KLRU, Beef & Pie Productions, The Austin Chronicle, and South by Southwest have teamed up for SXSW Presents, an independent film series airing Tuesdays at 9pm on Channel 18 (Time Warner Cable Channel 9). Hosted and co-produced by SXSW Film producer Matt Dentler, the third season of the series continues through February. This week’s installment is Peter Sutherland’s “Pedal,” which, when it screened at the 2001 Festival, Barry Johnson wrote, is “an exhilarating blend of style and substance capturing the essence of a subculture rarely recognized by the public. On a skateboard with a camera strapped to his helmet, Sutherland follows a motley bunch [of bicycle messengers] as they race through Manhattan. The film looks at the paradox of their lifestyle: Messengering is both a passion and a curse, providing a spiritual high but a financial and physical low. Aside from the diversity of its subjects, ‘Pedal’ is also comprehensive in its scope, taking into account the dispatchers, policemen, and taxi drivers that can make or break a messenger’s career. Visually arresting (New York City has never looked so threatening) and emotionally potent (the trade can kill you), ‘Pedal’ is that rare documentary that allows the viewer to live the spectacle rather than view it. Sit back, don’t count on relaxing, and bring a tissue … for tears and sweat.” For more information, see www.klru.org and www.sxsw.com.
This article appears in February 9 • 2007.