Read More Bicycle Film Festival, aka BFF, is taking place this late July... If you've got a thing for bicycles and movies and beers...
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Day three of Bicycle Film Festival (BFF), I caught Program 6 and 7, at St Anthony Main Theater in Minneapolis. This is the final day for films, there is an afterparty picnic happening today (Sunday), I've no idea where that is, it is probably at the Gold Medal Park.
Spent the day in a fairly long bike trek into the city, the trail I used went along the Mississippi River. It was really nice and relaxing, until I had to cross the river at 42nd, then it was just ugly traffic. Next time, I will cross the river at Plymouth.
The two programs I saw were all short little films, its two categories were "Fun Bike Shorts" and "Urban Bike Shorts".
I was not too crazy about the two animation that bookends the first program. The first about a guy who biked 50 miles to see his girlfriend, only to have her dump him. The end animation was a rather long animation (12 mins) about a bike love triangle. I know they want you to believe it was true love and such, but I just felt Lance was a jerk to his Belgium friend (and not to mention Lance's girlfriend who was barely mentioned).
"The Bicycle Cap Made With Love By A Bike" was a Spanish film, which seems more or less a commercial for The New Musem in New York. I noted the song used in the short - it was Megafaun (a band that we like).
The shorts that I didn't really like were the ones that I fail to see the point. Here's some examples: some BMXers hiking in "We Love Colorado" or riding through Mexico City in "Two Cycles" or unwatchable "found" answering machine footage of "Tuff Wheel Two's"
My favorites were the funny ones: The secret origins of "The Backwards Rider", and the bike tricks and styles from Ghana in "Bikelordz". The riders in "Bikelordz" all had very colorful names, like "Crazy Legs" and "Scoobie".
The best one is the inspirational "Simpel Dream", about BMX riders in Estonia. What I think is interesting is that these countries are discovering bike tricks on youtube and putting their own spin to things. For instance, in "Bikelordz", the riders there made up their own uniquely regional tricks because they don't have the means to build ramps and parks.
Same kind of deal in the second program ("Urban Bike Shorts"), some pointless shorts ("Crazy About You", "Lucas Brunelle Video 2011", "Edwin de la Rosa", "Denton/Fort Worth, TX", "Fabric Bike"). I really dislike "Grime Television", this was purposely made unwatchable with superimposed double images and wavy lines.
The ones I liked were "Los Angelopes", showcasing some of LA's bike cultures around their disused concrete-lined banks. They look like they're having a lot of fun. Another culture one is "Jakartarck", about Indonesia's fixed gear culture. Again, I think it's really fascinating how these isolated countries develope their own unique custom bike based on little information they find on the internet. I wish they explained more on what a fixed gear is - not everyone knows what this is. The filmmaker just assume you knew. For those who don't know, this is a particular bike that the pedal constantly move with the wheels - that means you cannot coast. The filmmakers didn't also explain the advantage of this - when you lock up the pedals, it makes the bike easy to stop (but it's also really dangerous and cause you to flip if you're moving too fast).
I liked the music-ish video for "Fire Bears Works", I couldn't tell who the two faces were, it's listed as "Richard" and "Betty", but I thought the girl face was Cher for some reason.
"Mark on Allen", this was a little short by successful music video director Spike Jonze (you might know him from music videos of Weezer and Fatboy Slim, as well as the guy who did "Being John Malkovich" and 2009's "Where the Wild Things Are"). I'm sorry but as good as Mark Gonzales as a skater, he comes off as mental in this short.
"The Line" was another funny one, head explosions are always funny. Completely opposite of funny was the extremely sad "Last Minutes with Oden". Yeah, I cried.
The best of the bunch was the "Wolfpack Marathon Crash Race" documentary. This was really well-made, done in black and white (this is perhaps due to most of the footage being shot at night) and it centers around this 26 mile race when the city of Los Angeles closed off the streets for the annual LA Marathon. Prior to the runners and officials showing up at 6 am, there is a bike race at 4am. People from all of the countries show up for this bike race, which looks really competive and fun (and not to mention unauthorized and illegal).
The last show ended at 10:30pm, and it was raining. I hate biking at night, and especially when it's raining. But you know what? I didn't really mind it. It's kind of hard to explain to someone why I love biking. There's something really satisfying about the solitude of it all. Just you and your bicycle and the road and the rain.
How many fingers am I holding up??? |
The two programs I saw were all short little films, its two categories were "Fun Bike Shorts" and "Urban Bike Shorts".
I was not too crazy about the two animation that bookends the first program. The first about a guy who biked 50 miles to see his girlfriend, only to have her dump him. The end animation was a rather long animation (12 mins) about a bike love triangle. I know they want you to believe it was true love and such, but I just felt Lance was a jerk to his Belgium friend (and not to mention Lance's girlfriend who was barely mentioned).
"The Bicycle Cap Made With Love By A Bike" was a Spanish film, which seems more or less a commercial for The New Musem in New York. I noted the song used in the short - it was Megafaun (a band that we like).
The shorts that I didn't really like were the ones that I fail to see the point. Here's some examples: some BMXers hiking in "We Love Colorado" or riding through Mexico City in "Two Cycles" or unwatchable "found" answering machine footage of "Tuff Wheel Two's"
BIKELORDZ |
The best one is the inspirational "Simpel Dream", about BMX riders in Estonia. What I think is interesting is that these countries are discovering bike tricks on youtube and putting their own spin to things. For instance, in "Bikelordz", the riders there made up their own uniquely regional tricks because they don't have the means to build ramps and parks.
Same kind of deal in the second program ("Urban Bike Shorts"), some pointless shorts ("Crazy About You", "Lucas Brunelle Video 2011", "Edwin de la Rosa", "Denton/Fort Worth, TX", "Fabric Bike"). I really dislike "Grime Television", this was purposely made unwatchable with superimposed double images and wavy lines.
KAKARTARCK WOLFPACK MARATHON CRASH RACE |
I liked the music-ish video for "Fire Bears Works", I couldn't tell who the two faces were, it's listed as "Richard" and "Betty", but I thought the girl face was Cher for some reason.
"Mark on Allen", this was a little short by successful music video director Spike Jonze (you might know him from music videos of Weezer and Fatboy Slim, as well as the guy who did "Being John Malkovich" and 2009's "Where the Wild Things Are"). I'm sorry but as good as Mark Gonzales as a skater, he comes off as mental in this short.
"The Line" was another funny one, head explosions are always funny. Completely opposite of funny was the extremely sad "Last Minutes with Oden". Yeah, I cried.
The best of the bunch was the "Wolfpack Marathon Crash Race" documentary. This was really well-made, done in black and white (this is perhaps due to most of the footage being shot at night) and it centers around this 26 mile race when the city of Los Angeles closed off the streets for the annual LA Marathon. Prior to the runners and officials showing up at 6 am, there is a bike race at 4am. People from all of the countries show up for this bike race, which looks really competive and fun (and not to mention unauthorized and illegal).
The last show ended at 10:30pm, and it was raining. I hate biking at night, and especially when it's raining. But you know what? I didn't really mind it. It's kind of hard to explain to someone why I love biking. There's something really satisfying about the solitude of it all. Just you and your bicycle and the road and the rain.
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