THE IDEA

The “Gamba in Spalla” (“leg on shoulder”) started in 2015 based on Francis Desandré idea, right leg amputee, for fighting the prejudice against disability and favouring the psychological and physical recovery of the person affected by disability through sport activity.

Mountain fit easily for being used, and not without reason, as a metaphor of this project. In fact, the main idea of this activity is to climb over real and imagined mountains thanks to the practice of the trail running.

Francis first approach to this discipline has ground to a standstill throughout its first steps. During a the Tor des Géants ® staff meeting a problem that seemed insuperable at that time came out: no regulation about the feasibility of trail running discipline by people with disabilities was available. For this reason, a signed petition addressed to the Italian Minister of Social Polic y has been organised to ask for ruling the practice of this discipline. The petition has been signed by more than 47,000 citizens and it was given to the Social Policy Undersecretary, Hon. Luigi Bobba, Unfortunately, bureaucratic procedures are very time consuming. However, the media coverage on national broadcast and online journal (Rai News 24, Rai3, Corriere della Sera, Gazzetta dello Sport) helped for raising the awareness of sport organisations were persuaded in accepting, under their responsibility, the participation of disabled athletes in several sporting competitions. Francis had the opportunity to take part in the 4K Alpine Endurance VdA, in the Cervino X-Trail, in the first edition of the TotDret ® trail (Tor des Géants' little brother) and in other small competitions.

TotDret ® experience has been one of the most important results of the “Gamba in Spalla” project, allowing Francis to attend many races with different difficulty levels and lengths. Thanks to these activities, it was possible to evaluate the average travel time of an athlete with disabilities on harsh mountain paths and it will be feasible to define a category standard taking advantage of these competition participations for asking to the different sports federations for including their sports discipline as a possible activity practised by athletes with disabilities.

The distance covered by an amputated athlete is different from the one of the normal athletes and that is why a relay race has been proposed for the 2018 TotDret® tail running in collaboration with other athletes with disabilities.

WHY THIS DOCUMENTARY?

The documentary “Gamba in spalla – Storie di di(ver)sabilità” (Gamba in spalla – Disability stories) tells the everyday life of five persons with disabilities and their spost attitude. It is the story of Francis, Moreno, Fabienne, Lino and Massimo. A journey from Aosta Valley to Sardinia, from Lombardy to Veneto and to the French region of Rhone-Alpes. This journey will end with the relay race on the Alta Via n°1, an adventure of 1,300Km long and of 1,200m of ascent covered entirely on foot, during day and night, with sun and with the rain. Sometimes also with the snow.

This documentary will be a valuable popularisation instrument to project in theme-based festivals related to sports, mountain, and social inclusion and in schools, associations and institutions that put in request for.