Films Brighten Soccer Blues

Wavescapes, presented by the Save Our Seas Foundation and the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), kicks off with an outdoor film at 7pm on the Bay of Plenty lawns on Sunday 25 July, followed by five days of indoor screenings of the latest surf films.

Another calm winter's evening is forecast for the opening film Dear and Yonder, a soulful history of women's surfing flowing with fluid grace. To celebrate, more than 80 members of the cast and crew of Blue Crush II will take a break from filming to join the audience at the Bay of Plenty.

Among the visitors are four stunt doubles who represent South Africa's top professional surfers: Roseanne Hodge (East London), Bianca Buitendag (George), Tanika Hoffman (South Coast) and Taryn Chudleigh (Cape Town). Hodge is ranked 12th on the Association of Surfing Professional’s World Championship Tour.

Prize giveaways from Roxy and official surfing sponsor Quiksilver will be handed to lucky recipients from the expected 2,000 members of the audience.

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

"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."

 "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.”

Films will be screened at Ster Kinekor at Musgrave Cinema from Monday 26 July to Friday 30 July. 

 Eleven films will be screened at the festival. For details visit www.wavescape.co.za

The principal funder for DIFF is the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund.

For more info go to:

http://www.wavescape.co.za/wavescapes-film-festival/index.php

To see the flyer go to:

http://www.ukzn.ac.za/cca/images/diff/DIFF2010/DIFF2010WavescapesFlyer.pdf