The “Ombak Bali” International Surf Film Festival opened its doors Thursday night at Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel, Kuta, kicking off with two original films shot in Liberia and the Philippines.
The three-day festival was the first held in South East Asia.
“Many other countries like Australia, France and the U.S. already have had such festivals for a long time, so we thought it was time to set up a great chance for creative film makers and surf lovers in Asia, that’s how we started one year ago,” initiator and program head Lin de Haas said.
“Ombak Bali” has invited filmmakers to send in their independently produced feature-length and short surf films, with the best to be chosen and then screened for a larger audience.
Fourteen international surf films will be shown until Saturday night, exhibiting wave riding in various forms, from arty surf films to documentaries with serious background stories and from comedies about surf legends to classic big-wave adventures.
“We want to find international movies of different genres that also attract non-surfers and bring in a big diversity,” Lin said.
The opening night screened Sliding Liberia, a prize winning surf film/documentary telling the story of three young surfers traveling throughout the war-torn West African country in search of one last perfect wave.
“I really like that movie. The connection to the actual country is often forgotten in surf movies and rarely speaks about political issues, so I was totally surprised by this one,” Philip Brauchle, a German festival visitor, said.
Besides discovering a world-class point break, the surfers come to terms with life’s other important elements, like soul and love, as well as discover that life can sometimes be harsh.
Friday and Saturday will see the premieres of many Asian or South East Asian films: Mundaka, Pororoca, Thread, Three Foot Charlie, Sea Fever and more. Dopamine, an Indonesian/Australian production which explores a new direction in art and surfing screens Saturday at 9 p.m. along with Three, a 72-minute U.S. movie featuring a blend of the culture that surrounds surfing.
The festival organizer said they had received plenty of support from Bali officials as well as a number of sponsors, and were planning to hold a second edition of the festival next August. “But first we want to see if the festival attracts many movie lovers.”
On the island where everyone is tan, stylishly dressed and in the mood for sun and surf, there was no doubt the large crowd attending the International Surf Film Festival, despite it being held in the off season, was a clear indicator the event will be a roaring success.
