2010 NYSFF International Film Program

2010 NYSFF International Film Program

The New York Surf Film Festival (NYSFF), presented by JetBlue Airways and The Dominican Republic, has put the final touches on this year’s features program. Ten officially selected feature length films and two cult classics are set to be screened September 24th- 26th at the legendary Tribeca Cinemas in downtown Manhattan.

The 2010 New York Surf Film Festival features program will provide a spectrum of cinematic viewpoints from established and emerging surf filmmakers. The program will offer a wide range of international films, from an ultra high performance shred biopic, to a documentary following the lives of Palestinians and Israelis finding a common bond in surfing, to a film about a group of local surfing heroes who challenge convention and are able to make a living through surfing and hard work in the most unlikely of places.

“I cannot express how excited and stoked I am about this year’s selection of feature films. There is a great cross section of surf films from high performance shred flicks to incredibly moving stories that use surfing as a vehicle to tell a great tale. This is one of our strongest programs ever!” states Tyler Breuer, co-founder of the New York Surf Film Festival.

Following is a listing of the selected films for the 2010 New York Surf Film Festival features program:

Dark Fall, by Alex DePhillipo: Follow a year in the life of New Jersey’s best surfers as they tackle some of the best surf right in their own backyard and travel to remote locations across the globe. This film gives a look at the lifestyle of a cold-water surfer and glorifies the most prestigious and naturally beautiful time for a New Jersey surfer, the fall.

Shadows of the Same Sun, by Thomas Brookins: A passionate film spawned out of a love for good friendship, a city’s heart beat, and respect for surfing’s unsung local heroes. Filmmaker and surfer Thomas W. Brookins Jr. tells the story of a surf community which has endured the economic and social turbulence of New York’s ups and downs. The Borough of Queens has a unique surf culture made up of a rich history and an eclectic group of people from all over the world. These surfers are proud and full of the same aloha spirit passed on by generations before them. This metropolis may not be the first place one thinks of when it comes to riding waves, but New York City has become an iconic destination for many magazines and professional surf explorers.

Idiosyncrasies, by Patrick Trefz: An exploration of some truly unique minds, revealing what’s behind the impact of some of surfing’s most influential underground individuals. Through their art and music, surf craft and lifestyle choices, Patrick Trefz offers an intimate look into the vital and intriguing lives of these iconoclasts – ranging from twenty-year old Leanne Curren to sixty-one year old Harbor Bill Mulcoy. Idiosyncrasies reveals its subjects’ unique characteristics as they manifest both on land and in the water.

Scratching the Surface: The Julian Wilson Project, by Matt Beauchesne: Scratching the Surface documents the adventures of Julian Wilson, along with friends and fellow professionals Dane Reynolds, Taj Burrow, Dusty Payne, Mick Fanning and others as they spend a year hitting some of the world’s most beautiful surf spots. Scratching the Surface also teamed Wilson and Beauchesne with Brain Farm Cinema, whose goal was to evolve the way surf films are made by utilizing helicopters and the Phantom HD camera, shooting entirely in HD and incorporating an energetic and unique soundtrack.

180 Degrees South: Conquerors of the Useless, by Chris Malloy: 180° South: Conquerors of the Useless follows Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes, Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins, to Patagonia. Along the way he gets shipwrecked off Easter Island, surfs the longest wave of his life, and prepares himself for a rare ascent of Cerro Corcovado. Johnson’s life turns when he meets up in a rainy hut with Chouinard and Tompkins who, once driven purely by a love of climbing and surfing, now value above all, the experience of raw nature – and have come to Patagonia to spend their fortunes to protect it.

The Westsiders, by Joshua Leonard Pomer (Pomegranate): An eye-opening mixture of surfing innovation and gritty localism documents the rise and fall of The Westsiders surf gang through the eyes of three best friends from the original “Surf City,” Santa Cruz, California. Best friends, Daryl “Flea” Virostko, Shawn “Barney” Barron and Jason “Ratboy” Collins bond via common tragedy and their love of surfing. They help each other through shattered homes, drug addiction, psychological issues and hard-core localism to achieve their dream of becoming professional surfers before the age of 24.

