MOTHERLOAD is a crowdsourced documentary in which the cargo bicycle
becomes a vehicle for exploring motherhood in this digital age of climate
change. The film follows director and new mother Liz Canning on her quest to
understand the increasing tension between modern life and our hunter-gatherer
DNA, and how cargo bikes offer a solution. As Liz meets the people behind this
push to replace cars with purpose-built bikes, she learns about the history and
potential future of the bicycle as the “ultimate social revolutionizer.” Conflict
arises when characters encounter cultural resistance, in particular bikelash
focused on women and mothers. MOTHERLOAD draws connections here to the
struggle of cyclist Suffragettes and to women’s seemingly endless fight for
bodily autonomy. Ultimately, Liz’s experiences as a cyclist, as a mother, and in
discovering the cargo bike world, teach her that sustainability is not necessarily
about compromise and sacrifice, and that there are few things more
empowering in an age of consumption than the ability to create everything from
what seems to be nothing.
The screening is family friendly and free. Speakers will give their experience of using cargo bikes in Stirling, and we will have a discussion following the film. Cakes and popcorn provided!
