All I Ever Wanted

This is not the film I wanted to make. Not at first. When we began production in the fall of 2016, we set out to document a comeback story. As a young Latin American pro-athlete raised in some of the poorest parts of Venezuela, Greivis Vásquez would inspire millions by overcoming a debilitating ankle injury and finding his way back to the National Basketball Association. As a fellow Venezuelan, I wanted to tell this story. But, over the years—after every conceivable hurdle—we ended up with something more powerful. By 2018 experts had deemed his condition “career-ending.” After six-years in the NBA, it was clear he would never play professional basketball again. But Greivis Vásquez kept on pushing. And, behind the camera, so did we. The story then became an intimate character study: What happens to Icarus after he gets burnt? It was a gamble. We continued filming—with minimal funding and an even smaller crew—stretching every resource at hand. And so, the seven-year-long production followed Greivis through three surgeries, one political uprising in South America, countless meetings with the best orthopedic doctors in the world, a pandemic, and a divorce. This film is the product of stubborn perseverance. We believed that, regardless of the outcome, we would learn something from Greivis’ blind ambition. Ultimately, I am proud of what we’ve accomplished. I am proud of what this film stands for. We are certain that this story will both inspire and guide youth (Hispanic and otherwise) to fight for their dreams while holding on to that what matters most: family. We hope you enjoy the film. Sincerely, Carlos P. Beltran Director