The film about Scott McDermott of Sylvan Lake and his team’s journey back to the Ultraman Race, “Living the Warrior Code” was the opening film for the Okotoks Film Festival.
“Living the Warrior Code” premiered on June 11 to kick off four days of movies and panels at the Alberta-based film festival that moved online for 2020 due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
“I have had a bunch of people ask me when they can see it, where they can see it,” McDermott said.
This is not the first film festival “Living the Warrior Code” has been a part of. The film has also been screened at the NYLIFF, Impact Docs and Docs Without Borders Film Festival.
Initially the movie was presented to the Banff Film Festival, but was rejected due to small errors and inconsistencies.
McDermott said the film was re-edited after feedback from the festival’s selection committee.
“There were parts that only made sense if you knew me, but someone watching from New York, it wouldn’t make sense,” he said.
The re-cut film is shorter than what was screened in Sylvan Lake last summer. McDermott said it has a better flow as well.
“It is really exciting to see our movie up there for others to see, because it isn’t just my movie or my story it’s my team’s,” he noted.
“Living the Warrior Code” has also won two awards. At the Impact Docs Awards, it was presented an Award of Recognition, and the Docs Without Borders Film Festival it won an Award of Excellence.
McDermott is hoping for a third award from Okotoks, hoping it will receive the Audience Favourite Award.
“Having awards behind our movie gives us weight for other festivals, and maybe even a deal with Netflix down the road,” he said.