Kick-stands Up for Bicycle Film Festival

By Tim State in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 12, 2007 3:08PM

So in 2000 a dude gets hit by a New York City Bus (Bear with us; the story has roots in New York, and eventually makes its way to our city) and decides he’s going to make something positive out of the experience. What does Brendt Barbur do? He creates a Bicycle Film Festival (BFF), featuring films celebrating the bike. And all forms of bikes: Tall-Bike Jousting, Track Bikes, BMX, Alleycats, Critical Mass, Bike Polo, Cycling to Recumbents--if it’s a bike, BFF has probably screened a movie about it.

Now in its seventh year, BFF does its second pass through Chicago this next week as part of its tour. Kick-stands go up Wednesday with Bikes Rock!, a party headlined by Flosstradamus at Town Hall Pub. Film screenings begin Friday evening at Stan Mansion. Featured films include Toronto Film Festival Special Jury Award Winner “Monkey Warfare,” BMX flick “Grounded,” a four-person manned vessel of adventure in “BikeCar,” and an historical mountain-biking documentary “Klunkerz.” The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation will provide valet bicycle parking for the screenings.

Officials with BFF claim the festival has been credited with pushing bicycle culture forward throughout the world. Well, maybe in New York. But in Chicago, we’ve got our mayor to thank for helping to move cycling forward.

You can download movie trailers from the BFF Web site, where the full-schedule of events is available.

Photo by Timothy State.