Make it to Munich closed Glasgow Film Festival on 9 March.

This heartwarming documentary follows the story of Ethan Walker, a talented young footballer from Aberdeenshire who takes on his biggest challenge yet as he recovers from life-threatening injuries.

In an attempt to motivate Walker’s recovery, surgeon Gordon Mackay came up with the idea for him to cycle to Munich to watch Scotland play in the 2026 Euros, just nine months after his accident. Walker is never one to back away from a challenge, and here starts our story.

We follow the epic journey of Walker, Mackay, Tartan Army foot soldier Stephen Collie, and director Martyn Robertson on a 1200km cycle through Europe. Starting at Hampden Stadium and finishing in the arms of the Tartan Army in Munich a mere 14 days later, the group set upon nasty hills in the sweltering heat.

Walker’s heartbreaking yet inspirational story is the beating heart of this documentary. At just 17 years old, he went to New York on a football scholarship, a promising career ahead of him. One night when walking home with friends, he got into a fatal road traffic accident which left him with two brain haemorrhages, a dislocated knee, a lacerated lung and multiple fractures. His dreams of becoming a footballer ended prematurely.

Throughout the group’s journey to Munich, we get flashbacks and interviews from Walker himself, his family, and Mackay retelling this horrific event. Watching his turnaround in such a short space of time is truly unbelievable, and his resilience shines throughout, inspiring and motivating every person he meets. Pushing harder than the rest of the team – even cycling up the same hill twice just so he could cycle back down – Walker’s recovery puts everything into perspective, proving that absolutely anything is possible.

The friendship between Walker and Mackay is the most beautiful thing to come out of this adventure, however. The admiration and respect both hold for each other is prominent, and the scenes of them side by side on their bikes laughing are a welcome break from the heavier moments. The film manages to balance the emotion with the classic Scottish humour, leaving the audience simultaneously joyous and poignant.

While there were some technical aspects of the documentary that are questionable, the message and the emotions it evokes are so much bigger. Make it to Munich will leave you with a newfound joy for life and the motivation to achieve anything you set your sights on, but just make sure you bring the tissues.