Wavescapes surf films at the DIFF
Thousands of surfers enjoying the winter surf season are expected to converge on Durban just after the solstice to check out the hottest new surf movies at the Wavescapes Surf Film Festival, the only event of its kind in South Africa.
Wavescapes again teams up with the Durban International Film Festival to present a five-day feast of films that climax with a unique outdoor event at the Bay of Plenty lawns on June 29. The outdoor event, part of the opening of the Durban Beach Festival, features surfing films on a giant screen, prize giveaways and music by Farryl Purkiss and Oreka TX from Spain.
Wavescapes 2007 will show wave riding in its myriad forms, from haunting visual eulogies about waves to gritty documentaries about suburban surf gangs; from surf exploration in exquisite lands to fascinating profiles of the world's best surf spots.
Movies making the festival a visual "Endless Winter" will be Bra Boys, Pipeline Masters, Sipping Jetstreams, Chasing Dora, Glass Love, Absolute Mexico, My Eyes Won't Dry and Shades of Bali.
Directed and narrated by Russell Crowe, Bra Boys documents the gritty side of surfing, and tells the tale of a surf gang from the south side of Sydney in Australia. The tightly made feature documentary Pipeline Masters stars South African Shaun Tomson and the tube-riding skills that made him an indelible part of the event's illustrious history. Pipeline Masters was directed by Stacy Peralta, who made the smash hits Riding Giants and Dog Town and Z-Boys.
Chasing Dora follows a trip to Jeffreys Bay in search of the psyche of the legendary and controversial Mickey Dora, while Sipping Jetstreams - a stunning visual travelogue made by Taylor Steele - is bound to make waves.
Wavescapes festival director Steve Pike said Sipping Jetstreams was one of his favourite new films. "It is the quintessential surf exploration movie made with razor-edged direction, stunning visuals and excellent editing."
"Another must-see is Absolute Mexico. Never mind the beautiful scenery, luxurious foliage, barren cliffs and airbrushed blue corduroy. Watching the raw power of these barrels, including one dredging monster that lasts a ridiculous 30 seconds, must be like downing a shot of 80 proof Mezcal!"
The Wavescapes Surf Film Festival (www.wavescapes.co.za) will run from 25 to 28 June at the KwaSuka Theatre, with the Durban Beach Festival finale at the Bay of Plenty Lawns on the evening of Friday, 29 June.
The Durban International Film Festival runs from 20 June to 1 July at a variety of theatres and venues across Durban. The full programme is available on www.cca.ukzn.ac.za or contact Centre for Creative Arts on 031-2602506 or 2601704 for further information.
