by Hudson Addiego
I’m so glad SFFILM Short Films are back. I love the program so much because it’s awesome to see what the directors come up with. One of the films that stood out to me this year was The Trails Before Us. This short had a very good story line and an extremely good message, and it made me think about my own life.
I love the idea of just riding a bike down a rocky hill or on a hidden path. Normally, when you ride a bike, you ride it on cement. Dirt paths in the wilderness can bring you closer to nature. I think it’s even cooler if your ancestors have walked the path before you.
The main character, Nigel, was riding with his friends and his mentor, Vincent Salaby. I don’t know how old Nigel is, but I would say most kids Nigel’s age and mine spend so much time on a screen. We really miss out on the magic in the world, like bike riding in the desert.
Nigel’s ancestors believed that the horse was the key to life. They needed the horse for transportation. So the mountain bike is like the modern horse for Nigel and his family. It’s so cool to think about the past and how you can have a connection to it. I live on a ranch where Native Americans used to live. Even though they are not my ancestors, I feel connected to them when I take a walk in my backyard.
My favorite part of the short was when Nigel and his friends had a race. The race was important because Nigel was doing what he did best, bringing people together. It was cool to see how mountain bikes can really be for everyone, just like horses! I sure wonder who won that race. But the real winner is Nigel because he was the one that made the race happen and he was the one that had been riding his bike since he was a kid.