In this time of oil dependence, global warming, and volatile Middle Eastern politics, the simple act of riding a bicycle can be elevated from an enjoyable, health-conscious pastime to a revolutionary act. This concept is reflected in countercultural movements such as Critical Mass bike rides, which take on traffic snarls and reclaim public streets for joyous mobs of cyclists; in music, through bands with names like This Bike is a Pipe Bomb; and in film, such as Reg Harkema’s MONKEY WARFARE, which claimed a Special Jury Prize for Best Canadian Feature at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival and recently screened at South By Southwest 2007.
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South By Southwest attracted thousands of artists and fans to Austin this week for a celebration of song and cinema unrivaled anywhere across Texas, and amidst the Bacchanalia of promo parties, prizes and prestige, they even got around to playing a few movies.

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