“This Olympic dream might sound far-fetched, but Brolin Mawejje clearly eats far-fetched for breakfast.” –COLIN WHYTE, ESPN.

IN SEPTEMBER 2012, Brolin Mawejje and two friends came together to document his journey to become a doctor and the first Olympic snowboarder to represent an African nation. Two years and 400 hours of footage later, Far From Home was born.

Born in the Makindye District of Kampala, Uganda, Brolin held little hope for his future. He watched as his family struggled to secure their educations, jobs, and a chance for a better life. When he was two years old, his mother left the family indefinitely. Brolin was shaken to the core when she reappeared when he was 11, arranging his emigration to the USA to join her in suburban Boston. Arriving on a freezing New England night, he was stricken by fear of the unknown.

As the only African in his school, he was ostracized and bullied by his American counterparts. But the course of his life would change forever when he joined an after-school ski and snowboard program, where Brolin discovered a new world where color and background did not matter. A world where the present moment was all that existed. Combined with a drive to excel in his studies, Brolin found a family on the slopes that helped him to trust the world for the first time.

Far From Home is a story of human potential. The release of the film opens the floodgates to a new breed of story, which proves that regardless of our background, we are capable of achieving our loftiest aspirations. To make this vision a reality, we must make our voices heard and give Brolin the momentum he needs to make the 2018 Olympic Games in Korea.

In CO? Join ZEAL Optics for a night of fun, drinks, and prizes as they host the official afterparty for the Boulder International Film Festival showing of Far From Home.

With a silent auction with gear from Roxy, Quicksilver, DC Snowboarding, Niche Snowboards, The North Face, ZEAL, and many more – and beverages provided by Breckenridge Brewery, WonderPress, and J&L Distilling Company – this will not be an evening to miss. Details here.