BEST BRITISH FILM CHANGING POINT Dir: Rebecca Coley (17mins) An inspirational story of a Bonne Gea, a young woman who blazed her own trail and threw off the constraints of society and the traditional role assigned to her to become the first Indonesian Women’s Surfing Champion and inspire a new generation of female surfers.

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT LS/FF 2017: MAURICE COLE: THE FIRST WAVE Dir: Peter Baker Insightful and beautifully shot short featuring surf legend Maurice Cole who  has been surfing for five decades and shaping boards for 45 years, battling demons and experiencing the highs and the lows of a life lived large.

YEEEEEW! FACTOR LS/FF 2017 BEZERKE Dir: Andrew Kaineder (16m) Russell Bierke is one of the hardest charging big wave riders in the world and he’s only 18. Combining stunning cinematography, nail-biting surfing and an intimate narrative this film will leave you inspired and amazed. We were stoked to have Andrew Kaineder […]

BEST FILM LS/FF 2017; VIEWERS CHOICE LS/FF 2017 Nervous Laughter  Dir: Dan Norkunas, 2017 (66mins) Albee Layer is one of the most relevant and exciting surfers on the planet. This mind-blowing documentary lifts the curtain on Albee and friends – the tight-knit group of surfers who are redefining not only […]

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY LS/FF 2017 // The Seawolf  Dir: Ben Gulliver, 2017 (46mins) Multi-award filmmaker Ben Gulliver presents a tour of duty through the very best cold water surf spots on the globe. The surfing is cutting edge, the back-drops are jaw dropping and the cinematography is crisp. One of the most […]

SPIRIT OF THE FESTIVAL LS/FF 2017:  The Church of the Open Sky  Dir: Nathan Oldfield, 2017 (54mins) Award winning Director Nathan Oldfield serves up a beautiful and highly anticipated cinematic masterpiece. The imagery is crisp, the surfing – from logs to shortboards and finsfree to bodysurfing  is loose, the locations are lush […]

BEST DOCUMENTARY LS/FF 2017: Bunker77  Dir: Takuji Masuda, 2016 (88mins) One of the most hotly anticipated surfing documentaries ever, Bunker77 chronicles the wild life of a controversial 1970’s surf star, libertine and international playboy. This is the wild, true story of Bunker Spreckels – an extraordinary young American rebel. Clark Gable’s stepson […]

SHORTIE OF THE YEAR LS/FF 2017: Shaka Status Dir. Chris Case / Fish Farm TV Irish based filmmaker Chris Case showcases waveriding with a maximum stoke factor, as a small, clean day offers epic bodysurfing and finless gliding conditions. Starring: Barry Mottershead and Dylan Stott     The Shorties Short films are […]

EMERGING TALENT LS/FF 2017 Emersion // Dir. Gabriella Zagni This short film looks at three young people living in different locations but all connected by a charity called ‘The Wave Project‘. About The Wave Project: “We help young people to reduce anxiety and improve confidence through surfing! Our award winning surf courses […]