{"data":{"id":"5c1036f9-c222-4603-a202-d1c793015593","originKind":"SYNDICATED","title":"Crip Trip filmmakers manage banter, bickering on the road","summary":"When filmmakers Frederick Kroetsch and Daniel Ennett get together, there’s going to be a certain amount of conflict.\n\nAt least in the case of their documentary series Crip Trip, but that’s by design.\n\n“Believe it or not, when we’re working on other things Dan and I never fight or bicker,” says Kroetsch. “We’re pretty much on the same page. But Crip Trip is sort of intentionally made to be difficult for both of us to show the dark comedy of the disability world.”\n\nThe tag line for Crip Trip, which is currently prepping for its third season, certainly doesn’t beat around the bush. As described on the AMI platform where it streams, it’s about “One quadruple amputee, one first-time caregiver, one beaten-up old motorhome, and one cross-continent crusade. What could go wrong?” You can probably guess the answer to that question.\n\nKroetsch and Ennett have teamed up on a number of projects in the past, but it’s Crip Trip where they’ve really taken the partnership to new levels. They’ve picked up two Rosie Awards from the Alberta Media Production Industries Association, a Golden Sheaf Award for Best Lifestyle at the Yorkton Film Festival, as well as an Award of Excellence for Outstanding Short Form Documentary at FAVA Fest.\n\n“One of the interesting things about having Fred be my caregiver for the first time is that through his naivety we can educate the audience,” says Ennett. “He’ll ask questions that he may know the answer to but for the sake of the audience, he’s playing dumb, right?”\n\n“I literally did have a mental breakdown taking care of you 24 hours a day,” Kroetsch interjects. “That was insane.” He pauses. “Wait, Danny, were you complimenting me by saying I was playing dumb? I think I just got it.”\n\n“That was a compliment,” Ennett affirms.\n\nThe easy banter and bickering between the two friends is a big part of the show’s appeal, along with the various problems they encounter. Most involve the old RV they take along on their journey to cities like Vancouver and San Francisco. Some of it is just terrible planning.\n\nIt’s funny, it’s awkward, and it’s unblinking. Not too surprising for a show called Crip Trip, the title of which both Kroetsch and Ennett affirm is meant to offend in true punk rock fashion. This isn’t the Disney version of disability, after all, it’s more the Hunter S Thompson take.\n\n“We’re kind of building off of other movements that have happened,” says Ennett, “especially on the heels of the film Crip Camp almost winning an Oscar. There’s the kind of reappropriation of slurs that a lot of community communities do, whether it’s LGBTQ, or in our example, disabled people reappropriating the term cripple. That lends itself to the edginess we’re trying to exemplify on this show. We want to give disabled people a platform to be angry and kind of, you know, spurn the typical inspiration porn that used to proliferate. Now we’re actually able to tell disabled stories as authentically as we can, and not just as disabled people as saints.”\n\nThe first season established the premise of Kroetsch and Ennett on the road, while the second season, released this summer, touches on topics like MAID. In particular, the decision by their friend Brian McPherson to pursue medical assistance in dying. McPherson, who was also a cast member of the CBC reality TV show Push and a noted para athlete, died in November after filming was over.\n\nThis devastated Kroetsch and Ennett, who were also involved in the production of Push. As they point out, MAID can be seen in a different light, as an alternative to giving disabled people the kind of resources that they need to live full lives. Or, in Ennett’s blunt wording, the way that “modern policy reflects eugenics.” Sobering stuff, but an essential part of the conversation.\n\nSeason three is still in its embryonic phase, but there’s a general outline. Kroetsch and Ennett will be back out on the road with their new production company, Crip Trip Industries, traveling to remote areas to make corporate videos for the disability community. The hope? In Kroetsch’s frank words, to keep Daniel working and out of long term care.\n\n“We’ll also be using it as a tool to show audiences how hard disabled life gets when you get more rural and you’re divorced from the resources of being near a city,” he says. “There’s touchstones that we plan to explore along the way, but also focusing on these larger systemic issues. You know, I don’t think anyone’s using social benefits infrastructure without wanting something more fulfilling, right? Like, no one precludes themselves from work out of laziness. The human drive to work is very strong. People want to be productive, to contribute to something larger, that’s just who we are as humans.”\n\nRelated Edmonton book crawl connects readers with local indie bookstores\n\nCountry music star Luke Combs will perform in Edmonton in 2027 — how to get tickets\n\nBookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.\n\nYou can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.","url":"https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/edmonton-crip-trip-filmmakers","imageUrl":"https://smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital/edmontonjournal/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/crip-trip-caroline_304695469.jpg","publishedAt":"2026-08-13T17:44:01.000Z","sourceLabel":"Edmonton Journal Music","tags":["Entertainment","Television"],"authorName":"Tom Murray","contentHtml":"\"Crip

When filmmakers Frederick Kroetsch and Daniel Ennett get together, there’s going to be a certain amount of conflict.

