Audiences know Max Lowe as an illustrious filmmaker, photographer, and storyteller. His film Torn pulled back the curtain on some of the most difficult moments he and his family have gone through, but “it’s when we’re out of our comfort zone that we are growing and learning the most,” says Lowe.
Torn provided Lowe the opportunity to share the film at a summer camp. There, he talked to the campers about using storytelling as a tool for moving through trauma. After learning more about the camp and the work they were doing with Ukrainian refugees, the story of Camp Courage was born. He was able to use his vulnerability to make his subjects feel comfortable in front of the camera, and the honesty of the storytelling comes through in the film. He says, “to ask someone to be vulnerable in front of the camera, you have to be in return vulnerable with them.” Lowe finds energy in his support system of friends and family, and he brings that sense of belonging and support to the subjects in his projects.
What’s next for Max Lowe? Pushing his comfort zone again, Lowe is currently working on a project focused on nurses, the healthcare they provide, and how they hold the community together.
Watch Camp Courage as part of the 2023 Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival.
Author: Sabina Litherland
