Programming Announced for Florida Surf Film Festival 2021

Eighth Annual Florida Surf Film Festival Announces 2021 Official Selections

New Smyrna Beach, FL – Florida Surf Film Festival (FSFF), presented by Monster Energy, is proud to announce official selections for the feature and short documentary categories for its final installment of the 2021 festival on November 19th and 20th at Atlantic Center for the Arts, in New Smyrna Beach.

Passes are now available:

  1. Adults: One-night passes run $25 and a two-night pass runs $35
  2. Kids: 10 and under are also available for $15/night and $25/two-nights.
  3. A patron pass for $125/person includes a festival poster, 2021 FSFF t-shirt, FSFF 20-ounce YETI Tumbler, dinner both nights from Clancy’s Cantina on-site, two-night festival pass, and four drink tickets per night.
  4. We also offer a Green Room Membership, which includes an annual pass to all events for the next twelve months, including all the patron pass benefits. Please email Kevin@floridasurffilmfestival.comwith any questions.

Jurors in attendance for the 2021 festival include Matt Warshaw, Encyclopedia of Surfing, Scott Hulet of The Surfer’s Journal, and Matthew Shaw, The Surfer’s Journal writer.

Filmmakers in attendance include Jack Coleman with his new work Polysun, a 32-minute ride-anything look at Joey Bookout, scored by the self-titled 1976 album from Relatively Clean Rivers.  It’s Coleman at his best with his pure joy approach to surf films.

Isaac Halasima, director of Waterman, a sensational documentary of Duke Kahanamoku’s life and legend, will be in attendance to present his work and answer fans questions about the incredible journey of documenting the father of modern surfing.  (Producers, David Ulich and Dr. Steven Ungerleider – The Foundation for Global Sports Development & Sidewinder Films)

We are extremely honored to serve as the world premiere of the 50th anniversary screening of Albert Falzon’s masterpiece Morning of the Earth, which has been digitally remastered in 4k from its 16mm original stock. Restoration producers Justin Jarchow-Misch and Wyatt Daily, will be in attendance to discuss the challenges of honoring Albert’s beautiful, timeless work.  In fact, Wyatt will have a short film of an interview with Albert set to yet unseen footage from the B roll footage.

Festival selections screened during February 2020, June and August 2021 are also included for competition. They are listed below.

Check our website for an updated schedule, but here’re our estimated screen times:

November 19, 2021:

  • 4:30PM – Doors open
  • 5:30PM –
    • Havana Libre by MakeWild Films, 90 min.
  • 7:30PM –
    • Antidote To Our Times by Christian Marsh, 8 min.
    • Fail by Eduardo Vento, 4 min.
    • Eastbound and All Around starring the Geiselmans, Kolohe Andino, Luke Davis, and the Colapinto Brothers, 6 min.
    • Polysun starring Joey Bookout by Jack Coleman, in attendance, 32 min.
    • Q & A with Jack Coleman, 10 min.
    • Raffle – Dragon, The SurfNetwork, Roark, and more
  • 9:30PM –
    • Sway by Matt Kleiner, 9 min.
    • Born Pacific starring Pete Devries by Nate Laverty, 14 min.
    • Water Get No Enemy by Aurthur Bourbon and Damien Castera, 46 min.
    • Raffle – Cronin Surfboard, YETI

November 20, 2021:

  • 5:00PM – Doors
  • 6:00PM –
    • We Are Like Waves by Jordyn Romero, 12 min.
    • Waterman by Isaac Halasima, in attendance, and Sidewinder Films, (Producers, David Ulich and Dr. Steven Ungerleider – The Foundation for Global Sports Development & Sidewinder Films) – 88 min.
    • Q & A with Isaac Halasima, 10 min.
    • Raffle – Various
  • 9:00PM –
    • MOTE: 50 Years Around the Sun by Wyatt Daily, 10 min.
    • Morning of the Earth starring Terry Fitzgerald, Michael Peterson, and Nat Young by Albert Falzon and restoration producer, Justin Jarchow-Misch, in attendance, 79 min.
    • Raffle – Cronin Surfboard, YETI

Included also for competition, but screening on February 5, 2022, will be For the Dream, a documentary about the essence of Ben Gravy’s approach to surfing and his quest to ride a wave in all fifty states.  Look for more information in Early January.

Previously screened films during 2020 and 2021 included for competition:

Features:

  • Transition by Nate Laverty
  • A Corner of the Earth by Ishka Folkwell
  • Andy Irons and the Radicals, by Ashton Goggans and Sam Moody
  • Arc of Aleutia by Chris Burkard
  • Girls Can’t Surf by Chris Nelius and Tom Sachs
  • Whistle of Wilderness by Chris Miyashiro
  • Rainbows in the Rearview by Albee Layer and Take Shelter Productions

Shorts:

  • Inner Wild by Jack Coleman
  • The Midnight Hour by Keith Malloy
  • Dancing in Dakar by Luke Pilbeam
  • Tech Noir by Christian Edwards and Noa Mizuno
  • Maurice Cole: The First Wave by Peter Baker
  • Dark Hollow by Joe G.
  • Grit and Water by Dan Norkunas and Take Shelter Productions
  • The Shape of Air by Rob Layton
  • Imogen Caldwell by Morgan Maassen
  • Mirage: The Ever-Changing Story of Skeleton Bay by Alan Van Gysen and Will Bendix

We recognize the difference between Best Documentary and Best Surf Movie.  Those who approach the art form by documenting, a character, locale, etc. with personal interviews, historical footage, and anecdotal clips will be in competition for Best Documentary, and those movies focusing on the high performance, action-driven sequences will compete for Best Surf Movie. This award will be extended to short films as well. In addition, Best Cinematography and Best Soundtrack will be awarded for both feature and short films, along with a Viewers’ Choice award.

Juries include:  Feature Films – Taylor Steele, Matt Warshaw, Keith Malloy, David Scales, Charlie “Chas” Smith, and Lauren Hill.  Short Films – Takuji Masuda, Marcus Sanders, Scott Hulet, Ashton Goggans, Joe Turpel, and Matthew Shaw.

We are proud to have Monster Energy serve as our presenting sponsor for this year’s festival, providing travel and lodging for the filmmakers who attend the festival.

Principal Sponsors:  Roark Revival, YETI, Surfline, Globe Brand Footwear, Anson Stoner (Advertising and Creative), and Atlantic Center for the Arts.

Major Sponsors: Advent Health, Cronin Surfboards, Creatures of Leisure, Florida Virtual School, Brian Layman Wealth Management, Red Dog Surf Shop, Kembali Board Shack, Café Verde, and Clancy’s Cantina.

Sponsors:  Scott Yurchison Real Estate, Daytona Climbing Company, Dragon Alliance, LunDev Homes, New Smyrna Beach Brewing Company, Nixon, Mangrove Bay Design, SurfYogis, Biological Consulting Services, New Smyrna Spine and Injury Center, Beachside Tavern, La Ponderosa Beach and Jungle Resort, Total Vision, Funxion IT, Holistic Movements, Surfrider Foundation.

Media Partnerships include:  Surfline, The Surfer’s Journal, Surf Splendor Podcast Network, The SurfNetwork, Beach Grit, Stab, and Encyclopedia of Surfing.

Encyclopedia of Surfing provides our historical and archival needs.

Florida Surf Film Festival mission: 

Florida Surf Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, public charity, invigorating surf culture and artistic appreciation by exhibiting contemporary documentary films with surfing as a focus from artist far and wide while also producing a story-driven podcast, literary group discussions, and artistic workshops.