1. Festival des films du monde - 1997 Montreal

Dir.: Michael Uys, Lexy Lovell

After graduating from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in film and journalism in 1987, Michael Uys apprenticed in television production before making his directorial debut in "Assault on Empire State Mountain" a documentary spoof which was broadcast on the PBS comedy series, "Are We On?" and shown in numerous film festivals.

Lexy Lovell After graduating from Yale University in history, Lexy Lovell produced and directed "Getting Ready for Later", a fiction short that was broadcast by Britain's Channel Four on "Next Stop Hollywood" hosted by producer David Puttnam. The film won a Silver Hugo at the Chicago Film Festival.

RIDING THE RAILS (CA)
1997 / 16 mm / Couleur / 72 min.
United States
P3.29.2, P3.30.5

Dir.: Michael Uys, Lexy Lovell; Script: Michael Uys, Lexy Lovell; Phot.: Samuel Henriques; Ed.: Howard Sharp; Mus.: Neil Riha; Cast: Michael Uys, Lexy Lovell, Out of the Blue Productions Inc., 300 Hicks Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11201 (États-Unis), tél.: (718) 260-8012, fax: (718) 802-0699; Prod. & Sales: Charles Schuerhoff, C.S. Associates, 102 East Blithedale #2, Milly Valley, CA 94941 (États-Unis), tél.: (415) 383-6060, fax: (415) 383-2520.

Inspired by Thomas Minehan's 1934 book, "Boy and Girl Tramps of America" (Minehan disguised himself in tattered clothes and rode the rails to gather the stories of young transients), the filmmakers advertised for former road kids of the Depression. Out of the 3000 replies they received the filmmakers retained the stories of ten of these men and women, now in their 70s and 80s, to retell in RIDING THE RAILS. The objective was to find out why these these young people left home, how they struggled to survive and how their experiences shaped their lives. In the result, we learn of the sharecropper's son who was a financial burden to his family, the boy who was beaten by his parents, the kid who wanted to play the guitar and see America, the girl who stormed out of her house after a fight with her dad. Altogether they paint a heartbreaking portrait of transformation and loss in a bleak but spirited period of American history.

"As straightforward as a stretch of prairieland track, RIDING THE RAILS is a compelling documentary about the droves of Great Depression youths who -- because of economic hardship, parental abuse or simple wanderlust -- left home, hopped a freight car and never looked back." -- Steven Rea (Philadelphia Inquirer).

"Intercut with vintage footage and enhanced with a great soundtrack featuring Woody Guthrie, Jimmy Rogers, Doc Watson and Elizabeth Cotton... The result is not only fascinating history, it's evocative on an emotional level." -- Kenneth Turan (Los Angeles Times).

"RIDING THE RAILS is a natural... one of the vital, terribly unreported sagas of the Thirties... I thank you for making this movie. It's terrific." -- Studs Terkel



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