Tonight is opening night for the film “Rising from the Ashes,“ starring Jock (Jacques) Boyer and the Rwandan cycling
team, showing at the Quad Cinema in Manhattan.
The film follows cycling legend Jock (Jacques) Boyer when he moves to Rwanda to help the first Rwandan National Cycling Team in their six-year journey to compete in the Olympic Games in London.
A bio by Wikipedia says that Boyer rode the Tour de France five times and finished 12th in 1983 (French Jean de Gribaldy Sem team with Sean Kelly).
“He was unusual in refusing to eat meat and became well known for the large quantities of nuts and fruit that he brought to the race. The French team manager, Cyrille Guimard, described Boyer as “un marginal”, a description hard to translate but which suggests an outsider, almost a hippie,” writes Wikipedia.
Boyer won the 1980 Coors Classic in the United States, and the 1985 Race Across America completing the 3,120 miles in nine days, two hours, and six minutes.
His career included 87 amateur victories and 49 professional ones, and he was inducted into the United States Cycling Hall of Fame in 1998.
By all accounts, this film puts another exclamation point on the character description of
Boyer, who when relaxing after a race was said to prefer the Bible to porno magazines.
References to Boyer in several Rwandan sports websites show him surrounded by loving cyclists.
The entire endeavor calls to mind the promise by newly minted 2013 Yellow Jersey winner of the Tour de France and native Kenyan, Chris Froome, who told reporters that he plans on developing cycling programs for the kids back home, “for inspiration.”
If you attend the 5 PM showing tonight, August 2, you will be able to meet executive producer Peb Jackson and ask questions about the film. At the 7 PM and 9 PM showings, producer Greg Kwedar will talk to the audience.
Playing at the Quad Cinema, at 34 West 13th Street, in New York City, the film is executive-produced and narrated by Forest Whitaker (remember him, he was the girl/boy friend Jody in that marvelous movie that shook the world, The Crying Game.)
The film follows Jock (the first American to compete in the Tour de France) and his Rwandan riders as they slowly but steadily learn what it means to be a professional cyclist – how to train, how to compete, how to live the life of a top –level athlete.
Showtimes: 1:00 3:00 5:00 7:00 9:00
Running time: 1:20 Language: English
Thanks to Matt Brown for bringing our attention to this film event!
Some reviews of the films (not ours)
