The Ciclismo Classico Bike Travel Film Festival
15th Annual Ciclismo Classico Bike Travel Film Festival
We’re back in the heart of Davis Square and celebrating 15 years! Join other Greater Boston adventure lovers for the movie magic of socializing and enjoying inspiring films together.
Presented by Ciclismo Classico, the 15th Annual Ciclismo Classico Bike Travel Film Festival is a celebration of travel and human-powered adventure on wheels, and it is the only event of its type in the world. You don’t have to be a cyclist to enjoy these journeys featuring people, young and old, in the USA and abroad! We’ll be sharing an evening of short films and good company that will delight and inspire any attendee.
- Tuesday, March 18, 2025
- Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, MA – back by popular demand!
- 6:00 PM Social Hour
- 7:00 PM Films begin
- Show information link: TBA
- Ticket link: TBA
- Advance tickets: $24 +fees
- Day-of-show tickets: $29 + fees
- A portion of festival proceeds will be donated to the Pan Mass Challenge.
Each ticket includes one free entry into our fantastic prize drawing of Ciclismo Classico gift certificates, bike jerseys, and more!
Wheelworks proudly adds additional sponsorship support.
Additional festival dates are in Salem, MA, and Portland, ME. Stay tuned!
You asked and we listened! Over the years, we heard from many people that they hoped for a more MBTA-accessible venue. The historic Somerville Theatre is at the heart of Davis Square, with a Red Line station and six bus lines. If you are riding your bike, you can arrive via the Minuteman Bikeway from points west, the Alewife spur from Belmont, or the brand-new Somerville Community Path extension from Lechmere, with connections to the Charles River bike paths! If you are arriving by car, there are several paid lots and metered parking.
Our 2025 Featured Films!
- The 15th Annual Ciclismo Classico Bike Travel Film Festival featured films:
- Cycling across America at 10.2 mph (Kate Osborne, United Kingdom, 14 min) Just a normal gal taking on a big adventure. Cycling 3,659 miles over 67 days from San Francisco, CA, to Topsail Beach, NC, between Aug 22 and Oct 27, 2022. “Self-supported” but with huge support from her wonderful friends, family, and lovely strangers. When she was really tired or exceptionally hungry, scared of being hit by a car (very often, especially in places where there was animosity towards cyclists), trampled by cows, lost in a dirt track wilderness, or shedding a tear or two, capturing the moment on film was not even a consideration… so this video is very much a highlight reel; the result of hundreds of moments of Kate thinking, “This place/sunset/animal is absolutely beautiful; I need to get my phone out.
- ”The Route to Emancipation (Talib Abdullahi & Riley Engemoen, Austin, TX USA, 18 min) The Route To Emancipation by Black History Bike Ride follows 3 friends as they embark on a 350-mile cycling route from the Texas Capitol in Austin to the site where Juneteenth began in 1865. The journey takes viewers back through centuries of Black history in Texas, with interviews from educators, historians, and community leaders.
- Bikes & Hikes: A Burlington ⬌ Smugglers’ Notch Self-Powered Vermont Adventure!
(Brennan M Guerriere, Burlington, VT USA, 3 min) Follow “another guy on the internet” as he lives out his Vermont weekend warrior dream of biking to his local ski hill for an adventure that would make any Scandinavian Mountaineer jealous! - The Balkans Mirage: A Journey on Wheels (Nicolas Bellavance, Canada, 11 min) Four friends set out on a backpacking journey through the Balkans, a land of culture and breathtaking vistas that beckoned to be explored on two wheels. Felix and Nicolas, armed with their cameras, will stop at nothing to immortalize every moment of their bikepacking adventure. Alongside them is Annie, a determined scientist on a quest to uncover the secrets of a most enigmatic species of bats. And then there’s Mathieu, who hasn’t a clue what he’s gotten himself into.
