A documentary by
Mauro Van Reusel






OUR FOREST
OUR CHAMPIONS




All in the footsteps of multiple Olympic Champion, Joshua Cheptegei, the documentary uncovers remote communities on the high slopes of Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda, where traditions rooted in nature, forest-based nutrition, and high-altitude living have shaped generations of world-class runners.
The documentary reveals the unique bond between sports and nature, a bond that formed the base for a generation of Olympic champions, and tells how climate change now threatens their roots. Watch the teaser!

Special thanks to Sint Lucas Antwerp School of Arts and the Karel de Grote University for Applied Sciences and Arts, for the support and Run Kapchorwa, the Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation and Uganda Secondary Sports Association for their encouragement.


At September 12th 2026, the documentary was be exposed for the first time to friends, family and to the rest of the public, including Ambassador Mirjam Blaak Sow and Mr Emmanuel and Mrs Rosette Mutahunga as people from Joshua’s entourage.

Thank you everyone who showed up to see the documentary as everyone who’s still planning to watch it online.





 
Watching and streaming the documentary
Watch here on Vimeo

Unfortunately, due to various unresolved rights issues, the documentary is not eligible yet for public release. However, you can watch it via a private Vimeo page. Click the button below and enter the password to start watching. If you did not receive or have lost the password, please contact me at mauro.vanreusel@student.kdg.be Alternatively, you can attend the next screening on 12 November 2026 at Campus Sint Lucas Antwerp.

Fun facts: Did you know that before I started filming, I had barely touched a camera, and that my first day of editing was also the first day I ever opened an editing program? Or that I made the documentary with just 0.8% of the budget of a professional high-end documentary? I stepped into this journey being very naive.
Prize for Global Research 2026

At September 11th 2026, I received a global research prize for this master’s project. Receiving this academic prize out of the hands of governor Cathy Berx was truly a hughe honour.

It marks the first day of a two day celebration weekend around this project, with the main event coming up this Saturday: the premiere.


And although this prize, project, and documentary carry my name, I know damn well that none of this would have been possible without the encouragement, support, and belief of my local friends and network in Kapchorwa and teachers, as people who just decided to help, advice, encourage or support me. Thank you. Keytabone Karomen. Endlessly.


The book

This book tells, in diary form, the complete story of how I fell in love with Uganda and Mount Elgon during my first trip in 2023, from the beginning of that journey to the end of the documentary filming period, and everything in between. Throughout that time, I kept a diary in which I share unique insights, reflections, and adventures that provide context for the documentary or were not included in the film.

Available in a limited edition through a presale concept. You can order your copy again until September 30th 2026. After that, I will place the order for printing. The price is €35.

Just like the documentary itself and the tickets, this project has no commercial purpose, and I manage the publication and sale of the book myself, without making a profit from it. Do you want a copy? Email me on mauro.vanreusel@student.kdg.be








Story


After visiting Kapchorwa, a town in eastern Uganda renowned for producing some of the world’s best long-distance runners, for a training camp in the spring of 2023, I quickly realized something humbling. Although I hold the title of vice-national champion U23 in the 5000m back home in Belgium, which means I have a decent level, I guess, I was dropped by everyone during my time in Kapchorwa. Not only by world-class athletes or promising runners my age, but even by children wearing rubber boots or running barefoot.
Little kids running near the border with the National Park. - Mauro Van Reusel

After what I saw and was told, I came to the conclusion that many young local runners possess enormous potential but lack a proper pair of running shoes, basically the only thing you truly need to go running.

This experience inspired me to develop my bachelor’s project around this idea. I set up a small-scale non-profit initiative in Belgium to collect as many pairs of running shoes as possible and send or bring them to Kapchorwa.

Young athletes, under the management of Global Sports Communication, training in Bukwo district, on high altitude. - Charis Media Kapchorwa

Kapchorwa. - Mauro Van Reusel

During the research for this project, I discovered, in collaboration with local contacts, that the success and potential of the running youth in Kapchorwa, as well as the sporting achievements of Ugandan athletes, are not quite what they seem at first glance. At first sight, it appears to be purely a matter of athletic training and talent. But beneath the surface lies a much richer story, one that connects elite sport with culture, tradition, and the natural environment.

