Lucy Small – In Conversation
Lucy Small is a surfer, activist and campaigner. Her latest documentary Yama has it’s Premiere at LS/FF Saturday 25th November.
When longboard champion Lucy Small stood up at a contest awards ceremony in 2021 and called out the organisers over the disparity in prize fund between the mens and women categories, little did she know that this spur of the moment decision would resonate across the globe.
“It took the same amount to drive here, the costs to fly here are the same, our accommodation costs the same yet our surfing is worth half as much,” Lucy pointed out.
This story was picked up by national press and TV news channels and ultimate lead to massive shift in in how contests are run and how prize purses are distributed. Lucy has gone on to become a prominent campaigner on social and environmental issues as well as a filmmaker.
Ahead of the London Premiere of Lucy Small’s latest film Yama London Surf / Film Festival 2023, LS/FF Director Demi Taylor will be speaking with Lucy about her journey and her award winning documentary in an exclusive Surf Girl live on Tuesday 14th November at 7pm. If you have a question for Lucy head to instgram, and let us know!
In Yama, Lucy journeys with UK filmmaker Maddie Meddings to Ghana to meet with a group of pioneering female surfers and skaters.
Once a stronghold of the transatlantic slave trade and with a history of Atlantic aquatic surf culture that precedes colonial invasion, this is a story of a reclamation and joy. Aiming to tell a story that challenges the representations that many African nations are commonly subjected to in western media, Yama begins in the bustling city of Accra and travels to the wave rich coastline where there are communities driving the budding Ghanaian modern surf scene.
We host the London premiere of Yama Saturday 25th November as part of LS/FF 2023. We’re delighted to have filmmaker Maddie Meddings join us at the premiere for a conversation about the project. Info and tickets HERE
Ghanian surfer Christina Ocran features in YAMA, premiering at LS/FF Saturday 25th November 2023 at Riverside Studios.