- The Trails Before Us (Fritz Bitsoie, Navajo Nation, 12 min) The Trails Before Us follows 17-year-old Nigel James, a Diné mountain biker, as he hosts the first Enduro race in the Navajo Nation. Through revitalizing old sheep and livestock trails on his grandparents’ land, Nigel and a new generation of riders honor the connection to their land, community, and culture.
- Cycling on the Edge – Socotra (Tomas Fox, Chile, 11 min) Socotra, an Island off the South Coast of Yemen, is one of the most astonishing places on Earth. The historical events on the island date back to the first century BCE. For one, it played a big part in the ancient international trade. It continued to be a center for essential moments in history due to its unique natural resources and all the species of plants and animals endemic to the island. Today, this island is protected by UNESCO and remains isolated from the few people and thousands of goats.Omar Saadi is an Emirati gravel cyclist and owner of EDGE Cycling (Dubai, U.A.E.) who is passionate about the endless search for new places to ride and explore, or as he says, “…I like to go ride places where no one has ridden there before…” Naturally, this would lead him to the most isolated place he could think of, Socotra.
He asked Spanish cyclist Sami Sauri and Chilean Director Tomas Fox to join him in diving into the unknown and exploring this untapped island on bikes, the best way to tour the great outdoors.
- Libertad (Hilary Lex & Ashley Hayes, Bella Vista, AR USA, 17 min) In the heart of the most gender-unequal country in Latin America, Christa Castillo turns to the mountain bike to help Guatemalan women find healing
and freedom…including her own. This short documentary film chronicles the story of World Ride’s program in Guatemala through the eyes of Christa, their first ride leader in the country. World Ride is a registered 501c3 nonprofit that works to empower women globally through mountain biking. “When you open a door, the universe does the same and starts to conspire to create something for you.” – Christa CastilloThe Present (Timothy Dhalleine, Chile, 18 min) The Present is a 2023 adventure short documentary featuring the story of Dimitri Poffé, a 34-year-old French traveler who left his native France to undertake a cycling trip from Mexico City to Ushuaia after he tested positive for Huntington’s disease. Huntington’s disease is a rare neurodegenerative, hereditary, and incurable disease. Dimitri’s father passed away because of Huntington’s 20 years ago, and his sister has been developing the symptoms for the past 13 years. According to studies, Dimitri should develop the symptoms between 35 and 40 years old. On his adventure across South America, Dimitri visits researchers, associations, and people affected by the disease to raise awareness and share a message of hope. The Present is an inspiring story of solidarity showcasing the importance of living life to the fullest.
Now accepting entries for our 2026 film festival!
We invite professional and amateur filmmakers to submit films ranging from 3 to 60 minutes for consideration. Get more details at: filmfreeway.com/CiclismoClassicoBikeTravelFilmFestival
Festival Mission
Since our first Festival in 2010, we have inspired thousands of attendees to explore by bicycle. Whether across the globe or a few towns away, there’s nothing that recharges and expands horizons like bicycle travel. The Festival showcases independent films that depict the adventure, humor, and growth inherent in two-wheeled journeys. Our films portray a broad range of experiences – destinations ranging from small African villages to a campground 30 miles from home; solo travel or a family reunion on bicycles; an organized tour from inn to inn or a shoestring jaunt with tent and sleeping bag. Ours is the ONLY film festival in the USA focusing specifically on bicycle travel.
About Ciclismo Classico
The Ciclismo Classico mission is to offer high-quality, educational, and dreamy itineraries that celebrate the diversity of native peoples and their landscapes. By combining legendary service and rare cultural experiences, the Ciclismo Classico philosophy continues to energize and transform each and every guest.
As a specialized “boutique” tour operator since 1988, Ciclismo Classico provides the most authentic, unique and exciting vacations in the adventure travel industry. Their well-crafted educational trips in Italy, France, Spain, Austria, and New England are active immersions into local art, language, music and delicious cuisine. www.ciclismoclassico.com