Afghan Cycles

Directed By Sarah Menzies

What lengths would you go to in order to ride a bicycle? Afghan Cycles follows a new generation of young Afghan women cyclists.

  • ABOUT
  • BIO
What lengths would you go to in order to ride a bicycle? Following a new generation of young Afghan women cyclists, Afghan Cycles uses the bicycle to tell a story of women’s rights - human rights - and the struggles faced by Afghan women on a daily basis, from discrimination to abuse, to the oppressive silencing of their voices in all aspects of contemporary society. These women ride despite cultural barriers, despite infrastructure, and despite death threats, embracing the power and freedom that comes with the sport. Afghan Cycles follows members of the National Cycling Team in Kabul, and young riders in the Bamiyan region who are using mountain bikes to commute to school and run errands. For all of them, the bicycle is a symbol of freedom. But sometimes, the danger and obstacles can prove too much, as we learn when one of the main characters flees to France to secure a better situation and future for herself and her family.
I have been a freelance videographer and filmmaker since 2010, and I founded the production company Let Media in 2012. My short documentary films, including The Mirnavator (Director/Editor, 2017), A Steelhead Quest (Director/Editor, 2017), and Catch It (Director/Producer, 2014) have screened at festivals such as Mountainfilm in Telluride, CO, Banff Mountain Film Festival, Port Townsend Film Festival, Wild and Scenic Film Festival and many others. My work has allowed me to venture into wild spaces to bring back amazing stories of strength, courage, and passion that highlight our common humanity. Seeking personal character-driven stories, my is that my films showcase the good that exists in the world, illustrating to audiences that everyone is capable of creating positive change. I made my feature length documentary directorial debut at the 2018 Hot Docs Film Festival with Afghan Cycles.