Former Berkhamsted School pupil features in new film ‘Women Behind The Wheel’

A former pupil of Berkhamsted School features in a new film documenting an epic journey which shines a light on the lives of women in Central Asia.

The film, Women behind the Wheel, previewed at the Edinburgh Film Festival last year, and is due to be shown at the Rex Cinema, Berkhamsted, on March 12.

Catherine Haigh, who was joined by best friend Hannah Congdon on the adventure of a lifetime, refers to the feature doc as “a road movie with a twist.”

It was back in 2018, that Catherine and Hannah decided to drive across the remote and potentially dangerous Pamir Highway - the second highest international road on Earth. The idea for the film came after huge response to an Instagram page about the challenge from women across the region keen to be involved.

Catherine, who left Berkhamsted School around six years ago to go to University, said: “With women behind the wheel and women behind the camera, we used our journey to meet other women along our route.”

The solo drive took the duo over southern Uzbek deserts, through Tajikistan's Pamir mountain range, climbing over 4600m into Kyrgyzstan with the documentary marking a radical departure from the typical road-trip film.

En route the duo met women from all walks of life, their stories demonstrating as many ups and downs as the drive itself. A 78 year-old gynaecologist recalled the turbulent transition from Soviet rule to independence, with testimonies of domestic abuse, 'bride kidnapping' and religious extremism exposing the region's complex attitude to women's rights.

But, as explained in the film: “Despite the evident patriarchal oppression in these countries, it's certainly not the whole picture. Stories of female empowerment against all odds emerge, from a group training Tajikistan's first ever female trekking guides to a feminist collective running workshops on sexual pleasure.”

The filmmakers released a trailer of the film, stating: “We hope it gives a good flavour of the film – crazy driving, incredible scenery and, most importantly, the diverse stories of local women.

“It’s a huge honour for our film to feature as part of the annual No man’s Land Film Festival which opens on International Women’s Day (March 8). For further information visit the website here

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