Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Save The Waves Film Festival Goes Off!



Last Friday night the Victoria Theatre was the scene of the third-ever Save The Waves Film Festival, featuring a collection of short local films and the San Francisco premiere of Come Hell or High Water. The hooting nearly drowned out the movie soundtracks as the crowded theatre (a full, standing room only, sold out capacity crowd) rang out with deafening cries of joy for the great films screened.

Save The Waves Coalition thanks the presenting sponsors of Save The Waves Film Festival for their generous support of this non-profit fundraiser: Clif Bar, Rip Curl, Jim Beam and Patagonia.

A collection of locally made short films launched the evening's film festival after a welcome set of surf-drenched reggae by My Peoples: Surf for Life explored the philanthropic possibilities of grassroots surf tourism; Soundings celebrated the activist nature of surfers and ocean lovers; Great Highway celebrated the first surfers of San Francisco; and Save Sloat recounted the problems and solutions at the southern edge of San Francisco's Ocean Beach where the road, parking lots and city infrastructure are falling into the ocean.

Other notable happenings during Save The Waves Film Festival include an exclusive, on-stage interview with pro surfer Dusty Payne -- unfortunately cut short by a shark sighting; a very special wooden bodysurfing wetsuit handmade by local shaper Danny Hess; and a celebrity sighting of Giants relief pitcher Brian Wilson who was there to introduce his fellow bearded warrior, filmmaker Keith Malloy.

The night ended with legendary bodysurfers Mark Cunningham and Keith Malloy taking the stage to present their new film, Come Hell or High Water. The film was a resounding yet unlikely success due to its non comformist bodysurfing subject matter, and the crowd was elated. Over ten thousand dollars were raised for Save The Waves Coalition's campaign to Save Sloat and the World Surfing Reserves program.

Save The Waves Film Festival was also proudly supported by: 7x7 Magazine, Hog Island Oyster Company, Zola Acai, Pacifico, Peligroso Tequila, Ocean Vodka, My Peoples, San Franpsycho and Transworld Surf. More information about the film festival and the programs it supports can be found at www.savethewaves.org/filmfestival