Field Journal

A Journey on Wheels
A Film by Nicolas Bellavance & Felix Burke

Four friends, bound by a thirst for adventure, bid farewell to the cosy comforts of home and embark on a cycling journey through the Balkans. Felix and Nicolas, armed with their cameras, will stop at nothing to immortalise every moment. Alongside them, is Annie, a determined scientist on a quest to uncover the secrets of a most enigmatic species of bats. And then there’s Mathieu, who quite frankly, hasn’t a clue what he’s gotten himself into . . .

The Balkans Mirage: A Journey On Wheels, is an 11-minute hybrid of art house cinema and international exploration, bringing a fresh twist to the adventure film genre weaving in comedy, drama, and scripted scenarios to create a fresh approach to the now familiar bike travelogue.

The film documents the adventures, explorations, and discoveries of four fictionalised characters as they pedal 1250 kms through Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Greece. And bridges, lots of bridges.

‘The Balkans Mirage is a labour of love that took months to plan and execute’, explains the film’s director, Nicolas Bellavance. ‘We wanted to create an outdoor movie like no one has ever seen before. Hopefully the public will be able to recognize the style and identify where the inspiration comes from; A fictional approach, a witty narration, and a cinematography style much composed of symmetrical shots and tableau-like compositions.

Felix Burke, the photographer and producer, continues ‘With the adventure film recipe becoming somewhat classic, we saw it as a challenge to try something different. It was an exciting prospect, trying to push the envelope of what can be considered an adventure film. The making of The Balkans Mirage certainly held its fair share of challenges, but in the end, we are more than pleased with the result.’