dare to be

Dare to Be was Dare to Be Films and founder Adam Reist’s first feature length documentary film, released in 2017. It follows a series of rowers ranging from novice girls to women training for the Olympics, as they overcome obstacles and seek greatness. We learn along their journey that greatness can come in many forms and should not always be measured by traditional concepts of success, but rather by individual triumphs. It essentially suggests that athletes can define what success looks like to them – not coming in last place, beating a rival, medaling for the first time, qualifying for nationals, or winning an Olympic gold medal.

The film weaves together three distinct stories, as characters grow and move through their development from high school to college and for some even into elite rowing. Along the way, the stories of these athletes shed light into the fundamentals of rowing, the college recruiting process, the history and groundbreaking accomplishments of women’s collegiate rowing, and the journey it takes for one to reach the pinnacle of the sport. 

Dare to Be had it’s worldwide premier at a sold-out showing at the Sarasota Film Festival (Sarasota, FL) in April, 2017. Since then, the film has been screened to audiences throughout the United States.