SCREEN AFRICA EXCLUSIVE: On Thursday 27 March a Gauteng audience had the opportunity to watch the first South African screening of the award-winning feature-length documentary, Rising from Ashes, at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in Newtown, Johannesburg.
Rising from Ashes, directed by T.C. Johnstone, and partly shot in South Africa, tells the inspirational story of cycling legend Jock Boyer who moved to Rwanda to coach a group of talented cyclists, all genocide victims left scarred by the war, to accomplish the near impossible – to pursue their dream of establishing a national team.
The movie is beautifully filmed, and perfectly structured and balanced as it tells the tale of Boyer’s own painful journey of rising from the ashes to give these young men hope for a future they never thought would be possible.
Says Boyer, “Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined doing something that could impact people, and these guys, when they go home (to Rwanda). It is not just about changing the life of one rider, which is inevitable when they become part of the team, but it changes their families, it changes their communities and it has changed the whole nation to becoming one that embraces cycling, it is part of their culture now.’
Rwanda, left ravaged after the war, had no heroes. “It is even about giving hope to the kids now that they have heroes, about giving a nation something and someone to be proud of,’ added Boyer.
“With Team Rwanda, we started something that has turned into much more than we could ever have imagined. Even though it is the most difficult thing I have ever done it is the most rewarding thing I have ever achieved,’ he said.
All three riders present at the event, Janvier Hadi, Patrick Byukusenge and Bonaventure Uwizeyimana, are based at the Union Cycliste International (UCI) World Cycling Centre South Africa in Potchefstroom and two of them are leaving soon for feeder teams in France and Canada respectively.
In 2012 Team Rwanda started with the development of Africa’s all-black, all-African team with its sights set on competing in the Tour de France, the cycling world’s most demanding race.
The fundraising event was attended by the Rwandan High Commissioner, Vincent Karega, who emphasised the importance of the film carrying a positive message to the world about Rwanda and that the country is actively striving for – and achieving – peace, stability and rejuvenation.
Visit: http://risingfromashesthemovie.com/ for more information.
Planning on staying in Rwanda for three months only, Boyer has been living there for seven years with his wife Kimberly, an acrobatic cat, a gentle dog and an affectionate crow.
Report by Martie Bester
