Whether you wanted to be a singer, a world-famous athlete or, in my case, a media proprietor, many children have dreams that are deferred. When circumstance gets in the way, those aspirations can seem impossible. In a new documentary, Philipstown Wirecar Grand Prix, it’s easy to see how powerful silly little dreams can seem. It follows a bevvy of children in Philipstown who take part in a 15-year tradition of racing wire cars.
The documentary kicks off with an animated scene that imagines the official race as a monster car battle. It sets the scene as one looking at how these children view wire car racing. Other than the bombshell that they take home up to R10,000 per first-place victory (not mentioned in the doccie), the children have aspirations interlinked with lessons learnt from crafting or racing their cars.
One shining star is Romeo, a boy who bands together a younger troupe that helps him create practice tracks and effectively keep Philipstown’s neglected areas clean. He is also an avid racer alongside some of the more stern children who participate. In particular, Rivano, the champ to watch out for, who is famed for his austere and cerebral approach to the race. His closest rival, Shewandreé, is a beaming bundle of joy who carries the gusto of a lead character in an inspired tween TV show. Think Naruto or Goku of Dragon Ball Z fame. Both are learned athletes who take practice and technique seriously, showing some of the blood, sweat and tears that go into competing.
Among the two girls taking part are Siphokazi and Joy, the latter being a reflection of her mother’s teachings. Unlike the boys who are motivated by previous entrants or vainglory, which is to be expected of children, Joy is propelled into the competition due to seeing herself as a motivation for others and a beacon of hope in Philipstown. For her, it’s not just about winning but a drive to showcase what the town can produce.
Something you also can’t help but notice are the medals she has racked up in other activities and an emotional reaction to a conversation about the topic with her mother.
Like any documentary, Philipstown Wirecar Grand Prix can feel a little exploitative of its subjects. One remarkable moment is the use of trackers on the wire cars that analyse how the children race. This is then used to animate the race into a mini movie that was showcased to the small town and its people.
While it’s a powerful moment to watch, it also opens avenues to how they were able to create a mobile game to benefit the foundation that assists the Wirecar Grand Prix and uses the children’s names. A move that isolates them from benefiting any further as subjects rather than beneficiaries of the production. Especially when the closing credits reveal that Romeo is unemployed and dropped out of school after a week.
“Romeo’s circumstances are quite unique. I don’t think I can talk about it publicly,” said Alistair King of the Philipstown Wirecar Foundation, explaining that Romeo’s late parents left him alone, but he was eventually able to get a job on a farm outside Philipstown.
“They were paid, and we have to manage how they get paid because that money can disappear quickly into the wrong hands. But for the other families, that money has been put into an education trust.”
While they share that there are still strong bonds between the foundation’s members and the eight children, understanding that this film can breed professional success for its filmmakers and barely anything for the children in need of opportunities can be a bitter pill to swallow. However, its inspired approach to showcasing their talents, dreams and strong sense of community makes it one of the strongest examples of how to tell someone else’s story with dignity.
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