Directed By Ryan Little

ick Penning (Sean have led the team to a career 379 wins the actors out by training them exactly Faris, Never Back and 9 losses along with an impressive like his own team, but at their request Down) lives life 18 national championship titles. he did just that. For that week they just like he plays trained just like the players of Highland Gelwix has created a unique leadership rugby; fast, FROM ACTORS TO RUGBY PLAYERS Rugby would during the season. style where he treats everyone as an hard-hitting Forever Strong producers wanted to stay “When asked if I was too hard on them equal, but with different roles to play. and intense. as accurate as possible when it came to each actor chimed in ‘No we want the real “My responsibilities as head coach When life on the playing the game of rugby. In preparation experience. Anything would do with are very different than that of the edge lands him in for the film, they asked Coach Larry Gelwix the team, we want.’ So I gave them the same captains or the ninth grade players, jail, social worker to take part in the interview process. fitness training as the team,” said Gelwix. but we all are important to the rMarcus Tate (Sean “A block away from the interview Not only did the real Coach Gelwix success of the team. The team has a Astin, The Lord of the Rings) offers location, there was a city park. I had some train the cast for the film, a number of lot of discipline because we hold both him a chance to get back in the game by rugby balls and the film execs wanted current players and Highland Rugby players and coaches accountable. The playing for his rival, Highland Rugby. me to make an athletic evaluation of the alumni participated in the training as expectation is that players are on time Reluctantly Rick joins the team where he actors. They dribbled the ball, threw the well, including Hiloti Ngata now a to practice and ready to play, same with must adopt the grueling training schedule ball, and ran differently than real athletes. defensive tackle for the Ravens. the coaches. If you play for Highland and unique code of conduct enforced At first I thought, ‘What are we going “The Highland players were very Rugby you abide by our rules. In by Coach Gelwix (Gary Cole, Office to do? How are we going to be able to welcoming. They took us under their horizontal leadership we praise in public Space), or finish out the season behind turn these guys into rugby players?’ After wing and really showed us what Highland and correct in private. These principles bars. Egos clash as bitter competitors several drills, I gave the director and Rugby is all about. It was very important of leadership work,” said Gelwix. struggle to become a team. An unlikely producer a list of the actors I thought I to them that we represented them well and It is this leadership style that brotherhood is formed just as Rick is could work with,” said Coach Gelwix. in turn we as the actors developed a strong has brought them success and the released from jail and sent back home to The producers asked Gelwix if he bond with them and wanted to show what impressive record of only 9 losses rejoin his team, coached by his strict father would hold a one week training session these guys really go through,” said Faris. in 33 years. It is this same style of (Neal McDonough, Minority Report). for Sean Faris, Penn Badgley, Nathan leadership and love of the game and Heading into a face off with Highland West and the other actors who portrayed THE HIGHLAND RUGBY WAY his players that helped transform a cast at the National Championship, Rick is the Highland Rugby team. Gelwix ran a Highland Rugby has a number of key of Hollywood actors into champion forced to chose where his loyalty lies. two-a-day rugby “Boot camp” in order mottos that the team lives by, the main one rugby players in just over a week. to train the actors. They would meet being “Kia Kaha” a Maori phrase which “Larry is an incredible human being. BASED ON A TRUE STORY in the morning and run drills, stopping means “Forever Strong”. Other mottos I’ve never in my life met somebody A hybrid of real events, Forever Strong at lunch time to eat and rest. In the include “It doesn’t matter who scores, who cares so much about his players is based on the story of the Highland afternoon they would watch rugby films it only matters that we score”, “Practice and about us, his ‘rookies’. He really Rugby Club. Having volunteered for and talk logistics of the sport, and then doesn’t make perfect, practice makes shows you a different perspective on the past 30 years, Coach Larry Gelwix head back to the field for more drills. permanent”, as well as “No regrets”. life and makes you want to be a better aims to shape the lives of young men “At first it was really hard, I don’t As a part of the rugby boot camp person,” said Faris. “Once you’re in through the discipline of rugby. His think any of us anticipated what really the actors lived the same code of conduct Highland Rugby, you’re in Highland motto “Be forever strong on the field, goes into rugby,” said lead actor Sean as the Highland team members. The Rugby for life. Even us actors, we so you can be forever strong off the Faris. “Luckily we had the alumni Highland Rugby mottos became a are a part of Highland Rugby.” field,” has become the theme and driving and Coach Gelwix to teach us every part of the whole filming process with Forever Strong captures on film, the force behind the Highland Rugby last bit and make sure we picked it everyone involved from the actors heart and soul of the Highland Rugby Club. Coach Gelwix’s dedication to the up so we could do this film justice.” to the film crew reiterating them. Club. Forever Strong produced by Go team and the hard work of the players, Coach Gelwix didn’t want to burn Throughout his years of coaching, Coach Films and Picturerock Entertainment, distributed by Crane Movie Co. will be released in theaters this September. Catch the rugby spirit and watch the trailer online at www.rugbymovie.com.

Cinema Art Film Guide 14 summer 2008 Cinema Art Film Guide 15 summer 2008

CinemaArtsFilmGuide-Aut2008-Laura.indd 14-15 7/21/08 9:25:12 AM