About Chasing The Sun: One Pedal Stroke At A Time

How far can we go? 

From the makers of the acclaimed film Bicycle, comes a new feature-length documentary...

In 1973 a man in a little known American University set out to discover the most energy efficient creature on earth. The experiment has since entered into legend and is now more relevant to our world than ever before: a human being on a bicycle is the most efficient being on the planet.

The bicycle can enable ordinary people to do extraordinary things, like Chase The Sun- an event where people ride coast to coast, 200 miles or more in a single day, fuelled only by sandwiches, energy bars, cups of tea and good cheer.

And it has the potential to do something much more extraordinary. At a time of energy crisis, of climate catastrophe caused by energy misuse, the bicycle can take a front line position in the fight against climate change. One pedal stroke at a time.

This film follows Chase The Sun riders as they cycle coast to coast, sunrise to sunset.

As we cross the country, we reveal stories beyond the ride itself. How the bicycle is pushing up green shoots across the land, tackling climate change and bringing other benefits through congestion and pollution reduction, mental and physical wellbeing and community joy. Like the ride, these stories are rooted in a range of landscapes and feature the diverse communities that are Britain today.

The film features inspiring stories from charity Life Cycle and women's cycling club Kent Velo Girls alongside contributions from broadcaster Ned Boulting, writer/blogger Jools Walker, World Champ mountain biker Tracy Moseley and artist/national treasure Richard Long.

“We’ve got a once in a lifetime opportunity to revolutionise how people get around and we cannot let it slip through our fingers.” Chris Boardman, Olympian & National Active Travel Commissioner

Our team

Chasing The Sun is brought to you by the makers of acclaimed feature documentary Bicycle

Michael B.Clifford

Director

BAFTA award winning film director,
working in drama and documentary, Michael has been making documentaries since 1990. His first film Scala (40 mins) was about one of London’s most famous and indeed infamous cinemas, in Kings Cross which was forced to close by Stanley Kubrick after screening A Clockwork Orange against his will.

His 2015 film Bicycle featuring Chris Boardman and Chris Hoy was named by Road CC as one of the greatest cycling films ever made and he followed this up with Mountain Biking the Untold British Story and The Fastest Bicycle in the World.

Pip Piper

Producer

Pip Piper is a producer, executive producer and director specialising in feature documentaries, with an international reputation.

He has produced and directed projects depicting record shops to mountain biking and solo climbing. He produced Michael B.Clifford’s award-winning documentary Bicycle.

His feature film, The Insatiable Moon, co-produced with Tim Sanders (Lord of the Rings) and filmed in New Zealand was released theatrically in the UK and NZ and went on to win the prestigious Moondance Festival USA and 2 NZ National Film awards.

Pip runs a media charity OSBD to help develop young people into the creative industries. He is currently developing a slate of feature projects.

Phil Webb

Producer

With a career spanning the music industry, publishing, architecture and design, Phil commissions and produces short films and feature documentaries. 

As well as Chasing The Sun,  Phil is developing a slate of music projects and is currently producing The Unequal Pandemic, a film which shows how existing inequalities in the UK were exposed and amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jools Walker

Consultant & contributor

Jools started her writing career in 2010 on the award-winning blog, Vélo City Girl. Since then, she has published her first book (Back in the Frame) with Little, Brown and written for publications including The Guardian, Glorious Sport, Time Out London, Cycling UK, Grazia, and Refinery29.

She likes to write and create content on a range of subjects, including (but not limited to): cycling, fashion, tech, health and wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, and mental health.

Tim Dendy

DoP/Editor

Our Director of Photography and editor, Tim was also one of the original founders and collaborators of media charity osbd and is still working with them on projects. His creativity and insight help under pin what they are all about.

Jem McCluskey

Drone photography & 2nd unit

Jem has photographed on several continents and his work has been published as far away as the Seychelles, Brazil, Kenya and China, in newspapers, magazines and periodicals. 

Jem’s film work, both on the ground and in the air, has spanned diverse genres such as natural history, including sub-aqua, commercial promos, corporate films, award winning arts based and documentary work for the BBC.

Chasing The Sun: where can you see the film?

Release strategy

Fresh from a sold-out tour of UK cinemas, Chasing The Sun is the new documentary film from 2x BAFTA-winning director Michael B.Clifford. 

It explores extraordinary personal stories of ordinary cyclists taking on iconic endurance event Chase The Sun, revealing the power of the humble bicycle to transform lives and help save the planet.

The film features contributions from broadcaster and ITV’s voice of the Tour de France Ned Boulting, author and blogger Jools Walker, Turner Prize-winning artist Sir Richard Long and 4x Mountain Bike World Champion Tracy Moseley.

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