FILm | saturday, august 26 | Movie at sunset (Doors at 6:30 PM) | FREE
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FUSION is thrilled to host an outdoor screening of the award-winning film, THE ENGINE INSIDE. The Engine Inside—a new feature-length documentary from Anthill Films—tells the stories of six everyday people from all over the globe who reveal the unique power of the bicycle to change lives and build a better world. Through their stories, we uncover the overlooked potential of this 200-year-old machine, learning that in the face of our seemingly insurmountable global challenges, hope lies in the simple act of riding our bikes.
Come join us at FUSION | The Meadow on August 26th to watch this inspiring film. The doors open at 6:30 PM and the film will begin at sunset. A limited number of chairs will be provided, feel free to bring along your favorite lawn chair. Drinks will be available from Safe House Distilling and Teller Genuine Vodka. Please RSVP for this FREE event.
TRAILER
ABOUT THE ENGINE INSIDE
The Engine Inside—a new feature-length documentary from Anthill Films—tells the stories of six everyday people from all over the globe who reveal the unique power of the bicycle to change lives and build a better world.
Through their stories, the film uncovers the often-overlooked potential of this 200-year-old machine, exploring its impact on a wide range of global issues such as physical and mental health, socioeconomic inequality and climate change.
By shining a light on people who have embraced cycling as a way to overcome daunting personal and systemic challenges, The Engine Inside ultimately asks viewers to reconsider their own perspective. Is there a transformative power within us all that can be unlocked through the simple act of riding a bike?
Shimano, Pon.Bike, and PeopleForBikes present an Anthill Films production, narrated by the voice of cycling, Phil Liggett. Featuring Jay Bearhead, Nouran Salah, RRDBlocks, Janice Tower, Megan Hottman, and Kwabena Danso, with Danny MacAskill and Robert Gesink.
FILM STILLS
THE ENGINE INSIDE CHARACTER BIOS
Jay Bearhead lives, works and recreates on the lands of the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc territory, in the unceded ancestral lands of the Secwépemc Nation in British Columbia, Canada. As a child, Jay was put into foster care before being sent to a residential school in the US, where he suffered horrendous sexual abuse, trauma and the forcible removal of his culture. Eventually falling into addiction and homelessness, Jay returned to the only tool that he knew could save him: the bicycle. Now on a path to healing, he mentors indigenous youth dealing with their own generational trauma through mountain biking.
Janice Tower began competitive cycling when many would be thinking about retiring and has since completed a huge swathe of mountain bike stage races from the Absalon Cape-Epic in South Africa, Trans-Rockies in Canada, Trans-Alps in Europe, to the 350-mile trans-Alaska Iditarod Trail Invitational in winter—which she recently completed for a second time after turning 60. As well as a racer, Janice coaches pro cyclists through to newies; has set up a Mighty Bikes kids program that coaches over 200 children; and founded Singletrack Adventures, the local trail association for mountain biking in her hometown of Anchorage, Alaska. With a focus on testing herself in the great outdoors, Janice shows us what we can achieve when we put our minds to it.
Megan Hottman, AKA The Cyclist Lawyer, is a powerhouse in and outside of the courthouse. A former professional road and track cyclist, Megan was competing in World Cups and racing in 2011 for pro team "Primal-MapMyRide", before hanging up her race bike and getting to work at her practice, Hottman Law Office. Blending her passion and profession, Megan has now represented over 120 cyclists in their cases, as well as provided counsel to other lawyers, cycling groups, bike shops, and organizations, saying “I'm doing what I was meant to do." A film believer in the ability of bicycles to build a better, more equitable, more livable future for all, she continues to fight for everyone’s right to cycle.
Nouran Salah. While many of us don’t think twice about riding a bike, in some places in the world, it is still frowned upon for women to ride bikes. Cairo-born and raised, Nouran Salah is a force to be reckoned with. For her, breaking this deeply embedded social taboo is non-negotiable. Challenging the status quo, Nouran started Cycling Geckos—the first female cycling movement in Egypt—to empower women to ride bikes and change the narrative. The group hold regular meet-ups and community ride-outs, as well as aiding underprivileged neighbourhoods in the city, all with the help of the bicycle.
Kwabena Danso. Economic stability, education and resources are all points of contention for the people of rural Ghana. But one man changing things is Kwabena Danso. Growing up in Yonso, Ghana, with only an exercise book and a single pen, Kwabena’s story of rags to riches is one you may be familiar with. The resounding difference? Kwabena’s mentality is that wealth shouldn’t be used for greed and accumulation, and instead should be distributed more evenly to provide opportunities for the next generation. Now the owner of a bamboo bike enterprise, Booomers Bikes, he has since produced over 3,000 frames, employed over 50 young people aged between 18 and 29, and provided an income to 20 young people who harvest and 200 farmers who cultivate bamboo. Kwabena also uses a percentage of the profits to build and maintain a school in his childhood village as well as give bikes to children where distance is a barrier to education.
RRDBlocks. Darnell Williams, AKA RRDBlocks, is an infamous rider based in New York City. Inspired by Rough Ryderz videos, his street riding led him to start Bike Life in NYC: a movement that sees hundreds of cyclists take to the streets, block traffic, and generally have fun riding bikes—everyone is welcome, whatever bike they ride. It’s all about community for DBlocks, who also hands out bikes to kids all over the city. Riding every day, you’ll find DBlocks and his crew dominating freeways, popping wheelies and riding a bike just about any way imaginable. Raining? Snow on the ground? Legs hurt? Got a headache? All that’s the distraction, he says. That’s Bike Life.
BTS PHOTOS
