BEYOND THE POWDER: THE LEGACY OF THE FIRST WOMEN'S CROSS-COUNTRY AIR RACE

BEYOND THE POWDER is a documentary film that follows the female pilots of the 2014 Air Race Classic racers as they make their way across the country, while telling the story of the first women's cross-country air race of 1929, also known as the Powder Puff Derby.

The first Women’s Air Derby in 1929—which was comprised of 20 women, including Amelia Earhart—was flown from Santa Monica to the finish line in Cleveland, kicking off the National Air Races. The country watched as these brave women made history flying cross-country, breaking into a competition that was thought to be for men only. They encountered sabotage, death, and all the difficulties of flying at the dawn of aviation.

Today the Powder Puff Derby continues as the Air Race Classic, with modern day racers carrying out the legacy and the adventurous spirit of the original racers. Showing that they were more than just their make-up, the original Derby contestants have inspired those flying today to truly push beyond the powder.