The Engine Inside film could be a catalyst for change

If the new trailer is an indication, The Engine Inside looks to be one of those special films that highlight cycling in the best possible way.

The Anthill Films project follows six everyday people from vastly different worlds who dedicate their lives to a simple, 200-year-old machine. Their trials and tribulations reveal the bicycle’s unique power to change lives and help build a better world.

“We originally wanted to make an anthem film for all sides of biking, similar to how Step Into Liquid represented all these amazing sides of surfing. It’s an idea we’ve had for years. Something we’d put out there when chatting about potential ideas for projects,” says Ian Dunn, the film’s executive producer. “Along the way, we found out Mitch Scott, who had written the iconic mountain bike film Lifecycles, also wanted to make a film about all sides of cycling. So we joined forces and started working on a pitch. That was way back in 2016.”

In 2019, Dunn says some funding came through, and the project started taking shape.

“As we started gathering and mapping out all these amazing stories, the same theme kept coming up: riding bikes is much more than a diverse sport that is loved by all kinds of people around the world… it can be a powerful catalyst for change,” Dunn says. “A simple, overlooked solution to overwhelming problems.”

And that truth became the new focus of the film, and those behind the project started looking for everyday people whose personal stories they would capture in different ways that show how the bike can help build a healthier, happier, more livable world.

“Our hope for the release is that we have millions of people humming along on bicycles; that The Engine Inside inspires people who already love the bicycle and those who would never think of it as a solution to come together and celebrate this amazing, simple machine to ride towards a better future,” says Daisy Maddinson, a writer and production coordinator on the film.

The six riders in the film include Indigenous rider Jay Bearhead, cyclist and lawyer Megan Hottman, Cycling Geckos founder Nouran Salah, Boomers Bikes found Kwaben Danso, endurance athlete Janice Tower, and #Bikelife icon RRDBLOCKS.

Nouran Salah

RRDBlocks (photo: Michael Wikan)

“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,” Maddinson says. “Is there a transformative power within us all that can be unlocked through the simple act of riding a bike?”

The world premiere of the movie will be at MOVE Amsterdam, Pon’s HQ, on June 3—World Bicycle Day.

From there, premiere events will happen until mid-July in locations around the world. After that, it will be available for digital download and to watch at ongoing screening events.

“We’re so excited to share the film’s incredible message with bike enthusiasts and non-bike riders everywhere,” Maddinson says. “We hope that it helps people realize that hope lies in the simple act of riding our bikes.”