Film Fest heads for Cape Town

Wavescapes, presented by the Save Our Seas Foundation, runs for 18 days between 2 and 20 December. A special exhibition of decorated surfboards by acclaimed South African artists will be on show for the first week at Depasco Cafe in Cape Town, followed by a gala art auction by comedian Mark Sampson on Wednesday 9. Proceeds of the auction go to ocean focused charities including the NSRI and Shark Spotters. Last year, R119,000 was raised.

This is followed by the opening film of the festival under the stars at Clifton Fourth Beach on Friday December 11. This year, an even bigger screen is planned for the movie, which last year attracted 3,000 people. The evening at Clifton, described as the most beautiful cinema in the world, is followed by a week of shows at the Labia Cinema in the city and a seaside surfer hangout in Kalk Bay called the Brass Bell.

A broad mix of surfing films, from eulogies about waves to gritty documentaries, will be screened at the festival, which is supported by Cape Talk, KFM, Cape Times, Men’s Health and Wavescape.co.za.

The unusual documentary Glacier Project follows two big wave surfers from warmer climes to the frigid wastelands of Alaska, where they attempt to surf mini-tsunamis created by cliff-sized chunks of ice falling from a melting glacier. Locally made film Black People Don’t Swim recounts the story of Kwezi Qika, a champion longboarder who has overcome great odds to reach the pinnacle of his sport. Fly in the Champagne, a powerful and drama-filled action film, documents the fiercest rivalry in professional surfing: Andy Irons versus Kelly Slater.  The footage in Inside Teahupoo at this world famous reef break in Tahiti marks another leap in the technology of filming waves from inside the curling tube.

A highlight of the festival this year is Musica Surfica, and award-winning and inspiring documentary that represents the intersection of art, music and surfing, starring Australian surf legend Derek Hynd and Richard Tognetti, leading violinist and Artistic Director of the Australian Chamber Orchestra who plays his R65-million Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù violin while Hynd shows the way with his finless surfboard .

The Wavescape Surf Festival 2009 runs from 2 - 20 December in Cape Town.

Clifton 4th Beach outdoor screening: 11 December
Brass Bell, Kalk Bay: 13 to 16 December
Labia Cinema, City Bowl: 17 to 20 December
Art Exhibition: 2 to 8 December at Depasco Cafe in Cape Town
Auction and opening party: 9 December at Depasco Cafe in Cape Town

These are the films we are considering. Have any thoughts? Email us through the Tune Us link in the top nav bar, yah.

Drifter - starring Rob Machado, filmed in Indonesia, directed by Taylor Steele
Still Filthy - Jarrod Tallman Winner of Surfer Poll Awards Best Movie of the Year, Parko, Andy, Dane and Taj with Billabong Crew
180 Degrees South - Chris Malloy Yvon Chouinard the Wilderness of Patagonia and waves
Sea of Darkness - Michael Orbizit how the companies all began in surfing; drugs, travel and surf
Musica Surfica - brilliant intersection between music and surfing with Derk Hynd
The Present - Thomas Campbell, this is a big favorite of many right now
Perfect Ten - history of Red Bull Big Wave Africa
Dear & Yonder - Tiffany Campbell all girls and Winner of the Surfer Poll Award Breakout Filmmaker
The Glacier Project - crazy ice fuelled grumpiness riding the beats off a glacier
Waveriders - Best Doc Surfer Poll Awards Ireland makes its mark as cold water surf spot
Fly In The Champagne - the story of the Andy vs Kelly rivalry. High octane.
Inside Teahupoo - funky new camera work in the tube at chopes. Some insane moments.
Hanging Five - Chris Cutri Five Surf artist Wolfgang Bloch, Andy Davis, Julie Goldstein, Alex Knox, and Tyler Warren
Lost Prophets - Nathan Apeel - Dave rastovich Hans Hagen All forms of wave riding from Alaias to tow in.
Serching For Michael Peterson - Jaylon the once champion of Australia whose mental illness took over his life
Black People Don't Swim - the story of Kwesi Qika from Muizies
High Water - from the Brown family
Tom's Plantation Creation - Cyrus Sutton on how to make a Alia board and surf it (Short Film 20 minutes)
Shaped - Walter Georis History of shaping with the who's who of shapers