Speed Sisters, which is making its international premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival this week, is a documentary that tells the story of an all women car-race team in Palestine.
As the film follows the five women, who are members of this team, it provides a glimpse into the present day life in Palestine, which is beyond the monotonous narrow portrayal often shown in the mainstream news.
Its foray into the subject of women in sports is of universal relevance.
And yet, its foray into the subject of women in sports is of universal relevance.
Amber Fares, who directed this film, lived in Palestine for seven years. Fares was born and raised in the Grande Prairie, Alberta and moved to Vancouver after finishing university.
She initially went to Palestine because she was offered a position with a company based in Ramallah, a city at the West Bank.
At that time, Fares thought that she would take that as a “break for six months and just have that experience,” but she says she loved the community around her and ended up staying much longer, making films for NGOs.
It was during this time that she heard about the all women car race team, which she features in Speed Sisters.
Here, New Canadian Media catches up with Fares, while she’s in Toronto for the Hot Docs film festival, and asks her about the challenges she faced while shooting in Palestine and how her Lebanese-Canadian roots have helped her filmmaking career.
Speed Sisters screens at 6:15 p.m. on April 29 inside the TIFF Bell Lightbox 1 (350 King St. W.), at 7:15 p.m. on April 30 inside the Hart House Theatre (7 Hart House Circle) and at 4 p.m. inside the Isabel Bader Theatre (93 Charles St. W.) in Toronto.
Shazia Javed is a writer, photographer and filmmaker. All week long, New Canadian Media will feature her ongoing coverage of diverse films and filmmakers at this year’s Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival.
