Next week the 12th Big Bike Film Night rolls in to Arrowtown where audiences can watch the ‘world premiere’ of Queen of the Mountain, starring adventure activist Annie Ford.
The documentary follows Ford’s epic mission to break the Guinness World Record for the most vertical downhill on a mountain bike in 24 hours at Coronet Peak early last year — a record she originally set in 2022.
She didn’t just break her record though.
She shattered it.
Having completed 100 laps in 19 hours during her first attempt, then pulling out due to dangerous conditions, last January Ford settled in for the long haul, ultimately clocking up 133 laps, or 55,727 metres.
Simultaneously, she raised funds for Te Tapu o Tanē’s Project Tohu, the largest indigenous reforestation project ever undertaken in the Whakatipu.
Big Bike Film Night curator Brett Cotter says Ford’s relentless pursuit pushes the limits of endurance, and becomes a "powerful symbol of resilience and environmental commitment".
"Annie is known for combining extreme endurance challenges with environmental advocacy," he says.
"This film not only showcases Annie’s grit and determination, but also shows how using adventure as a tool can inspire others."
Queen of the Mountain’s one of nine films included in this year’s festival, which takes audiences from other backyard adventures in New Zealand to breathtaking landscapes in Norway, forests in the Canadian West Coast and the slopes of the punishing Mont Ventoux, in Southern France.
Cotter says the power of storytelling’s at the forefront of what they offer, and the belief the "humble bicycle" can help improve health and inspire people with where it can take them.
"As I’ve said, nothing begins without a story, so it’s a real privilege connecting communities with stories that captivate us, that uplift us and, most importantly, inspire us to get out and ride."
The Big Bike Film Night rolls through Arrowtown’s Athenaeum Hall this coming Tuesday, with screenings at 4pm and 7.30pm, and stops by Glenorchy’s Headwaters Eco Lodge next Wednesday from 6.30pm — tickets are available from bigbikefilmnight.co.nz.
