Caravan/Prague: The Uneasy Road to Change

Zack Winestine's documentary chronicles a trans-European bicycle rally in 2000 that spanned 500 miles and ended in the Czech Republic's capital during the World Bank and International Monetary Fund conference. Not surprisingly, the convergence of bicyclists and the economists was no accident: the purpose of the caravan was to gather as many bike-loving/World Bank-and-IMF-hating people as possible for noisy demonstrations designed to shut down the conference. Needless to say, the Prague police weren't entirely pleased to have this political-demonstration-on-wheels disrupting their city while the world's media was watching. Caravan/Prague is essentially Winestine's video diary of this bizarre odyssey (the fact that he rode the entire distance while filming the event is a tribute to both his athletic and cinematic abilities), and even if you don't share his political viewpoints, it's hard not to admire the amazing effort he put into this entertaining and eccentric production. DVD extras include the short film “Quebec: At the Wall,” detailing a similar 2001 protest at a conference for the Free Trade Area of the Americas. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)