Cyclists and first-time film filmmakers Grace Williams and Emily Segura Maze release the film “ZANA,” an ode to what it means to be a woman in sport. The film documents the history of the historic singlespeed bike race, the Little 500, as women went from racing on tricycles to bicycles. Williams, alumni of team Melanzana, found a story worth sharing within the camaraderie of her old team as they attempted a third win in a row – as a result, and with the support from State Bicycle Co., the film “ZANA” was born. Below, check out the “ZANA” film premiere, in addition to Grace’s behind-the-scenes account of the project with images from Sarah Qu!
The Little 500
The Little 500 is a historic, single-speed bike race in Bloomington, Indiana that takes place on a quarter mile cinder track. Teams of four riders compete one day in April for the famed Borg-Warner Trophy (a miniature replica of the Indianapolis 500 trophy) but the true purpose of the race is to raise money for Indiana University student scholarships. All riders are Indiana University undergraduates, but over 25,000 dedicated fans come from all over the world to watch.
For many, it is known as “the World’s Greatest College Weekend”. The women race 100 laps, and the men race 200. Tactics are up to each team, but the teams must each complete at least five exchanges between teammates during the entirety of the race for the women, and ten for the men.
Beginnings of “ZANA”
The men’s race started in 1951, but the women’s race didn’t start until 1988. This gap in time? We found it far too interesting to brush past. This is where we come in. Meet your directors: Emily Segura Maze and Grace Williams. We met at a media internship in Flagstaff in 2022, where we spent the summer camping, photographing athletes, and learning how to be in the media industry with a crew of amazing mentors.
Fast-forward a few years, and we found ourselves navigating the freelance industry on opposite sides of the country. In October of 2023, I sent an email to State Bicycle Co, (SBC) pitching a film to them on the Women’s Little 500. I didn’t know how to articulate the specifics of the film, but I knew the feeling and emotions I wanted to create. Incredibly, SBC said yes. I didn’t even own a video camera, so I called Emily, the one person I knew who might be down to figure this out with me. She was in.
In Production
After some brainstorming, we decided that my old team, Melanzana (Zana for short), would be the team to film. I am an alumni of the 2022 winning team, and we wanted to take advantage of the authentic stories and friendships I still have with my old teammates. The storyline checked out, too – they were about to attempt their third win in a row, a would-be a historic feat. So, we figured out how to get trademark approval through Indiana University, and we emailed with IU board members. We bought insurance, rented cameras, and booked plane tickets.
We found ourselves filming in March for race day qualifications, and in April; the race. Imposter syndrome was rampant, and we felt as though we were just barely making it; that we had somehow fooled everyone into believing that we were filmmakers. In fact, we still barely knew what the storyline of the film would become; what was the message? Were we accurately portraying the feelings we wanted to portray? Despite being unsure of how the film would develop, we decided to start, trusting that the process would take us there. We followed the feelings, we followed our guts, and the story slowly began to appear.
The Little 500 & Mini 500
ZANA initially takes the audience on a journey through the history of the Little 500. Although the men’s race started in 1951, the women were barred from the race and relegated to tricycles instead. They were used more as advertisements, trophies, and newspaper images than anything else.
In the article “The Mini 500: The Gendered History of a Forgotten Tradition”, the author writes, “By sewing uniforms, cheering on the men and decorating the pits, the Little 500 in the 1950s was another way for women to practice their domestic duties.” Yet, women still rallied to race on bikes. Starting in 1973, women’s bike teams began to come together and try to qualify for the men’s race after finally obtaining the right to even attempt qualifications in the first place.
Even so, no female teams were able to qualify. “The message is clear,” a sports columnist for the Indiana Daily Student wrote. “The big boys ride the bicycles in the Little 500. The little girls get to ride the tricycles in the Mini 500.”[11] He called for the “degrading, insulting and patronizing event” to be abolished. After years of pushing, the women were finally allowed to have their own race in 1988. The Mini 500 ended a few years later.
Then and Now
Since then, the women have continued to push the boundaries of sport and make history. Theta Cycling now has a historic total of 9 wins since 1988. Melanzana Cycling boldly attempted their third consecutive win in 2024. Not to mention so many other strong, incredible leaders, athletes, and women within Little 500. We wanted to document this power of community and support within the entirety of the women’s field.
As we interviewed and talked to Little 500 staff, as we surrounded ourselves with the words and experiences of the riders, we began to piece together the complexities that might intertwine to explain what we had felt and learned from being part of the Little 500 community. As we filmed, we learned. We learned how to ask better questions; we learned how to light a scene, we learned how to edit and produce, and review. We learned an immense amount during this past year, enough to proudly say: we’re filmmakers now.
“Sisterhood and Competition”
This film is both a documentation of women in sport, of sisterhood and competition – as well as an exploration into the unknown as first-time filmmakers. We found that as we told the story of women pushing the boundaries in the historically male-dominated space of cycling, we mirrored their story as female filmmakers in the similarly intimidating and male-dominated space of media.
We set out to do something we weren’t sure we could do, just like Zana, and whether or not we achieve it isn’t quite the point. What is it really about? The camaraderie, the joy, the lessons, the shared experiences. Perhaps most importantly, it’s about attempting things you are passionate about, things that scare you, because you might be the reason someone else is inspired to do the same.
The Little 500 community is special. Yet, this film is not just about Zana. This is not just about bikes. It’s about everything we feel when we come together to create something, push towards something, and inspire something. It’s sisterhood, it’s fierce competition, and it’s everything in between.
Works Cited: Harriet April 21st. (2017, April 17). The mini 500: The gendered history of a forgotten tradition:
Part 1. Voices from the IU Bicentennial.
https://blogs.iu.edu/bicentennialblogs/2017/04/17/the-mini-500-the-gendered-history-of-a-forgotten-traditio
n-part-1/
ZANA is Presented by State Bicycle Co and directed by Emily Segura Maze and Grace Williams with Signature Squash Studios.
