The 24,000 km Trans Canada Trail stretches across the continent of North America,the longest trail in the world. For 6 years filmmaker Dianne Whelan traveled the entirety of the land and water trails, the only person to ever accomplish this journey. From hiking through flooded bogs, paddling one of the largest lakes in the world, snowshoeing through dense forest, skiing and biking along pristine trails in all seasons, 500 Days in the Wild weaves Dianne’s adventures with her cross-cultural visits with those who live close to the land. This feature doc is a weave of adventure film, personal reflections and stunning captures of wildlife and landscapes. The people Dianne encounters include the Indigenous elders she pays her respects to along the way, friends who occasionally join her on the trail and locals in the communities she passes through. The friends who walked and paddled with her and helped with filming and logistics are mostly queer, and all but one are women, and all are between 40-60 in age. 500 Days in the Wild is a momentous cheer for, as Dianne puts it, “women over 50 who kick butt.”–Whistler Film Festival