Private Project

The Red Bike

When Jack receives a red bike as a birthday present, no one could have predicted what it would lead to.

In Pharr, Texas, a father builds a racing bike for his son, Jack's birthday. But when the bike disappears only a few days later, stolen by classmate Brian, the duo confronts Brian, only to be met with denial. Determined to get the bike back, they stake out Brian's house to reclaim what's theirs.

  • Torben Bech
    Director
  • Torben Bech
    Writer
  • Michael Ray Escamilla
    Key Cast
    "Jim"
  • Bre Blair
    Key Cast
    "Bee"
  • Jack Elliot Ybarra
    Key Cast
    "Jack"
  • Niels Ostenfeld
    Editor
  • Bo Bilstrup
    Cinematography
  • Magnus Kristiansen
    Producer
  • Niels Ostenfeld
    Co Producer
  • City of Pharr Texas
    Location
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 46 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 5, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Denmark
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, Blackmagic
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • CineTech Future Fest
    Opole
    Poland
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Peaberry Film Festival
    Canton, Georgia
    United States
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Curiosa Shorts
    Granada
    Spain
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Lift-Off Filmmaker Sessions 2024
    Pinewood Studios
    United Kingdom
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Nac Short Film Festival
    Nacogdoches, Texas
    United States
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival
    Athens
    Greece
    HONORABLE MENTION
  • BBR Indie Films
    Marietta, Georgia
    United States
    May 15, 2024
    Finalist
  • Movies Plus Film Festival
    Sarver, PA
    United States
    April 22, 2024
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Cinalfama Lisbon Screening and Awards
    Lisbon
    Portugal
    April 23, 2024
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Lift-Off Filmmaker Sessions Hosted by @LiftOffGlobalNetwork
    Pinewood Studios
    United Kingdom
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • OFF - Odense International Film Festival OFF - Odense International Film Festival
    Odense
    Denmark
    August 26, 2024
    World Premiere
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • FIVE CONTINENTS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
    Puerto la Cruz
    Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
    Winner Indie Short Film
  • South Film and Arts Academy Festival
    Rancagua
    Chile
    Winner - Best Short Film
  • CineTech Future Fest
    Opole
    Poland
    Winner - Best Cinematography
  • Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival
    Athens
    Greece
    Honorable Mention - BEST SHORT FILM
  • ATX Short Film Showcase
    Austin
    United States
    Honorable Mention - BEST SHORT FILM
  • Walla Walla Movie Crush
    Walla Walla
    United States
    July 5, 2024
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • MMM (Music, Movies, Mic Drop) Festival MMM (Music, Movies, Mic Drop) Festival
    Jersey City, NJ
    United States
    May 18, 2024
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • OFF - Odense International Film Festival
    Odense
    Denmark
    August 31, 2024
    Danish Premiere
    WINNER
  • Sivas International Film Festival (SIVIFF)
    Sivas
    Turkey
    May 14, 2024
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • South Texas International Film Festival
    Edinburg, TX
    United States
    September 11, 2024
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Symbiotic Film Festival
    Kiev
    Ukraine
    June 28, 2024
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Dreamweaver Film Festival
    Boise
    United States
    July 20, 2024
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Gozo Film Festival
    Victoria
    Malta
    August 23, 2024
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
Director Biography - Torben Bech

Torben Bech is a Sundance recipient and has worked both as a director and scriptwriter for 10+ years.

He has worked on tv- series for DR, directed and written the feature NUUMMIOQ (Sundance 2010, 2011 Oscar shortlist), written BRIDGEND (Tribeca 2015), THE COMET (2017), episode- writer in the 2018 DR Television series THEO & DEN MAGISKE TALISMAN, a 2018 DR production.

Bech finished SWAMP LION, 2022, as the writer and director.
Bech holds an MFA at the Norwegian Film School.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I'm exploring the delicate relationship between a father's birthday wishes for his son, which are intertwined with his own unfulfilled wishes from childhood, and his son's expectations. This dynamic reveals how a birthday gift, instead of fostering closeness between father and son, highlights the gap between them, both in terms of their relationship and the differences between their generations.