LS/FF 2011: Official International Features Revealed
The London Surf / Film Festival is stoked to announce the official selection of International features for the first annual event. The features will be screened at the iconic Riverside Studios in Hammersmith 13-15 October 2011 as part of a three day celebration of the cream of international surf culture.
“We have been overwhelmed by the sheer number of high quality feature entries submitted to the festival by both surf filmmaking luminaries and up and coming Independents, so making the official selection has not been an easy task” says London Surf / Film Festival founder Chris Nelson. “The selection panel has done an incredible job of putting together an awesome feature programme that provides a full range of perspectives on waveriding from this year’s hottest shred flicks through to thought provoking documentaries, including 2 huge European Premieres and 7 UK Premieres! I’m stoked on our line up, I think it’s an incredible way to kick off the UK’s first international surf film festival and speaking with the filmmakers, guys like Kai Neville and Mikey DeTemple they’re totally stoked to be screening their work in this cultural capital to an amped audience.”
Tickets will shortly go on sale through the Riverside Studios box-office. We will be announcing other events taking place during the festival including Q&A’s with directors and a couple of special screenings..so stay tuned. The official line-up is:
Come Hell or High Water. The European Premiere of Keith Malloy’s debut film. Shot primarily on 16mm, it focuses on the simplicity and beauty of bodysurfing. Keith explores the history and progression of the sport through its many unique characters. “It’s about taking a breath, and kicking your feet, in the big blue sea.” From Woodshed Films, makers of such iconic movies as Thicker Than Water, Shelter, September Sessions and A Broke Down Melody, this is one not to miss!
Lost Atlas. Official UK Premiere of Kai Neville’s hotly anticipated new release, picking up where the iconic Modern Collective left off. This unfiltered view of some of the world’s most progressive surfers presents a paradigm shift in performance surfing cut with candid clips and set to an epic soundtrack.
Sight | Sound. Official UK Premiere of Mikey DeTemple’s lovingly crafted ode to waveriding. The film follows a band of surfers from the crystalline Tropics to the snow-fringed waters of Nova Scotia, with the talented individuals doing what they do best, captured in breathtaking cinematography and set to an eclectic soundtrack. A modern classic.
Splinters. Official UK Premiere. In the 80’s a pilot left behind a surfboard in a remote ocean side village in the developing nation of Papua New Guinea. This compelling story unfolds 20 years later in the months leading up to the first National Surf Championships and explores the effect that surfing has had on human relationships, inter-club tensions and the competitive spirit within this tight knit, passionate community. A gripping documentary.
First Love. Official UK Premiere. Following three competitive female surfers from the male dominated waters of Phillip Island as they prepare for their first trip to Hawaii, this is an inspiring documentary about friendship, dedication and following your dreams. How will they cope with the strains of competition, the challenge of big waves, career threatening injury and meeting their idols? This film encapsulates the pure stoke of surfing.
The Still Point. Official UK Premiere. This is a thought provoking documentary about the ocean and waves as seen through the eyes and thoughts of some of the world’s most renown ‘water-men’. It’s about the sea, the connection of all things and is illuminated by beautiful cinematography and the insightful thoughts of surfing’s pioneering legends.
Stoked and Broke. Official UK Premiere. A Staycation Surfari Epic on Zero Dollars. Making their own boards, bamboo rickshaws, solar cookers, and hobo stoves, surfers Ryan Burch and Cyrus Sutton set off on a thirty mile, eight day walk through San Diego, CA. But what begins as a guide to taking a minimalist surfing journey, quickly becomes an examination of freedom vs alienation.
Finnsurf. Official UK Premiere. This film peels back the fleecy layers on the lives of a handful of surfers from one of the world’s most inhospitable surf locations and discovers just what drives them to paddle out into the Baltic Sea in water that is life threateningly frigid. This film is both touching and inspiring and will make you re-evaluate just what it means to be a hardcore surfer.
Dark Fall. UK Premiere. Alex DePhillipo lifts the veil and offers a fascinating insight into a year in the lives of a group of New Jersey’s finest chargers. It follows them through waist deep snowdrifts to charge gaping brown barrels, sees them battle the crowds and stifling regulations of the summer season and watches them embrace the joys of an autumn that arrives with the promise of groomed hurricane swells shared with your mates. This awesome film was the winner of the New York Surf Film Festival ‘Best Feature’ and ‘Viewers Choice’.
For more information about the film and for film trailers, click here.