At least in the case of their documentary series Crip Trip, but that’s by design.

“Believe it or not, when we’re working on other things Dan and I never fight or bicker,” says Kroetsch. “We’re pretty much on the same page. But Crip Trip is sort of intentionally made to be difficult for both of us to show the dark comedy of the disability world.”

The tag line for Crip Trip, which is currently prepping for its third season, certainly doesn’t beat around the bush. As described on the AMI platform where it streams, it’s about “One quadruple amputee, one first-time caregiver, one beaten-up old motorhome, and one cross-continent crusade. What could go wrong?” You can probably guess the answer to that question.

Kroetsch and Ennett have teamed up on a number of projects in the past, but it’s Crip Trip where they’ve really taken the partnership to new levels. They’ve picked up two Rosie Awards from the Alberta Media Production Industries Association, a Golden Sheaf Award for Best Lifestyle at the Yorkton Film Festival, as well as an Award of Excellence for Outstanding Short Form Documentary at FAVA Fest.

\"

“One of the interesting things about having Fred be my caregiver for the first time is that through his naivety we can educate the audience,” says Ennett. “He’ll ask questions that he may know the answer to but for the sake of the audience, he’s playing dumb, right?”

“I literally did have a mental breakdown taking care of you 24 hours a day,” Kroetsch interjects. “That was insane.” He pauses. “Wait, Danny, were you complimenting me by saying I was playing dumb? I think I just got it.”

“That was a compliment,” Ennett affirms.

The easy banter and bickering between the two friends is a big part of the show’s appeal, along with the various problems they encounter. Most involve the old RV they take along on their journey to cities like Vancouver and San Francisco. Some of it is just terrible planning.

It’s funny, it’s awkward, and it’s unblinking. Not too surprising for a show called Crip Trip, the title of which both Kroetsch and Ennett affirm is meant to offend in true punk rock fashion. This isn’t the Disney version of disability, after all, it’s more the Hunter S Thompson take.

“We’re kind of building off of other movements that have happened,” says Ennett, “especially on the heels of the film Crip Camp almost winning an Oscar. There’s the kind of reappropriation of slurs that a lot of community communities do, whether it’s LGBTQ, or in our example, disabled people reappropriating the term cripple. That lends itself to the edginess we’re trying to exemplify on this show. We want to give disabled people a platform to be angry and kind of, you know, spurn the typical inspiration porn that used to proliferate. Now we’re actually able to tell disabled stories as authentically as we can, and not just as disabled people as saints.”

The first season established the premise of Kroetsch and Ennett on the road, while the second season, released this summer, touches on topics like MAID. In particular, the decision by their friend Brian McPherson to pursue medical assistance in dying. McPherson, who was also a cast member of the CBC reality TV show Push and a noted para athlete, died in November after filming was over.

\"

This devastated Kroetsch and Ennett, who were also involved in the production of Push. As they point out, MAID can be seen in a different light, as an alternative to giving disabled people the kind of resources that they need to live full lives. Or, in Ennett’s blunt wording, the way that “modern policy reflects eugenics.” Sobering stuff, but an essential part of the conversation.

Season three is still in its embryonic phase, but there’s a general outline. Kroetsch and Ennett will be back out on the road with their new production company, Crip Trip Industries, traveling to remote areas to make corporate videos for the disability community. The hope? In Kroetsch’s frank words, to keep Daniel working and out of long term care.

“We’ll also be using it as a tool to show audiences how hard disabled life gets when you get more rural and you’re divorced from the resources of being near a city,” he says. “There’s touchstones that we plan to explore along the way, but also focusing on these larger systemic issues. You know, I don’t think anyone’s using social benefits infrastructure without wanting something more fulfilling, right? Like, no one precludes themselves from work out of laziness. The human drive to work is very strong. People want to be productive, to contribute to something larger, that’s just who we are as humans.”

Related

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You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.

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