Desiree Wood has been to hell and back. A former stripper who lost everything, she now has a second lease on life as a long-haul truck driver. By establishing the organization “Real Women In Trucking,” Desiree has amassed an irreverent coalition of women drivers to advocate for an equitable and fair quality of life on the road, and ensure the welfare of women drivers within their male-dominated profession. While this line of work brings socially-precarious circumstances and solitude, these women undertake their jobs with an air of gallows humor and steely commitment to their work. However, as the American labor landscape continues to deteriorate and industry forces continue to be stacked against drivers deemed as replaceable, Desiree (alongside the sisterhood of truckers) struggles to find a sustainable path forward at the risk of losing it all once more. 

Nesa Azimi’s soulful and contemplative Driver follows Desiree as she strives to leave her tumultuous past behind and navigate toward a more hopeful and stable future. Azimi implements honesty and grounded reality in her storytelling — all while keeping these women’s agency and determination intact. Through this intimate approach, Driver becomes a microcosm of the broken-down but resolute American labor force and investigates this sensitive topic with understated yet deeply felt, empathetic filmmaking.––Jose Rodriguez

Nesa Azimi