The Big Bike Film Night 2026 will be shown in Whangamatā on Tuesday 14 April, 7.00pm at Edisons; Whitianga – Wednesday 15 April, 6.30pm at the Mercury Twin Cinemas; Thames – Friday 17 April, 7.00pm at the Thames Civic Centre. For more information and to buy tickets visit www.bigbikefilmnight.nz
The Big Bike Film Night
Curated by: Brett Cotter
Running time: 2.5 hours
Number of films: Nine – ranging from 2 to 29 minutes
Rating: Exempt
Each year, I set out with just one goal: to find the best short cycling films from around the world for our audiences, celebrating the fun, adventure, and inspiration that cycling enables.
With its globetrotting array of short cycling films, The Big Bike Film Night’s inspiring 2026 collection is sure to spark the imagination of both local cycling enthusiasts and film lovers.
Stories are at the heart of everything, and our dazzling 2026 collection features nine mesmerizing films; each as are as dynamic and diverse as you could hope for.! Audiences will be transported from backyard adventures in New Zealand to the breathtaking landscapes of Norway, to the lush forests of the Canadian West Coast, and we’ll crown things off on the slopes of the punishing Mont Ventoux, in Southern France.”
A highlight of this year’s programme is the world premiere of Queen of the Mountain- which is set in the stunning surrounds of Queenstown. This documentary follows Annie Ford, an adventure activist, as she attempts to break the 24-hour Guinness World Record in downhill mountain biking- all to raise funds for reforesting the foothills in the Queenstown basin.
The treasure chest of films
- a dazzling mountain bike ride exploring the breathtaking landscapes of Norway, embracing the magic of the midnight sun
- a life-changing experience for two adventurous women as they embark to cycle to all the ski-fields in New Zealand in one gigantic attempt
- an inspiring film that captures the most brutalist, most heinous, wettest, coldest, riding conditions imaginable
- a compelling story about perseverance, showcasing the challenges and triumphs of navigating daily life following a life-altering injury, and how adaptive design has transformed and enriched the journey forward
- a heart-warming father-and-son journey, joining them as they take on one of life’s most meaningful milestones- riding a bike together as a family
- and we all love an underdog tale! The audience is transported back to the nostalgic 1990s, to the slopes of the punishing Mont Ventoux, in Southern France, to witness the drama of a battle between two giants.
