Batkid Begins: The Wish Heard Around the World

Running time: 82 mins

For 25 years, Cinequest has chosen visions that spark fire and greatly inspire. Cinequest 25 opens with spectacular energy, spotlighting a story that not only touched the entire Bay Area, but also one that inspired millions. Who would have thought a 5-year-old boy who fought leukemia would transform a city and a nation for a day? No one. Not his family. Not his friends. Not the thousands of volunteers who came from near and far to help make his wish come true. But it did. Brilliantly capturing the entire experience—from the initial spark, to the intricate planning, to the actual day itself—Batkid Begins depicts how Miles Scott’s one simple wish to be Batman for a day, set in motion events that would transform San Francisco into Gotham City. But, it wasn’t just one city. Around the world, 1.84 billion people (including President Obama) took to Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to cheer on Bat Kid and to join him in his mission…his wish…and, we were all inspired. Dana Nachman, director of Witch Hunt (Sean Penn narrator) and the eye-opening The Human Experiment, brings her latest dynamo to Cinequest. With Batkid Begins, Nachman captures something that resonates with all of us. And, it’s not about telling a story about a sick boy. It’s about having a dream, about community, and about how, no matter the circumstances, we can all share in a vision of hope. – Michael Rabehl