Surf films have been an important part for surf culture for over 60 years. Every summer it was a tradition amongst surfers to head down to their local hall, surf club or pub to watch the world’s best surfers on the big screen while the film maker sat up the back making sure everything stayed in focus.
Locally the Geelong Pix, Lorne Theatre and Torquay Hall were the places to see surf films with your mates or girlfriend. By the end of the night everyone would leave the venue pumped up and ready to attack the local waves the next day.
Video killed surf films for a number of years but they have roared back with a vengeance in the last decade – all thanks to a global network of surf film festivals screening the latest and best surf films from around the world. The genre is once again attracting thousands of people who want to learn more about surf culture, surf travel and experience unique surf stories.
The biggest local surf film festival is the Bells Beach Surf Film Festival that is held annually in Torquay during the first week of January. The festival screens the best surf films and documentaries from Australia and around the world at the Australian National Surfing Museum.
It’s the longest running surf film festival in Australia and since its inception over 2000 people have enjoyed watching over 50 surf films from diverse countries such as Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, Finland, Israel and Norway.
Submissions for the 2017 festival are now open and will close on October 30. All surf films, documentaries and surf film shorts will be considered by the panel of surf film enthusiasts and award winning film makers.
Just email a synopsis of your film and trailer link to the festival email – [email protected]
All films entered will be eligible for the prestigious festival awards including Best Short Film, Best Film, Best Cinematography and the prestigious Peter Troy ‘Spirit of Surfing Adventure’ Award named after Torquay surfer Peter Troy who visited over 140 countries with his surfboard between 1963 and 1965.
For further information go to – www.bellsbeachsurffilmfestival.com – or phone 0408 386 812 and you could have your surf film showing on the big screen at the festival.
Written by John Foss
