Big Bike Film Night – Biking from around the world

The Big Bike Film Night is a touring film festival that showcases a collection of short films from around the world, all centered around the theme of cycling. It features a diverse range of films encompassing action, adventure, drama, humor, and inspiration, appealing to a broad audience of bike enthusiasts.

The Big Bike Film Night was founded by Brett Cotter, a bike enthusiast based in Taupō, New Zealand. The initial inspiration struck him while working in Canada, admiring the Banff Mountain Film Festival.

The catalyst for bringing the idea to life occurred in 2015 when the Giant Bike sculpture in Taupō, a symbol of the town’s cycling culture, was vandalized. To raise funds for its repair, Cotter reached out to filmmakers and organised screenings of short cycling films.

The Big Bike Film Night aims to:

• Bring the best short cycling films from around the world to audiences.
• Celebrate the fun, adventure, and inspiration that bikes enable.
• Showcase human-powered stories that resonate with a varied audience, not just hardcore cyclists.
• Inspire people to get out and ride.

Each year, Cotter curates a new collection of films that meet four key criteria: they must be entertaining, original, informative, and, above all, inspiring. The films cover various aspects of cycling, including road cycling, mountain biking, BMX, bike touring, commuting, and more.

May 2025

The Big Bike Film Night is currently on its 2025 New Zealand tour, which began in February and runs until mid-June. Screenings are in Central Auckland.

The 2025 collection of films includes stories about gravel biking on challenging terrains, the camaraderie of “Type 2 Fun” rides, community and compassion through cycling, a bikepacking trip in Wānaka to raise climate awareness, mountain biking in Queenstown, adventures for people with disabilities in Scotland, the art of “winging it” while bike traveling, and a Kiwi rider’s experience in a six-day mountain bike rally.