BOISE, Idaho — An international bicycle-themed film festival is making its way to Boise this Friday.
For the third year in a row, "Filmed by Bike" will air at the Egyptian Theatre in downtown Boise.
"Everybody that shows up I have seen at bike races, commuters I see on the street, bike shop owners, bike mechanics," said Bob Anthony, a spokesperson for the Idaho Walk Bike Alliance, which is sponsoring the event.
If you like bikes or bike as a hobby, there is a good chance one of these short films will speak to you.
"There are a lot of international films that are shown," Anthony said. "Many of them are about people that were from really poor countries, third world countries, and how they used bikes as a mode of transportation."
Among the international submissions that made the cut, a portion of "Following the Lieutenant" will air, a documentary featuring an all Idaho cast and crew.
"It’s basically a story of a group of buffalo soldiers who helped pioneer the use of the bike in the U.S. Army in the late 1890s," said Eric Westrom, who is a KTVB employee and director of "Following the Lieutenant."
"We were able to take Idaho's diverse landscape with the mountains, rivers, and the desert, and ghost towns and use that to double as the backdrop for this historic trip," Westrom said.
His film depicts the rugged journey across five different states made by buffalo soldiers on early-model bicycles.
"It's something that was pretty remarkable for the year," Westrom said. "You think about it, they were riding these heavy iron bikes, packed with gear and they estimated it was about 55 to 60 lbs. they were riding and pushing up and down."
Westrom says it’s an overlooked part of history and hopes the arduous journey made by those in the past will resonate with the modern cyclist.
"If you’re a cyclist or if you're just into outdoor adventure, this was pretty epic," he said.
Doors open Friday, Jan. 18, at 6 p.m. at the Egyptian Theater.
All proceeds benefit the Idaho Walk Bike Alliance.