Life

"Shadow of a Wheel," the acclaimed documentary by Hendersonville native Paul Bonesteel about the coast-to-coast bicycle ride he and 34 other teenagers made in the summer of 1982, was honored recently with a Regional Emmy in the Historical Documentary category at the 39th Midsouth Regional Emmy Awards.

Produced by Bonesteel Films, the poignant and thought-provoking film is filled with images, music and teenage sentiment of 1982, along with a nostalgic and sometimes painful perspective on how significant events in youth resonate throughout life.

“We are incredibly honored to receive this recognition,” Bonesteel said. “I’m especially proud of how many of the original 36 riders participated in the film as storytellers with their words and photos paying tribute to what the experience meant then and now.”

“One of our hopes for the film was that would have meaning to today’s teenagers, and their parents, to encourage risk-taking, growth, and community service,” he said in an acceptance speech Feb. 15, at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

"Shadow of a Wheel" premiered at Winston Salem’s RiverRun Film Festival in 2023 and has been featured at festivals and screenings since, further showcasing its impact and reception among critics and audiences alike. The four-part series is also streaming on Outside TV, and a feature-length version is available on iTunes, Prime and Roku.

Bonesteel is currently finishing a documentary film focusing on the life of celebrated and mysterious Japanese photographer George Masa in "A Life Reimagined: The George Masa Story" and plans a release later this year.