Who Needs The Oscars? The Bicycle Film Festival is Coming to Your Living Room
The Oscars are over but you’re still craving some cinematic genius? We recommend the Bicycle Film Festival (BFF). And best of all, you don’t have to leave the comfort of your own home.
What’s the Bicycle Film Festival?
The BFF began 23 years ago, in New York City, and has toured worldwide. But from now until the end of March, you can stream the films wherever you are.
Brendt Barbur founded the festival in 2001 after he was hit by a bus while riding his bike in New York City. He didn’t want that event to ruin his experience with bikes. He wanted to turn a negative experience into a positive one. So he gathered stories, art, music, and film, all centered around bikes.
Over the years screenings have been held in all kinds of venues, from the Sydney Opera House to the Barbican in London to an old factory in Zurich. All in, the festival has visited 90 cities worldwide.
When COVID shut down large gatherings in 2019, the festival created a streaming option. It was such a success that they’ve extended the virtual experience, and will continue to do so periodically in the future.
In-person events returned last year and saw sold-out shows in Amsterdam, New York, Copenhagen, Cape Town, and several other venues around the world.
35 films about bikes, streaming anywhere you want to watch
You can purchase a pass to watch one or all of the programs, which include Urban Bike + Cinematic, Cycle Sport, Adventure (short), and Adventure (long form). These films capture all aspects of bike culture, from WorldTour level racing, to adventure biking across epic terrain, to bike messengers and urban experiences.
There are four short programs totaling more than 35 films. Full festival passes (all four programs) range from $28 to $75, and passes for individual programs range from $10 to $20.
The full collection has a runtime of around eight hours, so you can binge them while you ride the trainer and wait for the snow to melt, or watch a little at a time between your own rides.
These films are for anyone who loves bikes and loves great stories. They’re emotional, funny, raw, and inspiring. Each one is so different from the next, but they’re all tied together by the overlaps that come with riding a bike.
If you’re wondering how many different stories can be told about riding bikes, head over to the festival’s Instagram to check out some previews of the films included this year. There are so many ways to ride bikes, and so many lessons that can only be learned while riding.
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