A feature Documentary in-the-making
PLEASE VISIT THE NEW SITE FOR THE FILM! www.borntoflyfilm.com
Following the success and story of pole vault prodigy Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, Born to Fly is currently in production and will be released sometime in 2020. Follow the film on Instagram or Facebook.
Mondo before a practice in Avesta, Sweden, his family’s hometown.
For the past three years, I have traveled the world, filming what will a feature-length documentary not only about Mondo, but the sport of Pole Vault itself. I have come to love track and field, and pole vaulting in particular. I believe my film will highlight one of the coolest, but most underrated sports in the world.
In a London hotel, awaiting the World Championships in 2017.
About the film
The reasoning behind embarking on a multi-year journey documenting the creation of one of the world’s greatest athletes was simply a no brainer. As filmmakers, we strive to find a story that not only piques our interest, but teaches us and takes us places we wouldn’t normally go.
Mondo was a junior in high school when we were connected. We are actually from the same hometown, and after a massive performance at the New Balance Nationals, I knew it was a project I needed to take on. I contacted him, filmed a few of his practices after school, which easily enough was a block from my house, and started on this journey. One month later, I was with him in Los Angeles at the Mount Sac Relays. Another month later I was in Europe for the first time ever. Now, almost two years into the project, I’ve traveled to nine countries, self-funding my way through this documentary.
While Mondo is the main subject of this documentary, the film also explores the broader picture of track and field athletics, and the history of pole vault.
Preparing for the European Championships
About Mondo
The story of Armand Duplantis is an extremely interesting one, and one I am happy to be preserving on film. In short, it all starts with his nickname: Mondo. His father’s Italian friend gave him that nickname at a very young age. It means world.
And It stuck, perhaps as ironic foreshadowing, or for the simple fact that it sounds cool. Mondo is the product of two natural and incredible athletes. His mother, Helena, is Swedish born and raised before coming to LSU on a heptathlete scholarship. His father, Greg, born in New Orleans, went to LSU as a pole vaulter. Both succeeded phenomenally in college, Greg even going on to compete professionally as a pole vaulter for many years. His PR is 5.80m, making him among a small list of Americans to jump over 19 ft in his time.
Mondo is the youngest boy of three and only an elder to his sister. From the beginning of their childhood, all the Duplantis children were pole vaulting. Greg built a full pole vault pit and runway in their backyard, and taught the children how to jump. Each were very good at it, but Mondo excelled at it from such an early age. He was more passionate than the others, and it showed by the time he was six or seven. He was breaking records every year. To date, he holds 8 age-group world records.
Learn more about the story below, but for the whole thing, you will just have to wait for the film. :)
Studying Swedish in Avesta
Swedish
Mondo is half Swedish though born in America. As he decided to compete for Sweden, learning his mother’s native language became a top priority.
Signing autographs on the streets of London
Popularity
Although track and field is an under-appreciated sport among the majority of Americans, in Europe, it is only bested by soccer. Because of this, street autographs in nearly any European city is to be expected.
