Laguna Represents at Newport Beach Film Fest!

The Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) is a whirlwind, week-long event full of artistic and social intrigue. This year's 19th annual film fest had two films featuring local residents from Laguna Beach.

The first film, TransAngeles was produced by our very own, Hans Rey. Hans, a former pro mountain biker, continues to explore, photograph and film remote and urban locales worldwide. Both Hans and his wife, Carmen, are the founders of Wheels for Life, a non-profit organization providing bicycles to people in impoverished nations.

In this 25 minute epic off road journey, filmmaker Cedric Tassan, masterfully captures riveting footage, traversing Los Angeles and its mountainous surroundings over 5 days. Downhill champ, Missy Giove, rockstar, Timmy C., (bass player for Rage Against the Machine/Audioslave) and fellow Lagunan, Tony Z., (the force behind our Youth Interscholastic Mountain Biking Team), accompany Hans for breathtaking twists and turns, and bumps and jumps through the lens of a helmet GoPro. The film juxtaposes amazing aerial footage of LA's vast landscape with freeways of gridlock, allowing you a handle-bar view through the back streets, homeless encampments, Chinatown, Griffith Park, Hollywood Bowl and the Sunset Strip to Santa Monica. They shred the trails in the San Gabriel and Santa Monica Mountains and the final stage is a fire trail ride through Catalina Island ending at Avalon Harbor.

Immediately following TransAngeles was The Moment which follows a similar theme tracing the story of 3 Canadian pioneers of EXTREME Mountain Biking during the 90's. The film chronicles the ascent and popularity of these 3 guys, one of whom is Lagunan, Richie Schley. Richie was photographed for BIKE magazine numerous times for his mid-air skills and his graceful style while doing it. He is pictured wearing the original "Go Pro" helmet cam showing just how seriously times have changed.

Be sure to mark your calendar for NBFF 's 20th fest in April, 2019. You won't want to miss it!