When a 3-metre bike statue in Taupō, New Zealand was viciously vandalised in 2014 only two months after it was erected, the local cycling community rallied to raise funds to repair the bike.
Brett Cotter, a keen cyclist and then a wine marketer, wanted to play his part so he decided to organise a film festival centred around cycling, cyclists and their stories.
The Big Bike Film Night was born; the inaugural 2015 event was sold out in cinemas across New Zealand, and, in conjunction with other community initiatives, helped restore the Taupō bike statue to its former glory.
Fast-forward eight years, and now Cotter is full-time at the helm of the annual Big Bike Film Night, which tours across New Zealand, Australia and Scotland.
“Ultimately, the films I look for celebrate the fun, the adventure and the inspiration that cycling brings us,” Cotter said.
“These films are about passions, challenge, adversity… those are at the core of these stories.
“But there are some really emotive films as well, which are quite heartwarming, showing the struggles people go through and looking at how the bike is part of their ability to transcend those struggles.
The Big Bike Film Night 2013 comes to Geelong’s Village Cinemas for two showings on Monday, August 14, bringing 10 of the best short films on cycling from around the world, including New Zealand, Australia, Italy and Scotland.
The original, single showing at 6.15pm sold out quickly, forcing Cotter to organise a second showing at 6.45pm.
He said his proudest feeling was seeing people who were not interested in cycling leaving the cinema with their expectations “exceeded beyond compare”.
“A bike is the ultimate freedom machine; it takes you places both physically and metaphorically,” Cotter said.
“From the first film to the last film, it’s inspiration plus. It’s really made me aware of just how powerful a bike can be to people and what a bike can actually mean.”
