When Brendt Barbur was hit by a bus riding his bike in New York City in early 2001, he decided people had to start seeing bicycles, or at least films about them. So Barbur founded the International Bicycle Film Festival.
Now in its tenth year, the event is part art, part movement and all to celebrate one of the earth’s greenest modes of transportation. Traveling to 38 cities across the globe from Lisbon to Los Angeles, the festival comes to Minneapolis this weekend.
An international collaboration, it features a mixture of both short and feature films from three continents, all of which place the bicycle at their helm. Included in this year’s lineup is “Down by the Weep Hole,” a documentary by Nathaniel Freeman that highlights Minnesota’s own Stupor Bowl, an informal bicycle race held every year in February on the streets of Minneapolis.
In addition to films, this year’s festival also features an opening group ride from Gold Medal Park to the cinema at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. A scavenger hunt on bikes will close the festivities on Saturday.
Opening Night Film Screenings: 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, July 15, at Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 2400 3rd Ave. South, Minneapolis. (612) 870-6323.
Screenings on Friday, July 16, and Saturday, July 17: 7-10 p.m. Friday; 5-10 p.m. Saturday, at the Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave. South, Minneapolis. (612) 338-2674.
Group Ride (5:30 p.m., Thursday, July 15) and Scavenger Hunt (12:30 p.m., Saturday, July 17) at Gold Medal Park, 900 S. 2nd St., Minneapolis. (612) 339-4711.
International Bicycle Film Festival. MIA, Cedar Cultural Center and Gold Medal Park. Three Day Passes are $32. For further details on the event, check out the Bicycle Film Festival website.