This insight became the main source of inspiration for my current work: my master’s project, making a documentary together and about the local culture. Central to this story is the Mosopisyek, a politically repressed community deeply connected to the nearby forests and rainforests.

Their traditions, rituals, and relationship with the land form an essential yet often overlooked foundation of Uganda’s athletic excellence.

For example, within the Mosopisyek community, the “sseewyondet” plant is widely used, a type of nettle believed to promote longevity and rich in natural nutrients beneficial for runners. Like other forest-grown crops, it is used in the herb-filled drink “lakweet”, a powerhouse of strengthening and fresh vitamins, ideal as a recovery beverage.

Mount Elgon National Park. - Mauro Van Reusel

Local David Mande, showing us the secret honey, directly from the forest. A natural and secret weapen for the athletes. - Mauro Van Reusel

Another example is the local honey, which is harvested from a very specific type of bee said by locals to exist only in the Elgon region. What makes this bee unique is that it builds its colonies underground, making them easy to harvest. Moreover, this tiny bee species is stingless, so collecting the honey is practical and requires no protective clothing. The honey itself has a bittersweet flavor, making it a perfect pick-me-up or energy source for local athletes.

After visiting  the Mosopisyek community and spend some time with them, they asked me  to tell all  my friends and family about their culture and problematics. So did I, and so I will with this documentary. Together with them.

A young athlete from the Chemwania Youth Camp of Global Sports Communication.
- Mauro Van Reusel

Through the documentary, based on interviews with locals, I aim to explore how the unique interplay between nature, the people over there, and sport not only shapes world-class athletes but also offers broader reflections on how human culture and ecosystems can strengthen one another.

This facts had an extra special meaning to me since  I grow up interested in  nature, with specific passions for wildlife and  nature conservation.

The film will highlight the contrast and connection between two seemingly distant worlds: Olympic-level sport and the traditional life of forest-based communities.

How remote these communities live, but how close to the forest of the national park. 
- Charis Media Kapchorwa

By weaving these elements together, the documentary will not only tell the local story of Kapchorwa but will also invite global audiences to reflect on the state of our societies and the urgent need to reconnect with our environments.

Young athletes, under the management of Global Sports Communication, training in Kween District, on a hilly road. - Mauro Van Reusel

The central question is this: in a world marked by polarization and quick judgment, dialogue, interaction, and overlap between diverse communities and ways of life are more necessary than ever. Can we encourage such connections by sharing the story of the Mosopisyek culture, its relationship with the forest, and so with sport?

Athletes competing at the Nike Discovery Uganda Run 2026, organised by Rosa Associati, the management of Jacob Kiplimo.

Answering this question is the main goal of the project, alongside secondary objectives such as raising awareness of the Mosopisyek’s minority situation, stimulating eco-tourism in the region to strengthen local communities, and further protecting Mount Elgon National Park. Throughout this process, I remain committed to approaching every interview and collaboration with respect for the people and communities involved. The last thing this documentary intends to do is to exoticize individuals or fall into the trap of white saviorism or colonial structures.

About  

      I’m Mauro Van Reusel (2003°), from Antwerp, Belgium. Studied in Italy at the Technical University of Milan and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Design at KdG University College in Belgium.

Currently working on a documentary as part of a Master’s degree in Visual Arts, Applied context at KdG University College again. Specialized in digital storytelling, with experience in creating and collaborating on international renowned content. 

I combine this with a part-time job at the Antwerp-based running specialty store Addict. I work in the shop doing sales, advising customers on sports gear and helping them choose the right running shoes through gait analysis. In addition, I also have a behind-the-scenes role, taking care of marketing, event support, and communication through newsletters and social media.  Besides this academic en professional work, I’m an active athlete focusing on middle-distance track events such as the 1500m, 3000m, and 5000m, with the title of U23 Vice National Champion in 2025 as a current career highlight.I grew up with a passion for birds, wildlife, and nature conservation, something I inherited from my family. This is a completely different world from the world of elite sports, and the two are often miles apart. The fact that these two worlds come together in Kapchorwa feels very special and unique to me.


+32 468 28 64 55

mauro.vanreusel@student.kdg.be

@ourforest.ourchampions
@mauro.vrc
@mauro.studio.critta

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