DOYLESTOWN, PA — A film about a Central Bucks East graduate and his journey on a bicycle after a life-changing cancer diagnosis will soon screen at the County Theater in Doylestown.

“Mountains We Climb” was recently selected for inclusion in the International Bicycle Film Festival, according to a press release.

The film follows Christopher Baccash, born and raised in Doylestown, after receiving a life-altering cancer diagnosis following a personal best performance in the 2019 Bucks County Classic Pro cycling race.

“From my hospital bed in Philadelphia the day before my first surgery, I turned to my visiting teammates and said, ‘When I get out of here, let’s run to Leadville,'” said Baccash.

“Mountains We Climb” takes audiences with Baccash on his medical and physical running journey of the Leadville 100 MTB, a 100-mile high-altitude extreme terrain race through the Colorado Rockies. Leadville has the highest elevation of any incorporated city in the United States

The film recounts this feat, undertaken with the support of his family, friends and community.

Ryan Canney, himself a graduate of Central Bucks East and now a filmmaker living in Lansdale, directed “Mountains We Climb”. He owns the video production company Riverbank Creative.

Canney teamed up with Brian Boger of Bike Works in 2019 to create the film project centered around the elite Bike Works team and Fred Beans.

But, when Baccash received his diagnosis, the subject quickly changed and “Mountains We Climb” was born.

The film covers three years of his life through multiple surgeries, recoveries, a global pandemic and training for one of the toughest mountain bike races in the world. After his diagnosis, he also chose to step away from his business career.

Today, in addition to his ongoing medical procedures and racing schedule, Baccash is pursuing a master’s degree in applied positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.

“Mountains We Climb” is entered into other film festivals throughout 2022, and the filmmakers intend to continue documenting Chris’ journey and create a feature-length documentary. The film was made possible with support from Bike Works PA, GiantBicycles and community partners.

Tickets are set to go on sale for the screening at the County Theater in March. The film will be screened on April 28.

More information about the film is available online.