Bicycle Film Festival Program 2: Fun Bike Shorts

Friday's second program for the Bicycle Film Festival includes 9 sub-10 minute bike shorts and a pair that clock in at around 20 minutes a-piece. This program covers a broad spectrum of cycling, from alleycat races and fixed gear freestyling to watercolors and country rides in Europe. You can buy a ticket for Program 2 only for $10, or a Festival Pass for $27, which includes all three days' worth of films:

PARASOL
USA 2008 | Digital Still Photos 9min.
Dir. Webster Crowell
An animated story of speed, bikes and dancing drawn across the surface of a few thousand paper parasols.

CURIOSITY
USA 2008 | HD 6min.
Dir. Chiara Clemente
Every child's dream is to take a shovel and dig a hole to the other side of the world. Two girls from Tokyo and New York become friends.

THOUGHTS ON MY BIKE
Canada 2009 | HDV 5min.
Dir. Andrea Dorfman
Watercolor paintings are animated to display some thoughts had whilst on a bike.

PARIS VISION
France 2009 | HD Video 5min.
Dir. Renaud Skyronka
Bike polo, tricks and fixed gears in the "city of lights", Paris.

RED HOOK CRITERIUM
USA 2009 | HD 9min.
Dir. Kalim Armstrong
On a rainy night an unsanctioned bicycle race took place through the desolate streets of Red Hook, Brooklyn. This 16-lap track bike only race brought together Cat-2 racers, bike messengers, and urban cyclists. Police arrived in full force yet an agreement was met to allow the race to continue. Host John Hoppin takes you through this exciting underground sporting event where racers speed past buses, navigate slick cobblestones and hairpin turns to compete for a podium position.

WHERE DO YOU START WHERE DO YOU STOP
USA 2009 | HD 7min.
Dir. Patrick Trefz
A story of A to B to A to B by accomplished photographer Patrick Trefz.

A BICYCLE TRIP
Italy 2008 | Betacam 4min.
Dir. Lorenzo Veracini, Nandini Namblar, Marco Avoletta
Basel, 19 April 1943. Dr. Albert Hofmann, a chemist, is cycling home after a days work in the laboratory. This episode has passed into legend, associated with the discovery of the effect on the human psyche of LSD. The film tells the story of this famous "trip", imagining an unconventional psychedelic of the '40s.

FRIENDS WE LOVE FEATURING ELLIS GALLAGHER
USA 2009 | DV 5min.
Dir. Michael Vargas & Moni Pineda
Brooklyn street artist Ellis G. takes us on a personal ride through his creative process and the defining moment that led him to his signature style of shadow-based outlines.

WOLFPACK HUSTLE: All City Team Race 2
USA 2008 | DV 6min.
Dir. Lee Diskin/Donny Digital
25 teams of 5 raced from the east to the beach in LA via any route desired. Some crashed, some got popped by the cops, and some rode the freeway.

DOWN BY THE WEEP HOLE: THE STORY OF THE STUPOR BOWL
USA 2009 | 22min.
Dir. Nathaniel Freeman
Minneapolis' long-standing alternate event to the Super Bowl! Don't miss one of the biggest (and coldest) alley cats in the world.

LE DERNIER VOYAGE OF MARYSE DE LUCAS
FRANCE 2008 | 22min.
Dir. Artus De Lavilleon, David Ledoux
David and Artus ride to the town where Artus' mother is from to scatter her ashes.

All the Bicycle Film Festival films are being shown at 501 Studio, at the corner of East Fifth St. and Brushy St. I know it should go without saying but LOCK YOUR BIKES. Last year some expensive shit was ripped off, and I'm not just talking about bikes. Wheels were jacked, and I believe a seat was taken as well. Secure your shit, your momma isn't going to be looking out for it while you're watching movies and drinking beer.

Following this program is an after-party at Creekside benefiting the Yellow Bike Project.