Eagle County Paramedic Services to host community screening of “Into the Unknown: The Paramedic’s Journey” on Oct. 16 at Edwards Riverwalk Theater

• Documentary offers an unfiltered look at the skill, sacrifice, humanity and personal toll behind America’s emergency medical system
• Screening will also serve as a fundraiser for Starting Hearts

EDWARDS, Colo. — Oct. 5, 2026 — When a 911 call comes in, paramedics buckle up and mentally prepare themselves for what comes next: a fainting episode? Sick child? Or someone struggling to live? This scenario is played out thousands of times every day across the country. Whatever paramedics encounter on their calls–be it positive or negative–they take those memories home with them. Even on the best days, as the saying goes, “You can’t un-see what you’ve seen.” 

On Friday, Oct. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Riverwalk Theater in Edwards, Eagle County Paramedic Services will host a community screening of “Into the Unknown: The Paramedic’s Journey,” an award-winning documentary that takes audiences inside the lives of paramedics, dispatchers and the families who support them. Admission is free; a $10 donation is suggested, which will go to Starting Hearts, a nonprofit dedicated to saving the lives of Sudden Cardiac Arrest victims through free CPR and AED training and access programs.

Executive produced by Steve Buscemi and “Emergency!” icons Randolph Mantooth and Kevin Tighe, “Into the Unknown” is directed by award-winning filmmaker Tom Putnam, whose previous work includes “BURN.” With extraordinary access to first responders, the documentary follows the people who form the often-unseen backbone of America’s emergency medical system, from the intensity and adrenaline of emergency calls to the quieter moments after the sirens stop.

The film offers an intimate portrait of the clinical skill, teamwork, humor, sacrifice and humanity required of emergency responders whose work can make the difference between life and death. At the same time, it explores the cumulative effects of trauma, exhaustion and loss on paramedics, dispatchers and their loved ones.

“It’s not often that a film has this level of access into the work paramedics and EMTs do. This film offers an important opportunity to better understand the people in the ambulance on a 911 call,’ said Brandon Daruna, CEO of Eagle County Paramedic Services. “Our paramedics and EMTs show up for our community on its most difficult days. We hope this screening sparks meaningful conversation about the extraordinary work they do, the challenges they carry and the support they deserve.”

By moving between the front lines of emergency response and the lives responders return to after a shift, “Into the Unknown” examines both the profound rewards and personal cost of answering the call. The result is a deeply human story about a profession that nearly everyone may depend upon someday, but few fully understand.

“October is National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month, aimed at educating the public on how to recognize and respond to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA),” Daruna continued. “One of the stories in ‘Into the Unknown’ focuses on a SCA, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to use this to support Starting Hearts and their local efforts with CPR education and AED placement.”

Doors will open at 6 p.m.; at 6:30 p.m., Lynn Blake, Eagle County Paramedic Services Board of Directors and Sudden Cardiac Arrest survivor, will open the film with a few words. Following the film, Jenn Vazquez and Heather Edwards, Denver Paramedics featured in the film, will be part of a Q&A with ECPS CEO Brandon Daruna moderating. 

IF YOU GO:
What: Screening of “Into the Unknown: The Paramedic’s Journey”
When: Friday, Oct. 16, 2026 | Doors open at 6 a.m., film starts at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Riverwalk Theater, Edwards
Cost: Free. Suggested donation $10, all proceeds go to Starting Hearts

Registration: No registration required. Visit riverwalktheater.com to reserve your ticket.