Yallingup Surf Film Festival Trailer

The Life and Films of Alby Falzon (PG)

Australia, 2008

Director: Fil Baker

In this memoir style biographical documentary, Alby Falzon tells the story of his life and films, including one of the greatest surf films ever made - Morning of the Earth. ( 1972). This is the story of a surfer a filmmaker and a life time of adventure, featuring classic archival footage, photographs and an ecclectic soundtrack; this documentary follows the journey Alby's career from the ocean at Uluwatu to the mountains of Tibet.

Searching for Michael Peterson (M)

Australia, 2009, Regional Premiere

Director: Jolyon Hoff

Michael Peterson ruled the surf scene throughout the early to mid-1970s with his savage, groundbreaking surfing. An undiagnosed schizophrenic, Michael couldn’t handle the fame his surfing powers attracted, and he retreated into a world of hard drugs and fast cars. He eventually hit rock bottom after a police chase, which took 25 cars to stop him. It's an intoxicating and addictive tale for anyone who has ever felt like a fish out of water.

"The surf documentary of the year!" Phil Jarratt

"The story of Michael Peterson makes Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas look like Alice In Wonderland." Sean Doherty.

SEARCHING FOR MICHAEL PETERSON features original footage of Peterson’s life as well as interviews with his friends and surfing rivals. The 55 minute documentary has already achieved success and stellar reviews, selling out 25 shows in Australia and screening in Japan, Spain, South Africa and throughout the UK and the USA.

Hanging 5 (PG)

USA, 2009, Australian Premiere

Director: Chris Cutri

Hanging Five follows five talented artists who are all surfers. The film examines their work and looks at how the surf culture supports and promotes the arts. The artists include Andy davis, Tyler Warren, Julie Goldstein, Alex Knost, Wolfgang Block.

Jesse’s Story (PG)

USA, 2009, Australian Premiere

Director: Mark Jacobs

Jesse’s Story chronicles the life of Jesse Billauer, a gifted, multi-sport athlete, who developed into an up-and-coming professional surfer with unlimited promise. This is not a surf film, but rather one of inspiration. A tale of young man who in a tragic surfing accident at the age of 17 severed his spinal cord, and now lives life as quadriplegic, this is the story on how his life changed forever. As news spread through the surfing community of the accident, many of Jesse's would-be competitors came to his aid. With the help of nine-time World Champion, Kelly Slater, and Hurley team member, Rob Machado, Jesse devised a way to get back where he belonged: in the water. The documentary stars Jesse Billauer and features Christopher Reeve, Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, Bob Hurley, Rob Machado, Kelly Slater, Shane Dorian, as well as a host of friends and family.

Somewhere Near Tapachula (PG)

Australia, 2010, World Premiere Preview

Directors: Stefan Hunt and Jonathan Durrant

Somewhere Near Tapachula is a truly inspiring story of love, life and hope. Set in Tapachula, Mexico, this documentary looks at the horrific childhoods of 45 kids, their new life at Mision Mexico, and the exciting future of following their dreams.

It also focuses on the unique surf community that they have pioneered in Tapachula, a coastal city with no other wave riders. To these kids the ocean is not just a place of fun, its an escape from what life used to be.

This movie will challenge you with the important things in life, and open your eyes to the power of riding waves, whether you are a surfer or not.

Musica Surfica (PG)

Australia, 2007

Director: Mick Sowry

Musica Surfica explores a collision between classical music and experimental surfing. Violin virtuoso and surfer Richard Tognetti, of the Australian Chamber Orchestra, with his friend, surfing provocateur Derek Hynd, asked a diverse group of surfers, asked to join them on remote King Island at the edge of the Southern Ocean, to surf ... without fins. These surfers were prepared to go back to square one, and start again, just to see what would happened. Some of the boards were Ancient Hawaiian designs. Others were modern attempts to design finless boards. The music and surfing thread through, all the time the journey unfolds as we weave from spoken word to music to astonishing surfing and back. Musica Surfica is a film that looks at creativity and learning in new ways. It reminds us of the reward of risk, encouraging us all to step outside our comfort zones and reminding us too that the best way to learn is to have fun.

