[1][2] Professional cyclist Jacques “Jock” Boyer moves to Rwanda in 2006 to help a group of struggling genocide survivors working to form a national cycling team.
Many riders are illiterate and malnourished, living without water, electricity or healthcare, and most are recovering from the psychological effects of the 1994 genocide.
Daphne Howland of The Village Voice called Rising From Ashes “a remarkable documentary.
It’s not just about a cycling team; it’s a testament to what happens when human beings care for one another.”[3] “The film is crisp and economical,” said Frank Schneck of The Hollywood Reporter.
[5] Rising From Ashes was produced by two partnering non-profit organizations, Gratis 7 Media Group and Project Rwanda, over the course of six years.