Two worlds collide when cycling legend Jonathan “Jock” Boyer moves to Rwanda to help the first Rwandan National Cycling Team in their six year journey to compete in the Olympic Games. Against impossible odds both Jock and the team find new purpose as they rise from the ashes of their past.

Stunningly filmed, Rising From Ashes follows Jock (the first American to compete in the Tour de France) and his Rwandan riders as they slowly learn what it means to be a professional cyclist – how to train, compete, and live the life of a top level athlete. As their strength and confidence grows, the riders of Team Rwanda give their fellow citizens a vision of something greater than themselves and their history: hope for a future.

Executive produced and narrated by Forest Whitaker (Lee Daniels’ The Butler, The Last King of Scotland).

Hear from the producer and Jock Boyer in this Wall Street Journal video.

Trailer link at left.

This film is not rated. 82 minutes.

Prior to screening Rising from Ashes, we will show the trailer for a film that is in production titled Afghan Cycles.

Afghan Cycles is a feature length documentary film that tells the story of the brave women who dare to ride on the Women’s National Cycling Team of Afghanistan. The film looks closely at what it means to be a female cyclist in an otherwise male dominated country.

Riding a bicycle is considered offensive for women, and the stigma of immorality and promiscuity is difficult to push past. Using the bicycle to pedal a revolution, these teammates are breaking gender and cultural barriers by choosing to ride. Following their daily routines of school, work, and home life to training rides on major trucking highways, we get a sense of what life is like for young Afghan women. Afghan Cycles illustrates the progress women have made throughout the country, while sharing the harsh juxtaposing realities that many still face, and culminates at the first ever women’s bike race, held in Afghanistan.

Afghan Cycles will be premiering in early 2015. To stay updated on the release of the film, visit www.afghancycles.com

Thanks to the Wood River Bike Coalition for helping support the screening of these films.

The Haven food truck will be on site for tacos and burritos from 6-6:45pm.