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Guests: Academy Award Winner Torill Kove; LAB’s Elizabeth Murphy
I love this work! And, I am SOOOO lucky! Seriously… how many people have the opportunity to talk with someone who not only won an Academy Award but was nominated for two others as well? Me me me me me!
While watching the Oscars’ Show this year, I heard the title of an animated short and my head snapped to attention. The name of the film was Me and My Moulton and without even seeing the trailer, I knew it had to be about a Moulton Bicycle. If you don’t know the bicycle, here is what the manufacturer days:
The Moulton Bicycle is the original full-suspension, separable, small- wheeled, high performance bicycle, world renowned for speed, efficiency, durability and comfort. Expertly engineered for over 50 years and handcrafted in England, these bicycles are the world’s most efficient form of transport – designed for universal use, real performance and comfort.”
But, I wanted to know how and why Torill Kove, the award winning director and animator of the film, wrote her script around this bicycle. In a piece in the Huffington Post, Torill said:
“I like to think that animated shorts are to movies what poetry is to literature, in the sense that animators try to say something meaningful very quickly, in 30 minutes or less, one frame at a time”
Yes, the film is short: 13:48; but, it is bursting with beautifully classic animation, amazing details, and mirthful humor as the middle of the three little girls who ask their “hipster” parents for a bicycle, describes her life and why they want a bicycle like their friends have.
After the news, we head on down to Washington, DC for a report on the LAB’s Annual “National Bike Summit”.
Held March 12-15th this year, the Summit is tasked with bringing a positive message of cycling to the House and Senate. After two days of break-out sessions, keynote addresses, and a rousing “convention”, the delegates go “up on the Hill” and knock on the doors of their respective legislators delivering their message and asking for support.
In advance of the opening session of the Summit, a large group came together for the 4th annual National Women’s Forum. The theme this year was, “Bikes + Women Leaders = Big Ideas”.
To fill us in on all of that, I asked Bike League representative Elizabeth Murphy to join me on the show.
Today, it’s Pi day, tomorrow – The Ides of March – so, et tu and I – let’s go….