New York-based director Aurélien Heilbronn wrote to us recently to introduce an interesting project that he's just undertaken, partly by chance. It's an interesting film, as is the story behind how he came to make it. Read on below from Aurélien below and then sit back and take in his engaging watch about the Illegal Motorbike Culture in the Dominican Republic.

A few months ago, after finishing a fashion shoot in Puerto Rico, I took advantage of the proximity to go visit Joey Rodriguez, a Dominican producer and good friend of mine. Once on the island, my curiosity was aroused by these groups of kids ignoring every law and taking all the risks to have fun on their bikes in the darkness of the night. I had some of my equipment with me and knew I had to make a documentary out of it.



The group I followed makes a living chasing illegal races on small, customized motorcycles. They block highways and race at exhilarating speeds rarely wearing helmets. In search of adrenaline, these kids find an escape route and a way to keep boredom at bay.



Beyond the races, I wanted to highlight their everyday lives and stories: the gang, the parties and violence. It is this paradoxical safe universe, created by them and for them that I wished to capture.