MEET THE JUDGES: MARINA CIANFERONI

Author of Two Wheels and a Crank Camera

Judge- Marina CianferoniI’ve been riding motorcycles since I was 21, twisting between the hills of the countryside where I live: north of Florence, near the Mugello racing circuit. I happily started with a mono-cylinder bike, of excellent character; then played with Risk while riding a Four, finally settling on a twin, which is the best for my heart and style of riding.

In 1997 I earned my degree in the History of Cinema. My thesis centered on a personal discovery: three short films by the vanguard director C. Dekeukeleire. One of these – Impatience – explores the surreal travel of a woman on her motorcycle. This movie inspired me to take my life on two wheels as a kind of sexual relation with the road and the landscape Im moving on; i’s a game of seduction every time. In 2000 I began my book, loosely translated as “Two wheels and a Crank Camera”, discussing the symbolic value of the motorcycle in European films. I was angry with movie critics for their total ignorance about the phenomenon of two wheels: they only knew ‘EasyRiders contribution, and were scared of us, as with the bikers in The Wild One! My book was printed in 2007, from a tiny publisher.

Since 2004 I’ve worked as a journalist for Italian and Spanish motorcycle magazines, writing mainly about culture, classic bikes, special cafĂ© racers and customs. In 2010 and 2013 I presented papers based on my studies at the International Journal of Motorcycle Studies, respectively in Colorado Springs and London.

The audience at the ICMC were so enthusiastic, I decided to give another chance to my book, now revised and translated in English, but not yet published. I recently provided a short contribution in PauldOrlĂ©ans new book – ‘The Chopper; the Real Story.’

His invitation to judge with the Motorcycle Film Festival has been a great surprise for me.