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.<\/p>\n
A Simple Machine is a new film by Mark Alan Hoffman (a good dude! he\u2019s even been by The Shed for a chat!) that\u2019s making it way through the festival circuit and will screen at the Panorama Film Festival in Portland on April 16th<\/a> at 7:30 pm at Hollywood Theater.<\/p>\n The film is based on a book by Evan P. Schneider, whom you might recall as the writer behind the excellent Boneshaker Almanac<\/a><\/em> series. Schneider\u2019s A Simple Machine, Like a Lever<\/a><\/em> 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!<\/p>\n I\u2019ve yet to see the film, but the trailer makes it look really interesting and the early buzz is strong (they\u2019ve picked up two awards on the film festival circuit since January). Here\u2019s a handy summary from the film\u2019s website:<\/p>\n In order to get out of debt, Nick [Richard Blackmon] makes a series of radically frugal lifestyle choices without telling his girlfriend-practically-fiance\u00e9 that he\u2019s fixing up an old bike and going off the grid \u2013 a coming of age story about individual freedom, affordability, and the wisdom of simple tech.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n And you guessed it, that \u201csimple tech\u201d is largely represented by Nick\u2019s bicycle \u2014 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 \u2014 I couldn\u2019t think of a better moment for this movie to come out.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> and\/or check the Portland Panorama Film Festival<\/a> website for updates.<\/p>\n Tickets for the screening just went on sale yesterday, so be sure to grab yours before it\u2019s too late. You can buy them online here<\/a>. And if you\u2019re 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<\/a> or Letterboxd<\/a>.<\/p>\n Check out the trailer below and I\u2019ll see you on April 16th!<\/p>\n \n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/bikeportland.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/lead-image-template-26.png\")
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