Wednesday, October 7, 2015, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
Director: Johan Eriksson ~ Film run time: 58 min. ~ Style: documentary ~ Year released: 2014 ~ Language: English; Arabic with subtitles
Venue: St. John Fisher College, Basil 135, 3690 East Avenue, Rochester NY 14618
Free. Open to the public. No tickets required
The young Palestinians embark on an eventful journey along the road to Silverstone racing circuit (Northamptonshire, England), enduring nerve-wracking and heartbreaking moments at the Rafah border crossing to Egypt to get out of Gaza for the first time in their lives. The racers from Khan Younis Training College in Gaza find Silverstone, where they must now overcome their fear of their opponents as they roll up to the starting line.
The Palestinian team battles nerves and mishaps as they prepare to be judged by engineers from Formula One teams and the automobile industry looking for new talent. The Palestinian team, assessed alongside engineering students from top universities, makes a strong impression on the judges and fellow competitors, where they get the biggest cheers of the day and win the hearts of the British racing community.
“The Road to Silverstone tells the true story of a group of young Palestine refugees who succeeded in building a Formula 1 racing car, the first ever such car built in Gaza, and in bringing it to compete at the international Formular Student competition at Britain’s famous Silverstone track.
“Capturing the dreams of a group of young men and women and the challenges facing them, the film presents a side of life in Gaza rarely seen by the outside world.”
— United Nations Relief and Works Agency