Fiberglass and Mega Pixels, by Derek and Craig Hoffmann: Swarms of photographers arrive in Hawaii every winter to focus their cameras on the best surfers in the world as they push the limits of wave riding. Fiberglass and Mega Pixels shines the light on Hawaii’s North Shore winter surfing scene and exposes the true beauty within the overcrowded image gathering free-for-all.

God Went Surfing with the Devil, by Alexander Klein: In 2007, it emerged that a small group of young men were surfing in Gaza, sharing battered surfboards they had attained prior to the siege. Word traveled north to Israel, and that same year, a mixed group of Israelis and Americans delivered a dozen boards to their Palestinian counterparts. In the spring of 2008 they would attempt to deliver another 23 surfboards into Gaza. By this time the situation in Gaza had deteriorated further, the border still sealed, with military activity a near daily occurrence. God Went Surfing with the Devil charts the difficulties and dangers encountered by surfers in the region. Along the way it speaks to Israelis, Arab-Israelis, and Palestinians affected by the violence, charting their daily struggle to supersede the conflict through the joys of surfing.

Echo Beach, by Jeff Parker and Stefan Jeremias: In the 1980’s Newport Beach spawned a new era of high performance surfing and entrepreneurship, establishing Orange County as the focal point of the surf industry and a worldwide influencer of youth culture. A group of surfers came from different backgrounds and interests, bonded by their surfing and exploded on the scene, creating a unique look and revolutionary style that paralleled changes in music, culture and the innovation of young surf companies as Quiksilver, Stüssy, Schroff, Rip Curl, McCoy and Wave Tools. Flashy wetsuits, colorful surfboards, and a new wave attitude created a surfing Mecca that was to impact the surfing community around the world and give rise to a global industry. Photographers, surfers, surfboard shapers, magazines and clothing companies all came together to create this movement which was focused on a one hundred yard stretch of sand between 52nd and 56th Street known as “Echo Beach.”

Thrills and Spills and What Not, by Dustin Miller and Dane Reynolds: This film is Dane Reynolds, as a surfer and a person.

Being Captain Zero, by Ama MacDonald: Being Captain Zero is a movie about two friends, Allan Weisbecker and Patrick Abrams, from very different backgrounds who grew up surfing together in 1950′s Montauk, New York. In the 1970′s, their friendship turned into a criminal enterprise. They began transporting shipments of marijuana from Columbia and Jamaica into the United States by both sea and air. The violence of the emerging cocaine trade and the threat of the Drug Enforcement Administration forced them to separate. They made a pact to keep their destinations secret, even from each other. Weisbecker moved to Hollywood and cashed in on his marijuana running experiences by writing for Miami Vice. Abrams moved to Puerto Viejo, a town along the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, in search of the fastest and most dangerous wave in Central America, “Salsa Brava.” After 20 years Weisbecker sold his home and bought a truck with a camper and went looking for his old friend in Costa Rica. On this trip Weisbecker wrote In Search of Captain Zero. It is a memoir combining their drug running exploits with the adventure of looking for his old partner, Patrick Abrams. Upon his arrival in Puerto Viejo, Weisbecker was shocked to see what had become of his old friend. What he saw would shake the very foundation of their friendship.

Somewhere Near Tapachula, by Jonno Durrant and Stefan Hunt: 4 Mexican kids, 37 surfboards, 2 Australian parents, 1 inspiring surf story! Pam and Alan Skuse left their family and their comfortable lives in Australia to volunteer at a Mexican orphanage for one year. They accidentally founded Mission Mexico and are still there ten years later. Five years ago they started teaching children to surf in the deserted world-class local waves. Now the kids rip and the joy of the sport helps them heal from their unimaginable pasts.

Special cult classic screenings:

Momentum, by Taylor Steele.
Gun Ho, by Bud Browne.

