Get curated editors’ picks, peeks behind the scenes, film recommendations and more.
Covering a sprawling 1,500 miles (2,400 km) along the Saint Laurence River from Quebec city to Montreal and back, the Tour du St-Laurent was once the longest amateur bike race in the world. The film 60 Cycles (1965) from the French-Canadian filmmaker Jean-Claude Labreque tracks scenes from the 11th and penultimate running of this ‘Tour of New France’ in 1964. Setting the action to the sounds of a groovy surf-rock-infused soundtrack, Labreque renders the competition quite secondary to the mesmerising sights of bodies and bikes in motion against the Gaspé countryside. With its stylish action and kinetic editing, this short film would notably go on to inspire the Star Wars filmmaker George Lucas.
Director: Jean-Claude Labreque
Website: National Film Board of Canada
video
Stories and literature
Robert Frost’s poetic reflection on youth, as read in his unforgettable baritone
5 minutes
video
Film and visual culture
‘Bags here are rarely innocent’ – how filmmakers work around censorship in Iran
8 minutes
video
Language and linguistics
Closed captions suck. Here’s one artist’s inventive project to make them better
8 minutes
video
Architecture
The celebrated architect who took inspiration from sitting, waiting and contemplating
29 minutes
video
Subcultures
Drop into London’s eclectic skate scene, where newbies and old-timers find community
5 minutes
video
Rituals and celebrations
A whale hunt is an act of prayer for an Inuit community north of the Arctic Circle
8 minutes
video
Music
The peculiar beauty of a song caught between composition and improvisation
3 minutes
video
Rituals and celebrations
A beginner’s guide to a joyful Persian tradition of spring renewal and rebirth
3 minutes
video
Love and friendship
Love looks a bit different for a chain-smoking couple in a small apartment
11 minutes