The documentary BLOOD ROAD was released worldwide on 20 June. The documentary BLOOD ROAD portrays the adventure of ultra-endurance mountain biker Rebecca Rusch and her Vietnamese mountain bike partner Huyen Nguyen. The two athletes ride 2000 kilometres of the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail through the jungles of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Their destination: the crash site and final resting place of Rebecca's father, a US Air Force pilot who was shot down over Laos around 40 years ago. During the gripping journey, Rebecca and Huyen not only push themselves to their physical limits, but also discover details about the historic "Blood Road" and learn how the Vietnam War shaped the lives of both women in different ways.
Here is the official trailer:
Blood Road follows the journey of ultra-endurance mountain bike athlete Rebecca Rusch and her Vietnamese riding partner, Huyen Nguyen, as they pedal 1,200 miles along the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail through the dense jungles of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Their goal: to reach the site where Rebecca's father, a U.S. Air Force pilot, was shot down in Laos more than 40 years earlier. During this poignant voyage of self discovery, the women push their bodies to the limit, while learning more about the historic 'Blood Road' and how the Vietnam War shaped their lives in different ways.
To mark Father's Day, which was celebrated in the USA on 18 June, Rebecca published a tribute-> to her father Stephen Rusch:
Rebecca Rusch lost her father, a U.S. Airforce Pilot, more than 40 years ago to the Vietnam War. Nothing could prepare Rebecca for the emotional journey she took in 2015 when she pedalled 1,200 miles of the Ho Chi Minh trail in search of the crash site that claimed the life of her father. This Father's Day she asks you to take a moment to think about your Father and what he has given you.
"A huge number of unexploded live ammunition from the Vietnam War is still endangering human lives. This was the most shocking realisation of the whole trip for me," says Rusch. "I went there in search of my father and parts of myself, but I came back with the realisation that I can use my bike for greater purposes than just winning races. I feel a sense of responsibility and want to contribute to solving this problem by using my bike to support change and recovery," emphasises Rebecca Rusch.
Beforehand, Rebecca and her team mapped out as historically accurate a route as possible, but the remoteness of the route and the scarcity of information left much uncertainty as even paths marked on maps change every rainy season. In addition, washed out bridges and the lack of paths that should have existed meant that the team had to be flexible and overcome obstacles on an ad-hoc basis. "If I'd had less experience as an athlete, I probably wouldn't have had the ability to face the ever-changing environment and huge challenges of such an expedition," says Rebecca.
During the 2000km long and extremely demanding expedition, Rebecca and Huyen spent a total of 380 hours in the saddle with a daily average of 12-14 hours.
"Initially, our focus was on documenting Rebecca's intense, physically gruelling journey on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, but over time we uncovered a far deeper, emotional journey," said Nicholas Schrunk, director of BLOOD ROAD. "No matter the political background or personal feelings of the audience, my hope is that they will see not only the physical and psychological wounds of such a war, but also how families, countries, even entire cultures come together to heal those wounds."
The film will be shown in more than 50 cities worldwide throughout the summer. Further screening options are available at BloodRoadFilm.com.
Red Bull Media House has been producing films for many years, but BLOOD ROAD is Red Bull Media House North America's first feature film to be produced entirely in-house. The film won the Audience Award at the Sun Valley Film Festival and "Best of Fest" at the Bentonville Film Festival.
BLOOD ROAD is available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD. Digital download options include 4K via Vimeo On Demand and HD and SD on iTunes, Amazon, Vimeo On Demand, and Google Play. The 3-in-1 Collector's Edition of BLOOD ROAD includes the film on Blu-Ray, DVD and as a digital download and will be available in the Red Bull Shop be available.
Take a look BloodRoadFilm.com and follow Red Bull Media House Films on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagramto find out more about the documentation.
