Climbing Alternative Peaks follows brain injury survivors, led by former pro skier Jamie MoCrazy, as they climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, revealing resilience not as a return to the past, but as the creation of a new way forward.
Synopsis
This film is for the TBI community. To help each TBI survivor and family caregiver understand that they each have their own Kilimajaro facing them and that they too can find ways to summit their peaks. We want to show you through our struggles that your struggles are surmountable as well.
The most important thing about this film is not the mountain we are climbing… it’s that you too can climb your alternative peak.
The film does not present superheroes overcoming impossible odds, and it does not dwell on tragedy. Instead, it explores the everyday reality of living with brain injury: the uncertainty, the hidden challenges, the hidden gifts, the moments of doubt, and the quiet determination to continue forward.
These experiences mirror struggles that all people, including the TBI community, face in different forms. Whether it is memory loss, vision impairment, or the search for new identity, the questions these climbers ask are deeply human. How do we adapt when life changes? How do we speak about what is often invisible? How do we move forward when the path back is gone?
Kilimanjaro is both a literal climb and a metaphor for this journey. Through shared effort, campfire conversations, and the physical push toward the summit, the participants reveal a truth that extends beyond their TBI diagnosis: resilience is not about returning to what was lost, it is about creating a new way to live.
DonateJamie is fed up with the current narrative around brain injury. She was told her life was going to be worse after her accident.
She’s not interested in miracle cures, but she’s interested changing the belief system around possible outcomes for TBI survivors. She’s had a successful recovery, so why has she committed her life to this community?
She’s on a journey is to test her idea that a stronger TBI community with powerful beliefs can be a force for good.
The film also features fellow TBI survivors, Madison Baumann, Kody Williams, Jill Wheatley, and Varuna Raina
Madison Baumann: Madi was an 11 year-old child when she was T-boned by a dump truck, leaving her 70% blind. Her injury left her with clear limitations, but not a limit on how enjoyable and satisfying her life could be. She’s an avid skier, golfer and manager at the National Ability Center. This climb represents a huge milestone for her.
She’s adapted to so many activities, can her adaptive mindset stretch as far as climbing the tallest peak in Africa?
Kody Williams: Kody was a budding professional snowboarder when he hit his head while riding a rail without a helmet. Kody achieved his goal of becoming a professional snowboarder afterwards, but other challenges persisted. He has struggled with feelings of guilt and accountability for his injury, a feeling that many brain injury survivors quietly carry throughout their lives.
Can he find the tools he needs to build his life back fully and find the healing he needs to continue with the rest of his life?
How can her experience recovering from her TBI inform how she handles this new challenge and furthermore ask the question of how anyone can overcome the invisible challenges of life?
Varuna Raina: Injured in rural India, Varuna has felt isolated without a strong community of people who have experienced a similar injury to hers. While feeling alone Varuna went to medical school and is a practicing anesthesiologist in Delhi. Varuna wants to do this climb to connect these stories to a global audience.
What’s possible when TBI survivors from all sorts of backgrounds can connect over their common challenges and successes?
We will be filming on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The climb provides striking visuals and a natural setting for authentic storytelling.
The narrative will unfold through a mix of interviews and on-the-fly conversations captured during the ascent.
Climbing Alternative Peaks will be told in a cinematic documentary style that will balance authenticity with
craft. Our non-intrusive approach will allow moments and conversations to unfold naturally.
We will also dive into each character’s internal challenges, giving them space to reflect and engage deeply.
By weaving these personal struggles with striking visuals and honest voices, we will create stories that are emotionally resonant, dynamic, and engaging.
The total budget for the documentary film is $158,835, including $5,000 for pre-production, $55,835 for production, and $98,000 for post-production.
After the film is complete we plan to submit to various prestigious film festivals, many our production companies have good ties with. After the film festival run we plan to stream on a global streaming platform.