Festival Extension

SOCIAL DISTANCE: Miles from Anywhere is set in West Australia, where wild things are.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Wavescape was able to forge ahead with a revised lineup of events, including an historic collaboration with the Galileo Open Air Cinema that saw 400 people enjoy an outdoor evening of films at Kirstenbosch.

The flagship Slide Night of talks by ocean gurus will be available for streaming until December 31, including speakers from around the world who zoomed in for a recorded iteration of the informative and entertaining evening, while the Spike Swell Course (a digital glimpse at wave dynamics and surf forecasting by founder of Wavescape.co.za Steve Pike); and the last selection of short to medium surf and ocean films will also be viewable.

The films are Doll Riot (ballet crosstepping incredible longboarder Karina Rozunko); Rise from the Cape Flats (Saffa journey of ocean awakening); Miles from Anywhere (big wave charger Michelle Des Bouillons surfs West Oz with Imogen Caldwell); Out on Parole (Breaking out of Lockdown up the Weskus!); Ebb and Flow (all-female Irish surf movie!); The Armstrongs (profile of homegrown soul surfing family); Roam (Female Lebanese snowboarders and surfers break down convention); and Flow State (Insane, incredible Russell Bierke arm wrestles Shipstern's Bluff ... and wins).

SLIDE GLIDING: Nine awesome speakers from five countries comprise Slide Night 2020.

Speakers at Slide Night included Australian longboard legend Belinda Baggs, top Californian filmmaker Chris Burkard and Mexican ocean conservation pioneer Cristina Mittermeier.

Surf brand guru Paul Naude, founder of Vissla, also took part in Slide Night with a talk from Laguna Beach about his collection of more than 500 surfboards, some of whom were owned by legends of surf history such as Bunker Spreckels, Barry Kanaiaupuni and John Whitmore, said: “I thought the edit was really good. Great research and digging up of archival images and content. Really world class I thought, so well done to everyone involved!”

Other aspects of the new-look festival included an online auction of a Brett Murray surfboard, nine VANS sneakers decorated by artists and a seascape painting by Jake Aikman. The auction, which was conducted on Instagram, raised R40,000 for the Shark Spotters, 9 Miles Project, Beach Cop, Ocean Pledge and the NSRI.

HANDS OFF: Chris Auret created this amazing mural in Sea Point. Photo Nicole Pouros / SOSF

The Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF), which supports shark conservation projects worldwide, presented the outdoor photographic exhibit WILD SEAS by National Geographic Photographer Thomas Peschak, with his most iconic images from two decades of documenting the beauty and fragility of the world’s oceans. SOSF has also teamed up with artist Chris Auret to create an ocean-conscious mural along the Sea Point promenade.

Wavescape collaborated with young South African artist Yay Abe for this year’s artwork, utilising a theme of “adaptation” as the world slowly evolves into a post-pandemic future.

With the support of the Film and Promotion unit of Wesgro, Wavescape transformed the Blue Ocean Masterclass into a virtual discussion on film industry best practices and innovative initiatives to keep film shoots plastic free. The webinar included top conservation speakers and activists speaking on topics from virtual reality to shooting underwater.

SOUL SURF FAMILY: The Armstrongs profiles a Deep South surfing family. Photo Supplied

More than R30,000 in prizes, including a Surf4Earth eco surfboard, handcrafted products from Wawa Wooden Surfboards, a GoPro Hero 7, O’Neill wetsuit and VANS hamper, were won in the Zag Shorts - a Wavescape collaboration with Zigzag Surfing Magazine. This short film competition for surf and ocean filmmakers culminated in an evening featuring the best 10 films at Jack Black’s Brewery. Beyond the innovative nature of Wavescape this year, organisers also partnered with the Beach Co-op for a beach clean-up day of live performances and mural making.

Thanks to Vans, The Save Our Seas Foundation, Long Beach Capital, PETCO, Jack Black Beer, the Investment Promotion and Film and Promotion units of Wesgro, and the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation.

See www.wavescapefestival.com
Festival Tickets can be found on Quicket here
Instagram & Facebook @wavescapeSA

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