Matt Pruett Joins the Florida Surf Film Festival Screening Panel

New Smyrna Beach, FL – February 28, 2014

Matt_Pruett_Morocco_©Tripp_Burman_(1_of_1)

I had the sincere pleasure of meeting Matt Pruett in Nicaragua last December, who managed to get a few really good waves the first morning of the swell.  The biggest wave of the day had thankfully not gone unridden.  Matt paddled, and the accretion of swell over the rock bottom wrapped into the highlight of the morning against a moderate offshore wind, just enough to be a tad bothersome.  He did a brief balancing act during the ballsy drop, small fade before pulling tight for a pump and a potential speed run to make it around what was piling up in front of him (it wasn’t perfect–a few feet overhead).  The face had a little texture on it.  Matt sped up and had his eyes on the impending, unbeatable section.  He kicked out.  The offshore wind caused the board to perform a few unruly pirouettes in the air before poking my new friend in the eye.  I didn’t know whether he’d be able to see again when he paddled up to me, asking about how it looked.  I thought we might be too close to the wide-swinging pit, so I tried to get him into the deeper water where the boat waited.  He made it over after I offered little comfort, seeing no shortage of blood covering his eye…

Fast forward.  Next day, Matt charged the beach break with a some super glue on his eye-lid, avoiding any serious injury, but he was back at it immediately.

One look at his body, and you’d think he was 18 years old.  In the history of surfing, there has never been a more perfect example of musculature for the sport.  That’s saying a lot, I know.  But when he hops up from his computer under the palapa and bounces down to his room to grab a board or a smoke, his exaggerated features catch your eye–arched back, lumpy bulk traveling up the V-shape, into a pair of shoulders that look like they have implants; hair bleached, skin beyond tan for a caucasian, and a voice that announces itself sporadically, like a gunshot.  He types with pointer fingers.

I can’t say I’ve met someone on a trip in the last few years that is as fun, interesting, human, and hard-working.  Down days were constant work, even though they may sometimes be accompanied by a morning surf.  He writes.  He researches.  But mostly he writes.

I couldn’t possible imagine a better, more outspoken candidate for the Florida Surf Film Festival, and fortunately for John Brooks, Co-Founder, and me, he said yes.  I will be honored to have his opinion reflected in the awards for the 2014 festival and many more years to come.  It’s our privilege to welcome Matt Pruett to the screening panel of the Florida Surf Film Festival.

Pruett, Avalon, May 2010-Lusk