Whether on an epic adventure, riding 100,000 km around the world in search of meaning, crossing the Pacific ocean on a motorcycle-powered make-shift raft, exploring our draw to the speed and danger of racing at the Isle of Man, or the romantic and somewhat bizarre rituals of Italian fans and racers for whom motorcycles are a sort of religion, there is no stopping a great story.
The fourth annual Toronto Motorcycle Film Festival presented by Pfaff Harley-Davidson announces the selection of 20 juried films that will be screened at this year’s festival.
Highlights include the Canadian Premiere of When the Road Ends – Lost in the Pacific from global adventurer Dylan Wickrama, who after journeying 200,000 km across four continents, is stopped in Panama where the road ends, swallowed up by an impenetrable jungle at the Darién Gap. With no choice, Dylan takes to the sea, building a raft powered by his motorcycle in the hope of reaching Colombia’s road network 700 km away across the Pacific despite strong ocean currents and storms; the North American Premiere of Somewhere Else Together from two-time award-winning director Daniel Rintz, the story of Daniel and Josephine’s three-year journey around the globe, chased by wild elephants, and caught in the cross-fire of a police-smuggler gunfight, among heartfelt stories of connection with local communities; and a spotlight on three Canadian short films including Biker Bob’s Posthumous Adventure directed by Cat Mills, the unbelievable but true story of a bottle containing the ashes of Biker Bob that washed up on the shores of Vancouver, BC with the message, “Biker Bob. If you find me, turn me loose.”
From first time directors to award-winning filmmakers, this year’s Festival lineup offers a diverse range of international films that encompass adventurous travelogues, racing documentaries, and touching stories of the human spirit, all told through the lens of motorcycling.
From the nearly 60 films that were submitted for consideration the 20 films that form the Official Selection span the globe from Canada, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Japan and as far away as Australia and New Zealand.
“Movies are powerful and often evoke feelings that reflect our search for truth and influence our outlook on everyday life,” said Caius Tenche, Festival Director and Founder. “More so then ever, we need movies that bring us out of our daily routine and allow us to vicariously encounter new places and experiences. Stories that remind us of the unextinguishable flame of the human desire to explore and connect.”
This year’s lineup includes 8 World Premieres including The Space Between from executive producers Tom Brady, Michael Strahan, and Gotham Chopra that explores why racers continue to risk their lives in pursuit of a win at the world’s most dangerous race, the Isle of Man TT; and award-winning director Jeffrey Zani’s Spaghetti Racing (Romagna Racing) a series of vignettes in a beautiful Italian-storytelling style that has no standard story or evolution of events, but rather provides glimpses into the lives and daily rituals of six Italians with romantic ideas about motorcycling.
Now in its fourth year, the TMFF is the first and only Canadian film festival dedicated to screening movies focused on motorcycles and the incredible culture of motorcycling. The films in the Festival are eligible for awards given to the best narrative, documentary and Canadian film, selected by a four-person jury. Social and environmental-advocacy entrepreneur and filmmaker Kirsten Midura, writer and actor, Sophia Vassiliadis, Gemini Award-nominee and Departures co-creator and host Scott Wilson, and Canada Moto Guide managing editor, Dustin Woods make up this year’s jury.
The 4th Toronto Motorcycle Film Festival runs October 1–10, 2020 and films will be available both online and for a few select films, in-theatre at the historic Revue Cinema in Toronto’s vibrant Roncesvalles Village.
T M F F C O M P L E T E 2 0 2 0 L I N E U P
A Road Less Travelled directed Blake Sovdi | Canada
World Premiere
Biker Bob’s Posthumous Adventure directed by Cat Mills | Canada
Special Screening
DB Industries All Day Every Day directed by Morgan Betz | USA
World Premiere
Fast Eddie directed by Brenna Eckerson | USA
Canadian Premiere
Fighting MSA | Austin Crawford’s Story directed by Phil Gioja | USA
Canadian Premiere
In the Red directed by Patrick Booney | United Kingdom
Canadian Premiere
International Jampot 2020 NZ directed by Peter Blasdale | New Zealand
World Premiere
Reappear directed by Tommy Clarke | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Somewhere Else Together directed by Daniel Rintz | Germany
North American Premiere
Song of Sosa directed by Cam Elkins | Australia
World Premiere
Spaghetti Racing (Romagna Racing) directed by Jeffrey Zani | Italy
World Premiere
The Boomerang directed by Tiziano Niero | USA
Special Screening
The Duchess of Speed directed by Tiziano Niero | USA
Special Screening
The Litas directed by William Desena | USA
Canadian Premiere
The Pilgrimage directed by Lori Lozinski | Canada
Special Screening
The Roost produced by Speedtractor and Willdesu with Sunshine Pictures | Japan
Canadian Premiere
The Scramblers: A Motorcycle Diary directed by Yvan Belaieff | France
World Premiere
The Space Between from executive producers Tom Brady, Michael Strahan and Gotham Chopra | USA
World Premiere
The Trees, the Wind, & the Birds directed by Chris Ironhadt | USA
Special Screening
When the Road Ends – Lost in the Pacific directed by Dylan Wickrama | Switzerland
Canadian Premiere
For film synopses, credit, images, and more information visit torontomotofilmfest.com/film-guide.
A sizzle reel with this year’s films can be found at youtu.be/Lb67RXcAeco.
Tickets for the online component of the Festival range in price from $5.99–$8.99 for single screenings, or $75 for an all-access pass and can be purchased online at torontomotofilmfest.com/tickets.
Ticket information for theatre screenings at the Revue Cinema will be announced mid-September.
