THE STORY – Over the span of one racing season, the strikingly intimate Backside foregrounds the lives and actions of immigrant workers who look after prized racehorses at Churchill Downs barns in Louisville Kentucky — the site of the famous Kentucky Derby.
THE CAST – N/A
THE TEAM – Raúl O. Paz Pastrana (Director/Writer), Cristina Carrasco Hernández, Gabriella García-Pardo & Patricia Alvarez Astacio (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 85 Minutes
The Kentucky Derby has been an American staple for centuries, as has horse racing. For over 150 years, Churchill Downs has hosted the Kentucky Derby, where hundreds of upper-class attendees (with their colorful suits and over-the-top hats) will bet an absurd amount of money on Thoroughbred horses to run ten furlongs (1.25 miles). It is where the fastest and most expensive horses race for the top prize. Therefore, a lot of money can be won based on the performances of these young horses, who are typically sold for around $1 million. Consequently, these horses must stay healthy and ready for race day.
Raúl O. Paz Pastrana’s “Backside” peaks behind the curtain of professional horse racing for a full season at Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby, from the auction of individual horses to the Derby itself. Sure, everyone is aware of the jockeys and trainers, but who takes care of the horses after a race or training session? The answer is a caring and devoted group of workers, mainly composed of migrant employees. Their job, on paper, seems simple: take care of the horses. They are responsible for feeding them, bathing them, completing their hoof care, and more. But it is evident from the first show that it is a challenging and resilient job, filled with manual labor and long hours, as someone needs to be at the stables (composed of 47 stalls that can hold up to 1,400 horses at once) at all times. But, even though the work is different and laborious, it is apparent that these workers care deeply about the horses, and the horses do too.
The stars of “Backside” are the migrant workers, known in the horse racing community as grooms and hotwalkers. They work seven days a week, maintaining the horses and their stables. They are the first people the horses interact with when they arrive at the start of the season and the last when the season ends. It is important, one worker states, to bond with the horses and make them feel safe. The film showcases lovely sequences of several workers giving affection to the horses, such as sneaking them peppermint, cradling them in between brushes, and whispering soothing words of affection as they go through a stressful event (such as having the hoof cleaned or bathed).
Unlike most documentaries, Pastrana doesn’t use talking heads, archival footage, experts, or even interviews to educate his audience on the topic. He relies on the stars, the workers, and the horses to tell the whole story of the season. This allows the audience to get an intimate portrait of these workers’ quiet strength and love for the animals. It’s evident that being a groomer or hotwalker is no easy task, and Pastrana shows this by authentically allowing the workers to just exist in their world. He also shows that there is a loving community of the Backside, such as a recreation center with English classes, Latino and holiday celebrations, and opportunities to participate in karaoke, bowling, rodeos, and other activities. There are also health fairs that provide them with dental checkups and the opportunity to receive medical blood tests. It’s evident that there is a loving community among the workers at the Backside; they are a strong family in a way, as this is their first and foremost work opportunity in the United States. It is their first step in achieving ‘The American Dream’ and how they can start giving themselves and their families a better life.
Due to the intimate nature of the film, “Backside” provides a relatively neutral point-of-view, which may be a disservice to showcasing the significant class divide between the workers of Backside and the attendees of the horse races. There is a stark difference, which can be seen when the season begins. For example, Churchill Downs provides tours showcasing the groomers caring for the horses as spectators take pictures as if on an exhibit. It’s apparent that the audience members of the horse races pay an exuberant amount of money to attend the races (and probably bet more). The images of this juxtaposition are there but aren’t directly commented on (and the lack of formal interviews or talking heads limits the audience to understand the worker’s opinion or point-of-view on this). Nor is anything discussed among the horse treatment in the horse racing community.
“Why do you give them candy?” a worker’s friend asks him. “Because they’re my friends,” he answers. “Backside” makes it apparent how strong the workers’ bond with the racehorses is. Pastrana showcases a beautiful portrait of the unsung and unseen heroes of the horse racing industry with this quiet yet powerful film.
