San Diego Surf Film Festival Brings Global Surfing to the Big Screen

 Fourth Annual Festival Announces Stellar International Line-Up

The 2015 San Diego Surf Film Festival has announced a diverse line-up of 24 international films – from big-wave surfing in South Africa to an epic adventure down the Ganges River to bridging cultural and gender divides in a remote part of Iran.

The festival, May 20-23 at Sherwood Auditorium at the Museum of Contemporary Art, La Jolla, will feature many films this year that are San Diego, California, and world premieres.

“Our majestic blue marble is made up of 71 percent water, which lends itself to an abundance of surf-related films and stunning cinematography. We are stoked to showcase surf films from around the planet, from popular surf destinations such as Hawaii, California, France, Australia and the Maldives, to Rio de Janeiro, the south of Portugal, and even a small village of El Salvador,” said Pierce Kavanagh, the festival’s co-creator and director.  “Every year we work diligently to create a festival that visiting filmmakers are proud to be a part of and that the San Diego surfing community can claim as its very own. This year we even had to move to the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla to accommodate the growing crowds. The 500-person theater overlooking the ocean is the perfect venue and the response has already been overwhelming.”

 

Radness at the Sherwood Theater, Museum of Contemporary Art La Jolla

The SDSFF is unique in that it includes films, art and music that embody the entire culture. Besides stellar films, this year's festival will includ  a VIP party at Green Flash Brewing Co., dozens of filmmakers and producers in attendance, in-depth Q&As, filmmaker panels, live art and music, great food, epic surf sessions and raging after-parties. Special events happening during SDSFF 2015 include a tribute to late surf cinematographer Sonny Miller, and a presentation by well-known surf and nature photographer Chris Burkard (http://www.chrisburkard.com/).

Chris Burkard continues to amaze us with his lens skills

For tickets and more information please visit http://www.sandiegosurffilmfestival.com/.  Hoots & Shakas to all of SDSFF 2105 presenting sponsors:  Daphne’s California Greek, misfit pictures, Green Flash Brewing Co., Xsories, Xtreme, and Verb TV.

Below is a list of the SDSFF 2015 official film selections:

Features:

Behind the Tide

Gathering

Into the Sea

Ocean Driven

Oney Anwar: Chasing the Dream

Peninsula

Strange Rumblings in Shangra La

RICO - 60 years of Rico de Souza and surfing in Brazil

Short Films

Always on the Road: Algarve, Portugal

Behind the Seen

Bird's Surf Shed

El Chino

Foliage

Icon: Alex Gray

June Gloom

Mike Coots

North to Noosa

Out of the Black and into the Blue

Rail to Rail

Saturday 6:27am

The Coast

What Does Freedom Mean to You?

Willow Creek

Worm

San Diego Surf Film Festival Celebrates Fourth Year With Star-Studded Line-Up

 

Sonny Miller Tribute and Chris Burkard Photography Workshop Top Activities 

The San Diego Surf Film Festival (SDSFF) plans to kick off its fourth year with a special tribute to the late Sonny Miller on opening night, Thursday, May 21, 2015.  The event, which will celebrate the life of the legendary surf cinematographer through an exclusive presentation, will also include special guests.

"Unfortunately, the world of surf cinematography lost one of its brightest stars, and for us closer to home, San Diego lost ones of its finest sons,” said Pierce Kavanagh, cofounder and executive director of the SDSFF.  “Sonny Miller had a contagious stoke that infected everybody around him, and his spirit will live on.  With the blessings of his family, the SDSFF is bringing the tribe together to honor a truly remarkable human and to pay tribute to ‘Miller Time.’”

Sonny Miller

The SDSFF will present another well-known lensman, Chris Burkard, on Saturday, May 23 during a photography workshop led by the legend himself. The event will include an in-depth peek into Burkard’s amazing body of work. His photography transcends the surf world and brings us the beauty of the planet as never seen before. He is truly inspiring and we are honored to feature Surfer Magazine's senior staff photographer. Burkard was recently invited to speak at a Global TED Talk. 

The World According to Chris Burkard

Inspiration will be flying all four days of the festival ( May 20-23),  with live art by SDSFF art director Skye Walker, Matt Beard, Nathan Ledyard,  Paul Elder, Keith Boyd, and others.  You won’t want to miss these masterminds creating in one venue – you never know what’s going to happen.

Skye Walker

The SDSFF, held at the renowned Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla,  will also include 25 international surf films, a VIP party, dozens of filmmakers and producers in attendance, in-depth Q&As, filmmaker panels, live music, great food, epic surf sessions and raging after-parties. 

The San Diego Surf Film Festival has quickly become one of the largest of its kind in the world.  Last year’s festival sold out all four days and attracted more than 2,200 people, who came from all over the globe to celebrate the art of surf cinema.  

For more information, tickets and schedule, please visit http://www.sandiegosurffilmfestival.com/.

Film submissions are opening until April 1.  

Hoots & Shakas!