Arts and entertainment

A festival for surfers and film buffs

27 July 2010

South Africa's "Surf City", Durban, is hosting the 2010 edition of the Wavescapes Surf Film Festival, giving Durbanites an opportunity to shake off the post-World Cup blues.

Wavescapes, presented by the Save Our Seas Foundation and the Durban International Film Festival, kicked off with the screening of a free outdoor film at the Bay of Plenty lawns on Sunday. It will be followed during the week by five days of indoor screenings of the latest surf films.

The opening film was "Dear and Yonder", which takes a soulful look at the history of women's surfing. To celebrate the event, more than 80 members of the cast and crew of "Blue Crush II" took a break from filming to join the audience at the Bay of Plenty.

Top professionals

Among the visitors were four of South Africa's top professionals, who are stunt doubles on the film: Roseanne Hodge, Bianca Buitendag, Tanika Hoffman, and Taryn Chudleigh. Hodge is one of the world's elite surfers and is ranked 12th on the Association of Surfing Professional's World Championship Tour.

There was an extra surprise for the big audience as Roxy and the official surfing sponsor Quiksilver provided giveaways to lucky film-goers.

Quiksilver's marketing manager Dane Patterson commented: "I think it is great that the guys at Wavescapes have put their heads down every year to bring us these unreal films. It is great for surfing, the industry, and all that appreciate the sport and lifestyle that surrounds it."

Diverse

According to curator of the festival, Spike from Wavescape, the festival offers the most diverse line-up of films since its inception in Durban five years ago.

He explained: "There is something for everyone, from the usual soulful visuals and underground soundtracks to the hot moves of the now generation.

"'Still Filthy' features the best waves shredded by the best surfers. 'Modern Collective' showcases the outrageous aerial skills of the new guard, such as Dane Reynolds and Durban's own Jordy Smith. Our opening film, the soul-filled 'Dear and Yonder', flows with the Zen-like mastery of top pro surfer Rob Machado, star of 'The Drifter'.

"However, we also represent the darker side of surfing. 'Sea of Darkness' exposes the sometimes grisly, drug-scarred underbelly of the surf travel dream, while the award-winning 'Lives of the Artists' documents a freakish French snowboarder, crazy Irish surfers, and an angry British punk band in their quest for the salt-encrusted, powder-snowed, guitar-ghettoed grail of their inner artist."

Digital photography

"'Fibreglass and Megapixels' brings to life the vivid digital world of surfing photography, featuring top South African photographer Pierre Tostee, while the visceral and languid but beautifully crafted poetry of 'The Present' is a counterpoint to 'Quest for Fear', featuring the 10-year migration to the big wave bombs of Dungeons in Cape Town.

"A different addition to the festival is 'Gum for My Boat', a feel good film about the growth of surfing in Bangladesh."

The films will be screened at Ster Kinekor at Musgrave Cinema from Monday, 26 July to Friday, 30 July. Tickets cost R32 and special discounts apply.

Eleven films will be screened at the festival. For more info visit: Wavescape.

WAVESCAPES SURF FILM FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

STER KINEKOR MUSGRAVE

Monday, 26 July, 18:00

Gum for my Boat

Modern Collective

20:00

Lives of the Artists

Tuesday, 27 July, 18:00

Still Filthy