Global bike film festival begins in Taupō

One of the films features an adventure to the Austrian region of Osttirol, with the peak in the background called the Bretterwandspitze. Photo / Stephan Wibmer - Gravel Mania

In its 11th year, The Big Bike Film Night celebrates cycling in all its glorious shapes and forms and begins its national and global tour in Taupō on February 19.

The 2025 programme is described by its Taupō-based curator and “film pedlar”, Brett Cotter, as “a feast of short films devised and designed for the two-wheel devotee”.

With its humble beginnings back in 2015, The Big Bike Film Night is now a much-anticipated film festival that brings a love of cycling to cinemas, presenting an array of international and New Zealand movies.

“Each year I set out with just one goal - to bring together the best short cycling films from around the world for our audiences.

“These films celebrate the fun, the adventure, and inspiration that bikes enable.

“Our scintillating 2025 collection contains eight mesmerizing films that are as varied and diverse as you could hope for with arguably the finest selection of backyard adventures in New Zealand yet.”

There are also films from exotic locations like northern Pakistan to the suburban streets of Santa Barbara in America, and the soaring mountain peaks of Austria to the captivating highlands in Scotland, Cotter said.

All In or Nothing is a Kiwi story set around the Nelson and Tasman regions and follows 19-year-old trailblazer Matt Fairbrother, as he participates in the multistage enduro event The New Zealand Mountain Bike Rally.

“Matt is known for doing things differently. This mind-blowingly awesome film not only showcases Matt’s grit, determination and resilience over the 27 downhill enduro race stages, then there’s the additional 500km cycling that he did between the stages carrying his own kit, eating what he carried, sleeping rough in a bivy, kayaking 50km across the ocean, and grinding up 18,000 extra vertical metres to get to the finish line.

“The power of storytelling is at the forefront of what we offer, and the belief that the humble bicycle can help improve our health, inspire and uplift people with where it can take you.”

After its premiere at the Great Lake Centre, 7pm in Taupō on Wednesday, the tour then visits 52 locations across the country, finishing on June 13, before visiting locations across the world.

For more information and to buy tickets visit www.bigbikefilmnight.nz