Coming Soon

Coming Soon: “Rom Boys”

“Rom Boys: 40 Years of Rad” premieres on Digital Oct 13

Shain E. Thomas
Published in
2 min readSep 8, 2020

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Screen Capture: Maximillion Cooper in “Rom Boys: 40 Years of Rad”

Matt Harris’s Rom Boys: 40 Years of Rad, a feature length sports documentary revolving around BMXers, street artists, and the worlds most unique skate park.

When a tragedy strikes the worlds most unique skate park, a dogged group of old school skaters, BMXers and street artists team up to fight for its survival.

“Rom Boys is a project close to my heart, as a teenager in the 80’s I used to BMX there and to bring the stories to life of the place is really key to the survival of the park,” Harris said. “It’s an incredible place frequented by a diverse group of people who for the past 40 years have played an important part in the history of skateboarding and BMX in the UK.”

Further to Rom Boys: 40 Years of Rad, Harris has worked behind the scenes on both Damned Designs and Doctor Who. he also directed the short Bargain Hunt: Sleigh Ride.

Image Credit: Rom Boys

Fifteen years in the making with archive material going back forty years, this feature length documentary looks at a totally unique aspect of British sub-culture — the first generation of skateboarders and BMX freestyle riders in the world’s most unique skatepark.

Built in a suburb of east London in the late 1970’s, Rom is the only skatepark in the world to have official historic protection. The film looks at the users of the park and not only what it means to them but the influence it has had on their lives.

Shot in full DCI 4K and Featuring over 30 interviews with architects, historians, entrepreneurs, street and graffiti artists, professional skaters and BMX riders as well as the old school locals who have been visiting the park since it opened; this is the first time a feature length documentary has taken an in-depth look at this scene, and its participants, from a uniquely British perspective.

When the park suffers a major tragedy during the middle of filming, the story then shifts focus to how these skaters and riders rally together to try and save the park from closure for a new generation of Rom Boys AND Girls.

The documentary, in addition to numerous other high profile former BMXers and street artists, features appearances by Maximillion Cooper, Andy Ruffell, Lance Mountain, John Buultjens, and Bob Haro.

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With an M.Sc. from the University of North Texas, I’m a freelance journalist and a social historian. #APStylebook #BBCStyleGuide http://shainethomas.com/