Strength is in the Pack
Coach Hatim Jean-Louis aims to instill the message of “dreams are tangible goals” in a documentary film about the resurgence of the Boston Public School Cross Country Program. Filmed by Joel Wolpert, they capture the essence of pursuing an All-State Cross Country appearance for the first time in 50 years.
Coach H
Hatim Jean-Louis, a 44-year-old Haitian-American hailing from the vibrant city of Boston, Massachusetts, is a multifaceted individual with a diverse array of roles in his life. After his athletic exploits on the track, Coach H began his coaching career nine years ago with the Boston Public Schools Citywide XC Program, a program that was dormant for years prior. Coach H’s tutelage has led to accolades ranging from 23 City League Individual Titles to the inaugural All-State Meet of Champions XC qualification of a boys team from the Boston Public Schools League. In addition to his focus on athletic development and excellence, supporting many athletes to a collegiate athletic debut, Hatim focuses on instilling his belief that “dreams are tangible goals” in all of his athletes.
Joel Wolpert
Joel Wolpert began making films under the moniker Wolpertinger in 2009. A self-taught sensory ethnographer, he records images & sounds, produces, directs, and edits films that focus on the rhythms and flow of life. He is particularly intrigued by the physicality of documentary work and pursues unique vantages tethered high in trees, underwater, running technical trails, and first-person (fpv) aerial drone work. His lenswork merges artistry with endurance, giving viewers a window into spaces generally accessible only by elite athletes. He brings a wide-ranging set of 3D problem solving and ideation/creation skills to motion pictures from his education in Industrial Design, Carnegie Mellon (BFA 2002). In addition to filmmaking, he builds composite kayaks, furniture, dresses with his daughter, and quadcopters with his son.