) and Lydia’s quest to become the first female to perform a quad twisting triple somersault.
However, the real heroes are Lydia’s family. Her father who painstakingly constructs a ramp only to see it stand forlornly unused in the back yard, her mother and mother in law who can barely watch her perform and her husband, the quietly spoken man who supports her.
The Will to Fly occasionally borders on hagiography but is a worthwhile tribute to a successful woman in a dangerous sport. (LR)
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