To view the full features program, film synopsis and trailers, please visit www.NYSFF.com. Tickets for the 2010 NYSFF will go on sale September 8, 2010.

About the 2010 NYSFF Sponsors:

NYSFF welcomes back our Presenting Sponsors, JetBlue Airways and The
Dominican Republic:

JetBlue Airways
Voted “Most Eco-Friendly Airline” by Zagat’s Airline Survey in 2008 and 2009, New York based JetBlue Airways has created a new airline category founded on value, service and style. In 2010, the carrier also ranked “highest in customer satisfaction among low-cost carriers in North America” by J.D. Power and Associates, a customer satisfaction recognition received for the sixth year in a row. Known for its award-winning service, free TV and its low fares, JetBlue is now pleased to offer customers Lots of Legroom and super-spacious Even More Legroom seats. JetBlue introduced complimentary in-flight e-mail and instant messaging services on aircraft “BetaBlue,” a first among U.S. domestic airlines. JetBlue is also America’s first and only airline to offer its own Customer Bill of Rights, with meaningful and specific compensation for customers inconvenienced by service disruptions within JetBlue’s control. JetBlue serves 61 cities with 650 daily flights. New service to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, DC and to Bradley International Airport in Hartford, CT begins in November. With JetBlue, all seats are assigned, all fares are one-way, and an overnight stay is never required. For information or reservations call 1-800-JET-BLUE (1-800-538-2583), TTY/TDD 1-800-336-5530 or visit www.jetblue.com.

The Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic’s (DR) first tourist was Christopher Columbus in 1492. Rich in history, the DR has developed into a diverse destination offering both Dominican and European flavors to more than one million U.S. visitors each year. Named “#1 Golf Destination in Caribbean & Latin America” by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators, the DR boasts 25 designer golf courses, upscale resorts, pristine nature, sophisticated cities and quaint villages filled with warm people. The DR features the best beaches, fascinating history and culture, and is a chosen escape for celebrities, couples and families alike. Visit the DR Ministry of Tourism’s official website at: www.GoDominicanRepublic.com.

NYSFF is stoked to have Vans and New Era Cap as the Official 2010 Supporting Sponsors:

Vans
Vans is the original action sports footwear company and promotes surfing through a full line of surf footwear and apparel, events such as the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing™ and through sponsorship of many of the world’s top surfers including Joel Tudor, Nathan Fletcher, Pat, Dane and Tanner Gudauskas, Timmy Reyes, John Florence and Leila Hurst. Visit www.vans.com.

New Era Cap
Since 1920, New Era Cap has been the premier headwear brand with products that transcend time, culture, sport and fashion. In addition to its long-standing relationship with Major League Baseball as the official on-field product the players wear, New Era Cap is found on the heads of the world’s best surfers and the creative minds throughout the entertainment industry. Visit www.neweracap.com.

NYSFF welcomes our 2010 Media Partner, Surfer Magazine.

NYSFF welcomes Seven Tiki Rum as its Official 2010 Rum Sponsor.

NYSFF is stoked to have Pabst Blue Ribbon back on board as the Official 2010 Beer Sponsor.

NYSFF is honored to have the support from our mates of the festival: Hive Surf, OKOTO, KIND Snacks, NewYorkSurf.com, Sundown Ski & Surf Shop, Surfers Village, and SASS Global Travel.

NYSFF is proud to support WAVES for Development and the Surfrider Foundation.

About New York Surf Film Festival:
Founded in 2007, the New York Surf Film Festival is the premier showcase for international independent surf film. The mission of the New York Surf Film Festival is to provide filmmakers who are exploring the diversity of surfing an opportunity to present their work to a larger audience. As surf culture becomes more popular, the notion of what it means to be a surfer expands. The New York Surf Film Festival’s aim is to build upon and shape the idea of what a surf movie is, while fostering the growth of this global community in NYC.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 at 3:29 pm. It is filed under News, Press + Media, Slideshow. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.