Firmly rooted in an approach derived from Cinéma Vérité, straddling between an ethnographic gaze and a sociological study with meditative accents, A Speedway Story is a lively film that delves into a unique event, very much in our image, while betting on simply existing without justifying its existence through a hypothesis, a viewpoint to defend, or even an assertion to make.

Pulsating to the rhythm of snowmobiles parading in front of a fixed and attentive camera, itself complemented by remarkable sound design work, Philippe David Gagné's film allows us to witness a complex and — at times — unapologetically foreign ecosystem abiding to its own rules. More interested in capturing the internal mechanics of this modern ritual than by understanding the appeal it has on its participants, the filmmaker reminds us how sporting events of this kind, like most human endeavours, seem as absurd to some as they are a genuine source of social cohesion for its participants.

Jason Todd
Artistic Director
Tënk