A sold-out crowd packed Salem Cinema on Aug. 23 for "A Simple Machine," a black-and-white debut feature about a Portland man who trades his car for a bicycle to escape debt.
Before the screening, 60 riders from Salem's Social Cyclists pedaled through the city in a group ride before the 6:30 p.m. showing at Salem Cinema, 1230 Broadway St. NE. The film's own Facebook page called it "a moving and sold out showing" and thanked The Northwest Hub and Salem Bike Club.
The turnout caught director Mark Hoffman off guard.
"I did not anticipate any of this making the film, but we got lucky with the bike angle," Hoffman told Oregon ArtsWatch in a Sept. 18 interview. He said the film's focus on city infrastructure and livability resonated with Salem audiences, noting that conversations about making progressive cities livable again have given the movie an unexpected second life on the road.
Hoffman grew up in Ashland and is now based in Portland. The film, adapted from a book by Evan Schneider, follows a man in pandemic-era Portland who embraces extreme frugality after years of debt. It was shot in black and white by director of photography Kevin Fletcher, with a cast led by Richard Blackmon and Gabriela Quezada.
The production relied on Portland film professionals who worked for minimum wage or donated their time. Hoffman spent four months casting Blackmon through a Los Angeles agent, choosing him in part because both men were former student athletes and Hoffman knew Blackmon would ride the bike himself.
"A Simple Machine" won the Audience Award at the Cleveland International Film Festival and has screened at the Ashland Film Festival, the Portland Panorama Film Festival and the Vancouver International Film Centre. Hoffman said he is self-distributing the film and looking to break even before considering a digital release.
The film screened Sept. 12 in Columbus, Ohio. Upcoming dates include the Kiggins Theatre in Vancouver, Washington, and Laemmle Theaters in Los Angeles in November. No return Salem screening has been announced.
