“The beauty of Azimi’s approach is how it brings the viewer along in gentle harmony with her protagonists. We watch, listen, and form our own judgments.” - “Christopher Llewellyn Reed, Hammer to Nail
“While the women’s relationship with one another may be strong as houses, Azimi opens a window to the precarity of the industry.” - Amber Wilkinson, Eye for Film
Friday, October 25, 8:15 p.m. & Sunday, October 27, 5:30 p.m. | Anyone who drives has shared the road with long-haul truck drivers, who trek the United States delivering product and supplies across the country. But beyond signaling and passing these automotive mammoths, little thought is given to the drivers behind the wheel. In Nesa Azimi’s debut feature film, the challenges and triumphs of a coalition of female long-haul truckers are soulfully and honestly explored. Led by the grit and determination of trucker Desiree Wood, the “REAL Women in Trucking” organization is founded, giving these women, a minority in the industry, the opportunity to advocate for an equitable and fair quality of life on the road. A portrait of individual drivers, a reflection of the American labor rights movement, and a compassionate investigation of an underseen workforce, DRIVER is a beautifully rendered documentary that premiered at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, and which celebrates its Chicago premiere with this special preview presentation at the Film Center.
Awards & Nominations
Nominee - Best Documentary Feature, Tribeca Film Festival
Workers of the World, Unite! offers films that portray American organizers, unionizers, and labor rebels who speak up, speak out, and fight back against unfair working conditions and nefarious bosses in order to be treated (to quote Lily Tomlin’s character in 9 TO 5) “equally, with a little dignity, and a little respect.” Read more
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu