Women in the Front Seat

If you're in the mood for something light and inspiring, look no further. There's not much conflict here, or drama, or worry. What you WILL find instead is a huge group of people throwing you on the back of their bikes and taking you on a tour of the passion that ties them all together. Look, I'm a mid-30s guy, I've never ridden a motorcycle. But I still found the glimpse into this subculture fascinating. Footage of long trips through various locales is so romantic it hurts.

Each of these lovely ladies have had their own journey to this hobby and many of them find different reasons to keep with it. Yet there is a through line that connects all of them. They each have a desire for independence as women. Many of these see this as a challenge to overcome. And for seemingly all of them, they have discovered that riding gives them a sense of freedom and peace that few other things have. Highly recommend if you're in for a doc that explores a little corner of humanity you may not be too familiar with.

This is an excellent film with a heart. It was riveting to watch as each woman in this documentary revealed her inner most truth. Though differing in backgrounds, ages, and experiences, the common denominator was their passion for motorcycles and what they overcame to do what they love. Their openness was like looking into their souls, very inspiring and a gift to be privy to their life journeys. So many fascinating women like Rosie and Mere and Wendy and all of them really. It made me think about how many people don't follow whatever their passion is and perhaps never live their lives to the fullest. Indy Saini has made an inspirational and artistic documentary. The photography, music, and the editing are first rate. Whether or not you are a motorcyclist, this film should not be missed.

From the first few seconds Indy Saini's wonderful movie grabs your attention as you metaphorically get right there on the ride with her and for the next 75 minutes she expertly navigates you through the culture of women who love motorcycles. It takes a special kind of director to illicit the vulnerability and sometimes heartbreaking honesty from her many and varied woman interviewees each of whom has unique and deeply personal reasons for their common passion for bikes. However, this documentary is also a masterclass in DIY filmmaking and the throughline of this story is Saini's own journey around America, alone on her Indian Scout, braving the elements, to get the story on video. In the process, she deftly subverts the Icarian narrative of self-destruction that we subconsciously attach to stories of men and motorcycles. Under her careful control, like Daedalus and his wax wings, the motorcycle is a life-affirming means to freedom and empowerment.

This documentary, Women in the Front Seat is a fascinating look at the world of motorcycle riding and some of the women who are a part of it. At the start of the movie, the filmmaker herself sets out to ride across the United States on a motorcycle. Her journey is mixed with the stories of different female motorcyclists from all over. The amount of interesting stories and personalities captured in this film is amazing. The cinematography in this movie is excellent. I was particularly impressed by the amount of epic drone footage that was captured for this film, specifically. There is also an inspirational aspect to this movie also, as it will make you want to get out there and try things you've always wanted to do (even if motorcycle riding isn't one of them). Give the one one a watch, it is worth your time!

Great photography. Great characters. But most of all, this film was very inspiring. Having seen this film, I want to make sure I am living the life I really want, despite my fears. I really appreciated the diversity of the characters and types of bikers, and the deep life-stories the filmmaker gave. I liked seeing what each biker carried with her, and I liked their broader stories. Often, they took up biking after a parent had warned them against it -- and against doing other things they wanted in life. Often, the things they were warned against were "not for women." And then the stories of the women who came back from terrible accidents!