Cycling Without Age and Walkable USA top 2024 Better Cities films
First+Main Films has announced the winning films from the 2024 Better Cities Film Festival. The Grand Prize Best Film and Best Short Film award goes to Cycling Without Age. The documentary by director Isaac Seigel-Boettner captures poignant stories of pedal-powered rickshaw pilots and their elderly passengers. The Best Feature Film award goes to Walkable USA. Directed by Tom Desch, the documentary explores the work of Jeff Speck, an urban designer and city planner who has emerged as the premier advocate of walkable cities.
Starting this evening through October 30, viewers can make popcorn at home, relax on the couch, and watch the short prize winners online, through October 30, for just ten bucks.
Other winners included: Freak Bikes, a profile of L.A. bicycle activist Jimmy Lizama directed by Ryan Mekenian, which the Hero Award. The Spirit of the Fest Award goes to director Jim Stephenson, honoring two short films, Lockwood Way and BLOQS. Stoop Chat with Jimmy & Shanaya, directed by Marj Kleinman and Gabriella Canal, earned the Audience Favorite Award with its inspiring vision to revitalize communities through stoop culture and inter-generational connections.
The Better Cities Film Festival annually screens the world’s most inspiring stories about improving cities, towns, and neighborhoods. The 2024 edition ran from September 19-22 in Detroit, Michigan. Films screened were shown at Campus Martius Park through the festival’s ongoing collaboration with Downtown Detroit Partnership. Sunday film screenings occurred at Christ Church Detroit, an Episcopal church located downtown.
Throughout the remainder of 2024 the Better Cities Film Festival travels to smaller cities and towns throughout America and the world, screening a 75-minute Best of Fest reel. “We’ve designed the Better Cities Film Festival to work with local governments, organizations and groups to enable communities everywhere to screen these stories and inspire conversation and change in their hometowns,” said John Paget, co-founding partner of First+Main Films. Here's the promo video for Cycling Without Age:
