The interactive documentary Minas na Pista was conceived as a final project to complete the UFRJ School of Communication course . Through the new media tools, we tried to construct a narrative that could address the issue of women and cycling in Rio
The main objective, therefore, is to analyze the relationship between women and cycling in Rio de Janeiro, focusing on the collective “Minas na Pista”, and its weekly bike-tours for women only. Through first-person view of the pedals and interviews with the participants, the documentary discusses the difficulties of women in Rio traffic as well as the life improvements observed by them when pedaling, especially together.
In reviewing the historical conditions of the invention of the bicycle and its first use by women, it is possible to relate its initial importance to the feminist movement and female emancipation in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, with the current role of cycling for female empowerment, as observed by the author as an active member of the group. The project also takes up current discussions about urban mobility and the right of access to public space to understand the differences in the city’s experience by cyclists and non-cyclists, and how this influences the position of women in society.
For the development of the project, a research was done on the history of the bicycle and its role in urban mobility and also in the emancipation of women until the present day, which is available at the link: www.minasnapista.com/relatorio.pdf
Credits
Design and production: Marina Cruz
Interviews: Bruna Werneck, Laís Batista Passos, Mariana Gama
Images: Marina Cruz, Mariana Gama, Thais Gobbi, Hadah Pazos
Orientation: Cristiane Costa and Kátia Maciel
Music: Nasty Woman – Valesuchi and Tomaz Aguayo
Special thanks to Ana Clara Mattoso, Isabel Salomon, Laise Mendes, Nina Gudme, Wenny Milzfort, Luiza Jimenez and all the women who participate in Minas on Track for helping to make this project a reality!
André Paz é professor da UNIRIO, pesquisador, diretor e produtor. Faz pós doutorado sobre narrativas interativas (UFRJ) e dirige projetos de documentário interativo.
