LOUISVILLE, KY.- This fall, the Speed Art Museum will host screenings of Backside, a compelling, observational documentary by Raúl O. Paz-Pastrana that honors the primarily immigrant workforce quietly sustaining the horseracing industry. Filmed over five years by an all-LatinX team, Backside offers an intimate look at the lives of workers who begin their days before dawn, seven days a week, caring for some of the world’s most prized racehorses in the barns behind Churchill Downs—known as the “backside.”
Screenings will take place at Speed Cinema from Thursday, September 25 through Sunday, September 28, 2025, with post-film discussions featuring the director, producers, and grooms featured in the documentary. A Spanish-language screening with discussion in Spanish will also be offered. This marks one of the first screenings of Backside outside of its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Backside goes beyond the pageantry of the Derby to reveal the grit, skill, and dedication of immigrant and multi-generational workers whose labor often goes unseen. The documentary examines the intersection of class, race, and labor, humanizing the people who sustain an elite American sporting tradition while emphasizing the deep, symbiotic relationship between humans and horses.
“Backside challenges audiences to see beyond the spectacle of the Derby,” said Dean Otto, Curator of Film at the Speed Art Museum. “It’s an invitation to witness the dignity, expertise, and resilience of a community that quietly sustains one of America’s most celebrated events.”
The Museum is honored to collaborate with the Backside Learning Center, a longstanding and trusted organization based at Churchill Downs, which supports the educational, social, and personal growth of this vital community. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to telling local stories with care, and to fostering belonging through deeper understanding.
"This film shines a light on those who are truly the soul of an industry so central to the history, culture and economy of our state.” said Sherry Stanley, executive director of the Backside Learning Center.
Together, the Speed and the Backside Learning Center invite audiences to see what often goes unseen: the labor, resilience, and humanity at the heart of the racing industry—and of Louisville itself.
