Pedal-Powered Cinema Debuts in Prague this Week

Going to the movies means sprawling across an uncomfortable seat, zoning out in the dark, and snacking, loudly, right?

Not if your film of choice happens to be Thursday’s screening of the Coen brother’s “The Big Lebowski” at Žižkov arthouse cinema Aero.

Prague’s first ever Cyklokino, a collaboration between Aerofilms and Czech sustainable technologies company Nano Energies, has been in the works for close to a year—its aim is to show film goers the value of energy.

Spectators will be able to pedal on eight specially modified bikes with nothing but their blood, sweat, and tears powering the entire movie via a “cyclo-electric” power plant.

“The idea is that the energy we need to produce the film will be generated by the treadmill of the wheels,” says Zuzana Kamenikova, director of Aero cinema.

“Anyone will be able to get involved as his or her powers allow. We do not want fans to miss the whole movie, switching is, of course, allowed and welcome. If people fail to peddle, however, the projection stops.”

In case you miss this inaugural muscle-cramp-inducing cinematic experience, Aero has plans to extend their human-powered series of screenings.

“The projections…are scheduled to be done once a month. Our goal is to select movies that have the potential for a common experience.”

To that end, the event picks up again in May with the beloved tale of Philly boxer Rocky Balboa.

“I believe that the story of an outsider who runs through Philadelphia behind the iconic soundtrack picks up absolutely everyone,” Kameníková adds.

Bicycle-powered cinema has already taken off in other cities in the US and UK.