Still We Ride

"Still We Ride is an incredible documentary about Critical Mass, its founders and beginnings, its growth and its attempted demise by the New York City police department neighboring the Republican National Convention in 2004. With striking footage of critical mass rides spliced with riot footage and police brutality, the documentary chronicles the rise of critical mass in New York, as well as worldwide. This specific footage focuses on the mass that resulted in over 200 arrests, and the continued attempts of the NYPD to criminalize biking and organized non-violent group action. At just 40 minutes long, this film is packed with information on just how far police are willing to go to try and take away individual freedoms. This is a must have!"

" ... the doc is a passionate telling of the clashes between Critical Mass and authorities and they make no attempt to hide their own personal bias. The film is vibrant, taking the viewer into the sub-culture, and talking about their struggle in terms of basic rights and self-expression."

“The Still We Ride documentary really proves that bikers are more virtuous than evil NYC cops who are exposed as straight up criminals as they clumsily try to go undercover at bike parties and are busted editing a surveillance video to frame a biker. Though I have to say, in Chicago we would never be as obstinate or threatening to police … don’t these New Yorkers know the deal? Of course justice will not prevail if you challenge cop authority. But overall, which I may not ride in a Critical Mass, these releases (more than even $5 gas) have me dusting off old Betsy.”

"Still We Ride is an incredible documentary about Critical Mass, its founders and beginnings, its growth and its attempted demise by the New York City police department neighboring the Republican National Convention in 2004. With striking footage of critical mass rides spliced with riot footage and police brutality, the documentary chronicles the rise of critical mass in New York, as well as worldwide. This specific footage focuses on the mass that resulted in over 200 arrests, and the continued attempts of the NYPD to criminalize biking and organized non-violent group action. At just 40 minutes long, this film is packed with information on just how far police are willing to go to try and take away individual freedoms. This is a must have!"

"As a young child shouts in the beginning of the documentary, Still We Ride is about “something critical that has become criminal.” With interviews from Time’s Up!, civil rights lawyers Norman Siegel and Gideon Oliver, and NYC cyclists, the film discusses the infringements on our rights to ride and assemble and the larger implications. With shocking footage of police brutality toward cyclists, illegal searches and confiscation and destruction of bicycles, Still We Ride makes you wonder why this is happening and who is calling the shots. How can a celebration of cycling be treated as an illegal activity?"

"till We Ride, a gripping new documentary by Andrew Lynn, Elizabeth Press, and Christopher J. Ryan, chronicles the NYPD crackdown on Critical Mass that began in August 2004. While the story is well known to the movie’s core audience, Still We Ride succeeds in adding dramatic visuals to a storyline that has mostly became a depressing litany of monthly arrest statistics.

One of the most gripping characters in the film is Paulette Giguere, who began the evening of the August 2004 Critical Mass ride celebrating her 50th birthday with a new bike and ended it locked up on Pier 57 and plastered across the front page of the New York Daily News. Paulette Giguere is so far from the picture of the usual hippie or punk activist that she gives lie to the NYPD portrayal of the ride. The filmmakers caught police officers on tape claiming that the Critical Mass was “infiltrated by the ACLU and other groups” and that it “has become an anarchist group.”

The power of the video image is both the greatest strength and weakness of Still We Ride. Over the course of the film, viewers come face to face with police brutality (including a dramatic standoff in front of St. Marks Church on 2nd Ave.), and an assortment of joyful bikers and colorful characters. After watching Still We Ride, it becomes clear just how pervasive the video camera has become at political protests. To some degree, the pictures determine the direction of the story. It would have been informative to see more about the early days of Critical Mass before it became so controversial.

These, however, are minor quibbles. “These guys won’t stop cars,” smirks one NYPD patrolman observing a Critical Mass ride. Probably true, but the highly entertaining Still We Ride may help stop the NYPD’s attack on a peaceful ride."

It might be short, but it's very well done. I saw this as well as a few other videos on this site at the Lost Film Fest which came to my little PA town recently. It definetly shook me up a little and pissed me off a lot and made me happy to ride my bike even more!

Noteworthy: The 3 directors of Still We Ride were all arrested for biking during Critical Mass in NYC. To find out more info about why this is important check http://www.times-up.org/ AND http://www.stillweridethemovie.com/

Or maybe you like it when the government sues a volunteer organization for promoting a bike ride. For having it listed on Time's Up web calendar the nonprofit has had to pay $45,000 in legal paperwork fees (their lawyers work pro bono) ... that is more than Time's Up entire yearly budget.

I hope you buy this movie, then organize some screenings.

Still We Ride succeeds in adding dramatic visuals to a storyline that has mostly became a depressing litany of monthly arrest statistics. Over the course of the film, viewers come face to face with police brutality and an assortment of joyful bikers and colorful characters. After watching Still We Ride, it becomes clear just how pervasive the video camera has become at political protests.

Between the participants, the lawyers, organizers, and more this is a fairly well-rounded documentary that shows that not only were a bunch of smart-alec kids fucked with, but a lot of regular Joe's and Jane's who wanted nothing more than to go for a huge bike ride.