Synopsis
The Last Damn explores the origins and sociocultural impact of The DAMn, a 240 mile, 24 hour, point-to-point gravel bicycle race also known as the Day Across Minnesota, set against the backdrop of its final rendition in 2021. The DAMn begins at midnight in Gary, South Dakota (population 240) and riders have 24 hours to navigate 240 miles of grueling Midwestern gravel all in an effort to reach the finish line in Hagar City, Wisconsin (population 357) before midnight. The Last Damn follows a diverse group of riders: Nick Grabis shares his “Meteor Theory,” poet Ben Weaver views cycling as a time machine, and 60-year-old John “Johnny Gravel” Jarvis attempts his fifth race. Chase Wark seeks a new course record, Beth and Cory Rood test their marriage on a tandem bike, and the “Brooklyn Three” escape city life for rural landscapes. The Last Damn invites viewers to “ride along” with cyclists of all ages and from all walks of life, capturing the race’s enduring spirit and its climactic final run. Official Selections 2024: Lookout Wild Film Festival, Frozen River Film Festival, 34 Film Festival. Official Selections 2023: Bicycle Film Festival, Fresh Coast Film Festival, London Mountain Film Festival.