original title:
Lo sguardo oltre
directed by:
cast:
Ian McKinley
screenplay:
cinematography:
editing:
producer:
production:
world sales:
country:
Italy
year:
2019
film run:
70'/52'
format:
colour
status:
Ready (26/06/2019)
festivals & awards:
Look Beyond is a story of an athlete who plays rugby with just one eye and of two brothers, Ian and Philip McKinley, who join forces to overcome the problems deriving from Ian’s disability. Their story is meant to inspire all those young people who lose heart due to disabilities, loneliness and inner pain and never give up.
Irish-born and Italian-naturalized Ian McKinley plays for Benetton Treviso and for the Italy national rugby union team. He starts his career in his hometown Dublin, playing for Leinster and the Ireland national under-20 rugby union team. Since his early beginning, Ian’s skills suggested his future success in rugby.
Ian and his brother Philip are very close. Philip is a chaplain at Dublin City University.
Unexpectedly, Ian’s brilliant career ends at 21 when a teammate hits his eye with a shoe stud.
Philip wants to help Ian and looks up Johnny Merrigan, a design student, who created a pair of protective goggles with special features, which will be produced by the Italian company Raleri.
Despite a very hard period of inner healing and physical training, Ian will be eventually able to play again thanks to the Rugby League International Federation’s approval of the goggles in 2014, the support of his whole family, wife Cordelia and coaches. On March 2nd, 2014 Ian makes his debut at the Italian championship.
But Ian’s fight is not over yet: Ireland, France and England don’t allow goggles on the field. The McKinleys don’t give up and thanks to an extensive class-action win the battle to allow 1500 players worldwide to play with the protective goggles, so no one is left behind.