Sofia - A Documentary (PG)

USA, 2006

Director: Peter Goetz

Sofia is a masterful story about the power of one, following your dreams, and never giving up. Constantly troubled by social unrest and poverty Peru is an emerging Third World country that is in dire need of role models. Unbeknown to Sofia, she would become one of the biggest role models in Peruvian history, simply by doing what she loves, surfing.

The Drifter (PG)

USA, 2009, Regional Premiere

Director: Taylor Steele

The Drifter starts in Bali, where Machado is looking for life’s deeper meaning. That surf trip ends up taking him on a soul-searching journey where he eventually finds himself in Indonesia’s outermost reaches with nothing but a surfboard, his journal and a tent. Machado’s conclusion after scoring more perfect waves than any surfer could ever wish for? There’s always a new dream to chase.This is a tender, honest film that will enlighten as much as it will inspire.

Tom's Creation Plantation (PG)

USA, 2009

Director: Cyrus Sutton

Tom’s Creation Plantation is a surf movie about making and riding alaia surfboards. The movie takes us to Queensland, Australia, where renowned alaia shaper Tom Wegener demonstrates the fine details in building the ancient (and environmentally sound) surfboard. Then we get to see the fruits of his labor in action as the local rippers ride the skinny finless creations.

Sea of Darkness (M15+)

Australia, 2009, 88mins, AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

Director: Michael Oblowitz

‘Sea of Darkness’ is a documentary about a group of surfers who take on drug smuggling gigs to bankroll their surfing addiction. Yeah, it’s true and most likely bound to be a very interesting story. Time: 1970’s. Place: the Indonesian coast. For a small group of thrill-seekers, surfing was an addiction, an attitude, and way of life — one that sometimes was seen through the lens of psychedelics. In SEA OF DARKNESS, a group of ragtag surfers coast from high tide to high risk led by man shrouded in mystery of near-mythical proportions. As they balance their thirst for the perfect pipeline with the dangerous risk/reward of smuggling illegal drugs and other illicit items across the South Pacific.

Though it’s a tale almost too wild for fiction, SEA OF DARKNESS recaptures the life and attitude of this wild ‘70s surfing culture. Bolstered by interviews with those who got their thrills and lived to tell the tale, director Michael Oblowitz recaptures how passion gave way to persecution and how romance was ultimately defeated by reality. The nearly inconceivable story of these young surfers will connect with the adventurer in us all, but it also makes us reflect upon how much people will truly risk to hang on to what they love.

Gum For My Boat (PG)

USA, 2009, 34mins, AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

Director: Russell Brownley

Gum For My Boat is a story of Hope focusing on the Bangladesh Surf Club and its members. The club consists of more than 30 boys and girls and is helping to introduce surfing into a culture in a very unconventional method. Many of the children are street kids or come from very poor families. Some don't even know how to swim, but their love for surfing brings them together and into a way of life they never even knew existed.

An ocean that was once deemed off limits due to fear and a very conservative Islamic culture is now becoming source of fun, escape and even a chance for a way to make a living. Follow professional surfer, Kahana Kalama (a past guest star of Fuel TV’s series On Surfari) as he works with Hawaiian-based non-profit, Surfing The Nations, and learns from these kids that sometimes, surfing involves much more than catching waves.

Aloha Uruguaii (PG)

Uruguay, 2009, 22mins, AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

Director: Juan Miguel Bonner

This short film screens for the first time outside of Uruguay and is a documentary about two surf legends from the 1970s in Uruguay. The two legends remember the old times and talk about Uruguayan surf culture, which so clearly eposes global surf culture as whole, the connection it forms between cultures and generations around the globe. This is a story which sends out a message of respect, joy and sharing with Mother nature.