Abiyot is one of several African long distance runners, trying to make a living and career in the US. Once he was a promising member of the Ethiopian national team, but two years ago he left his country to start a new life. Weekend after weekend, he races with fellow African athletes in road races, competing over a few hundred dollars of prize money.

The film follows Abiyot as he prepares for an important race. Every morning at break of dawn he tirelessly trains in the empty streets of his Bronx neighbourhood. With every aspect of his daily routine centered on his training, his footsteps not only dictate the rhythm of his life, but also become the pervasive rhythm of the film. In phone calls with his family back home, Abiyot tries to convince them and himself, that the running will pay off in the long term...

 

Direction and Camera:                                Moritz Siebert

Co-Production:                                              Hanna Keller

Editing:                                                       Josh Levinsky

Music:                                                             Jon Opstad

Mix:                                                          Duncan Warrick

UK 2009                   National Film and Television School   

27:48 min                      16:9                     Dolby ProLogic

Festivals:

World Premiere at Silverdocs Washingon 2009, USA

Vision Du Réel, 2010, Switzerland

Thessaloniki Intern. Documentary Film Festival 2010, Greece

Big Sky Documentary Film Festival 2010, USA

Bermuda int. Film Festival 2010

Brooklyn International Film Festival 2009, USA

Boston International Film Festival 2009, USA

St. Louis international  Film Festival 2009, USA

Festival Internacional de Cine de Huesca 2009, Spain

Canadian Sport Film Festival, Toronto 2009

Bronx international Film Festival 2009, USA

Queens international Film Festival 2009, USA

Gdansk Documentary Film Festival 2009, Poland

DocuWest Film Festival 2009, USA

Cambridge international Film Festival 2009, UK

Strasbourg international Film Festival 2009, France

Docudays Beirut 2009, Lebanon

AfricaDoc LOUMA, St. Louis 2009, Senegal,

Boston International Film Festival 2009, USA

Levante international Film Festival, 2009, Italy

FrontDoc, Aosta, 2009, Italy

Beyond Belongings IV, 2009, Berlin, Germany

Addis international Film Festival, Ethiopia 2010

Africa World Documentary Filmfestival 2010, St. Louis, USA

European Short Film Festival Warsaw, 2010