The virtual Cycle Touring Festival has got off to a good start – perhaps you have already ‘attended’ some of the events – and the programme continues throughout this week. There’s a full run-down of the live events in this post on CyclingEurope.org in which I made a passing reference to the ‘other events’ that form part of the festival. One of those is a programme of films and I’m slowly making my way through the listings. So far I’ve watched the following three films, each of which are very different in their style.
The first one is this short film that uses animations taken from Japanese Studio Ghibli films with the filmmaker, Erik Binggeser, inserted into the shots as he pedals around the scenes. It’s quirky but charming, the rollers being a nod to lockdown of course…
The next film I watched was Markus Stitz’s short documentary about his cycle along the ‘green belt’ in Germany, an area that, until 1989, was home to the border fence between East and West Germany. I watched it in preparation for being the ‘host’ of his talk on Saturday afternoon and I’m glad I did. I’m hoping to persuade Markus to appear on a future episode of The Cycling Europe Podcast so watch this space. I love how he has chosen a very wide ‘cinemascope’ format for the film.
The final film that I have seen so far was in response to watching Clare Cottet’s talk last night about her cycle, with her husband Antoine Cottisch, along the mountain highways in Central Asia, China and Pakistan. The scenery alone will keep you watching.
Here’s the full list of films that have been curated by Barry Godin for the festival. You’ll find all the links on the Cycle Touring Festival website:
THE SLABS: DANNY MACASKILL (FILM, 6 MINUTES)
BEE WILD BEE FREE: BIKEPACKING AND BEEKEEPING (FILM, 5 MINUTES)
BIKEPACKING TO NORFOLK: THE PEDLARS WAY (FILM, 30 MINUTES)
THE PATAGONIA EXPRESS: BIKEPACKING ARGENTINA (FILM, 32 MINUTES)
STARTING A YOUTUBE CHANNELTIPS FOR A BIKE TOURING YOUTUBE CHANNEL (FILM, 36 MINUTES)
CYCLING IN TIBET: CYCLING THE FRIENDSHIP HIGHWAY (TALK, 48 MINUTES)
THE BEST BIKEPACKING TRIP I’VE NEVER HAD: THE BIG LOCKDOWN TRAVERSE (FILM, 6 MINUTES)
RUTA CHINGAZA: BIKEPACKING FOR CONSERVATION (FILM, 34 MINUTES)
UNHURRIED: THE JOHN MUIR WAY (FILM, 8 MINUTES)
CHOOSING TO LIVE: BIKEPACKING THE CANADIAN ROCKIES (FILM, 8 MINUTES)
LOST CAPTURES: BIKEPACKING NORWAY (FILM, 26 MINUTES)
LINE IN THE SAND: BIKEPACKING ICELAND’S INTERIOR (FILM, 17 MINUTES)
STUDIO GHIBLI CAMPOUT: ANIMATED LOCKDOWN SPECIAL (FILM, 4 MINUTES)
GRENZERFAHRUNGEN: CYCLING THE EUROPEAN GREEN BELT (FILM, 4 MINUTES
A MILE AN HOUR: A 24HR MARATHON (17 MINUTES)
TRUTH TO THE PROCESS: CLANDESTINE CYCLES BIKE BUILDING (FILM, 6 MINUTES
PAMIR TO KARAKORAM: THE WORLD’S HIGHEST HIGHWAYS (FILM, 60 MINUTES)
…and
THE GREAT BRITISH CYCLE TOUR: CYCLING TO THE UK’S FOUR CAPITALS (FILM, 64 MINUTES)
