🇬🇧 Alexis Berg & Dave Pen, singer of Archive: between the stage and the Spine Race, the story of a universal quest

Course Epique

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In this special episode, I welcome Dave Pen, singer and musician from the band Archive, and Alexis Berg, filmmaker and photographer, to talk about their film Run Again, premiering at the Grand Rex on November 12.

One man, seven identities, one quest

Dave defines himself through seven identities: husband, father, brother, friend, son, singer, runner. In January 2023, between concerts on Archive’s European tour, he took on one of the toughest races in the world — the Spine Race: 430 kilometers of near-total self-sufficiency through the frozen English countryside.

A story that begins in a Southampton alley

It all starts during his first run, when Dave stops halfway, exhausted… then sets off again. Perhaps it’s there, in that alley, that Run Again is born — the moment he discovers he’s someone who always gets back up.

From chaos to light

We look back on Dave’s journey: his childhood in Southampton with a father battling depression through running, his early years as an electrician before joining Archive, and his discovery of trail running in the woods — where he finally found peace. In 2015, from his hotel room in Chamonix, he watched the start of the UTMB and set himself a wild goal.

2020: when everything collapses

Then came Covid. Archive could no longer tour, and Darius Keeler, the band’s founding member, was fighting cancer. Dave returned to his job as an electrician to support his family. In the midst of this chaos, he chose the Winter Spine Race as a new horizon.

The meeting of two artists

Alexis Berg, who had first seen Archive live at age 20, met Dave years later. Together, they decided to document his quest. But how do you film such raw vulnerability? How do you find the right distance from suffering? Alexis reflects on his approach — and on the duality between light and darkness that runs through his work.

145 hours in the Pennines

We follow Dave along the course: his doubts, his tears, his bond with James — the companion he sings to mid-race. His parents waiting by the roadside. The mantra he repeats over and over: “I am a husband, I am a father, I am a brother, I am a friend, I am a singer, I am a runner.”

Run Again: neither a film about trail running nor a film about music

It’s the story of a genuine, humble man in pursuit of happiness. A universal quest that speaks to us all. A film about the need to begin again — over and over — whether by passion or necessity, we’re never quite sure.

Photo: Alexis Berg

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Course Épique is the running and trail podcast that brings you extraordinary running stories in every episode.

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🎙️ Course Épique — a running and trail podcast created and hosted by Guillaume Lalu, produced by Sportcast Studios.

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