A movie shot in Portland and based on a book by a Portland author will have its hometown premiere next month. What makes this even more exciting is that bicycling plays a starring role.
A Simple Machine is a new film by Mark Alan Hoffman (a good dude! he’s even been by The Shed for a chat!) that’s making it way through the festival circuit and will screen at the Panorama Film Festival in Portland on April 16th at 7:30 pm at Hollywood Theater.
The film is based on a book by Evan P. Schneider, whom you might recall as the writer behind the excellent Boneshaker Almanac series. Schneider’s A Simple Machine, Like a Lever came out in 2011 and was named one of the best books of the year by Willamette Week. I bumped into Schneider when the movie was being filmed back in March 2024. He was one of dozens of local cyclists who met after Bike Happy Hour and rode into the Central Eastside to film one of the scenes. If you were there that night, this is your big moment!
I’ve yet to see the film, but the trailer makes it look really interesting and the early buzz is strong (they’ve picked up two awards on the film festival circuit since January). Here’s a handy summary from the film’s website:
In order to get out of debt, Nick [Richard Blackmon] makes a series of radically frugal lifestyle choices without telling his girlfriend-practically-fianceé that he’s fixing up an old bike and going off the grid – a coming of age story about individual freedom, affordability, and the wisdom of simple tech.
And you guessed it, that “simple tech” is largely represented by Nick’s bicycle — a truly simple machine for complicated times. Given the war the U.S. is fighting over oil in the Middle East, the rising cost of living, and a growing sense of disillusionment with politics, the media, and just about everything right now — I couldn’t think of a better moment for this movie to come out.
Since most of the cast and crew are Portlanders themselves, this local screening means a lot. They are planning a bike ride to the theater, an afterparty, and other events. Be sure to follow @asimplemachinefilm on Instagram and/or check the Portland Panorama Film Festival website for updates.
Tickets for the screening just went on sale yesterday, so be sure to grab yours before it’s too late. You can buy them online here. And if you’re as psyched to see a Portland bike movie on the big screen as I am, help keep the buzz going by leaving a review on IMDB or Letterboxd.
Check out the trailer below and I’ll see you on April 16th!