A runner chasing Olympic dreams. A coach facing cancer. A story about mentorship, resilience, and showing up for each other.
SECONDS AWAY follows Belgian-American runner Peter Callahan and his longtime coach, Patrick McHugh, as they chase a qualifying time fast enough to make the Olympic Games—a dream made more urgent by the coach’s recent cancer diagnosis. Moving seamlessly between breathtaking race footage and intimate verité cinematography, director Benjamin Kegan penetrates the more frightening existential questions lurking beneath a quest for Olympic glory and what it means to devote one’s life to a dream. A profound and moving portrait of the vulnerable relationship between a star athlete and his coach, the film deftly observes how these two men rely on each other to persevere in the face of uncertainty, build a friendship that transcends sport, and form a lifeline for one another on and off the track.
Running time: 01:24:00