HELL ON WHEELS
 
STILLS

Le Tour de France - the toughest bicycle race of all, celebrated its 100th Birthday in 2003. Year after year this spectacular event fascinates millions of people worldwide. And the winner takes it all...But within the beauty of the French landscape and the suspension of the race, Academy Award Winner Pepe Danquart is also telling about the torture and the pain, the fear and the weaknesses of the men. He is offering a true insight into the Tour and brings close to us the individuals on the bike. We see the tears of those who are out of the race and the joy of those, who suffered but fulfilled their biggest dream: To reach the finishing-line of this hardest race of all.

Academy Award Winner Pepe Danquart gives a review of the genesis and history of the Tour in its hundred years of existence, shows the gigantic organisation of the Tour, the fanatic crowd along the route and in front of TVs worldwide. HELL ON WHEELS presents an outstanding inner view of one of the biggest sports events.

 

Pepe Danquart, has been working as a director since the 1970’s. In 1994 he won an Academy Award (Oscar®) for the Live-action Short Black Rider. For Homegame Danquart was awarded the National German Film Award (Lola®) for Best Director in 2000. Beside his work as a director and writer, Danquart teaches directing at various film academys in Germany and works as a dramaturgical advicer and producer for documentary films.

With HELL ON WHEELS I did not have a pure sports film in mind. My interest lies in the suffering and loosing during the Tour. I want to track down what it means to fall prey to the promise of global fame and tons of money, to suffer all the years to the verge of exhaustion but without the certainty to receive any reward. I want to know what it takes to win the Tour. In the team. In the body. In the mind. Shooting the film meant becoming a part of the team and showing what others cannot show.

With

Erik Zabel
Rolf Aldag
Andreas Klöden
Alexander Winokurow
Steve Zampieri
"Eule" Dieter Ruthenberg
Mario Kummer
Serge Laget
with the special appearanc of Lance Armstrong & Jan Ullrich


Crew

Director & Screenplay
Pepe Danquart

Co-Director
Werner Swiss Schweize
r
Director of Photography
Michael Hammon
Wolfgang Thaler
Filip Zumbrunn

Sound
Paul Oberle
Wolfgang Widmer

Editor
Mona Bräuer

Music
Till Brönner and
Schumann & Bach

Producer
Mirjam Quinte, Quinte Film

Co-Producer
Claudia Schröder
Werner Schweizer

A production of QUINTE FILM in Co-Production with MULTIMEDIA FILM- & FERNSEHPRODUKTIONS GMBH and DSCHOINT VENTSCHR FILMPRODUKTION.

In Cooperation with ARTE G.E.I.E, SCHWEIZER FERNSEHEN DRS, IDÉE SUISSE and A.S.O. AMAURY SPORT ORGANISATION
Supported by Filmstiftung NRW GmbH, BKM – Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien and BAK – Eidg. Bundesamt für Kultur, Sektion Film.

 

Technical Information

Hell on Wheels (Höllentour) – Feature Length Documentary – Germany, 2004 – Original Language: German (English subtitles) - 123 min. - Colour, 35 mm - 1:1,85 - Dolby Digital Surround

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