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Speed Art Museum Presents Backside: A Documentary Honoring Derby’s Unsung Heroes

Speed Art Museum Presents Backside: A Documentary Honoring Derby’s Unsung Heroes

LOUISVILLE, KY (August 28, 2025) – This fall, visitors can see a different side of the Kentucky Derby at the Speed Art Museum. From September 25–28, Speed Cinema will host screenings of Backside, a new documentary by Raúl O. Paz-Pastrana that shines a light on the immigrant workforce caring for racehorses behind Churchill Downs.

Filmed over five years by an all-LatinX team, Backside offers an intimate portrait of grooms and workers whose labor begins before dawn and sustains one of America’s most celebrated sporting traditions. The film debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival and now comes to Louisville with CINEMA+ post-film conversations featuring the director, producers, and grooms themselves.

On Sunday, September 28, a Community Day will include a Spanish-language screening and discussion, along with family art activities and tours highlighting Spanish-speaking and Latin diaspora artists.

“Backside challenges us to look beyond the spectacle of the Derby and see the dignity and resilience of the community that sustains it,” said Dean Otto, Curator of Film at the Speed.

The Museum is partnering with the Backside Learning Center, a nonprofit based at Churchill Downs that supports backside families, reflecting a shared commitment to telling Louisville’s stories with care.

Screening & Event Details

Film: Backside (2025) — Director: Raúl O. Paz-Pastrana

Runtime: 85 minutes

Venue: Speed Cinema, Speed Art Museum

Dates & Times:

  • Thursday, Sept. 25 – 6 pm (CINEMA+)
  • Friday, Sept. 26 – 6 pm (CINEMA+)
  • Saturday, Sept. 27 – Noon, 3 pm, 6 pm (CINEMA+)
  • Sunday, Sept. 28 – Community Day
    • 12:30 pm – English version (CINEMA+)
    • 3:30 pm – Spanish version (CINEMA+)
    • 1–4 pm – Artmaking & tours

Admission: $12 | $8 Speed members

Tickets: speedmuseum.org/cinema/backside

This program is generously supported by Churchill Downs, with additional support from individuals and businesses in the equine industry.

This story is Louisville at its core: where world-class art, community voices, and the legacy of the Kentucky Derby come together.