One World Cinema

“Keep Surfing”

This German documentary, directed and produced by Bjorn Richie Lob, demonstrates how you “don’t need an ocean to surf”, and how “you can surf a wave forever”. Travel to Munich, Germany, on the “Eisbach River”, just past the bridge near the “Haus der Kunst” art museum, where the man-made river and tributary to the Isar River, forms a standing wave about one meter high.  Surfers have made “surfing more tangible”, allowing them to surf on a continuous surging wave for as long as one can balance for.  Follow this passionate subculture of local, visiting, poser, and professional river and ocean surfers through their journey in attempting to balance work/surfing, raising families/surfing,  and  traveling/surfing.  “Surfing changes a person for the better.”

Great soundtrack by Philip Stegers/Lee Buddah.  Songs by “Dimi” and “Kitty the Hill”.

Soundtrack to be released on May 20th by “Normal records”.  http://www.normal-records.com.

World Sales: Beta Cinema:  “Il Divo”, “Mongol”, and “Lives of Others”.

Other good surf docs: “Bustin’ Down the Door”/2008

Trailer: in German: http://www.facebook.com/l/6fd35;www.keep-surfing.de/

International Trailer: http://www.facebook.com/l/6fd35;www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h2yzBNgGwk

****Interview with Surfer/Actor in “Keep Surfing”: Quirin Rohleder

Q: Sharon Abella:  What were your fondest memories while making the film?

A: Quirin Rohleder: “My fondest memories… I guess that the movie took so long to finish, ha ha ha. (It took 10 years to make). I completely lost track and actually forgot about the whole thing. When I saw the first version and my first scene, I had too look at myself twice as I barely recognized myself.   Björn  and I did the first interviews so long ago.  When Björn suddenly showed up in Tahiti where I was working at the time. That’s when I realized he was actually serious about the whole thing. ”

Q: Sharon Abella: What are your favorite surf destinations?

A: Quirin Rohleder:  “My favorite destinations… I only surf the Eisbach in Munich and sometimes the other waves in the city. I once went to Zurich, Switzerland, but that’s it. I’m not really traveling to surf rivers. I have been living in France for 11 years now and there’s this one spot close to where I live where I love to surf with a couple of friends. For me it more about who I surf with rather than what wave.”

Q: Sharon Abella: If you could surf with 3 professional surfers, who would they be?

A: Quirin Rohleder: “I have been working on the ASP World Tour for several years now and I have an athlete management agency so I’m around professional surfers a lot. I love to surf with one of my clients, Adrian Buchan, from Australia. He’s super mellow in the water. So is Jay “Bottle” Tompson, also from Australia.

I basically surfed with pretty much every top professional surfer of the last few years. Kelly, Parko, Taj… It’s obviously always mind boggling what they do, but to be honest, the best thing is to surf with my best friends.”

Screenings of “Keep Surfing” at “The Tribeca Film Festival”:

Monday, April 26^th, 2010 at 10:00 pm at Clearview  Chelsea Cinema –8

Wednesday,  April 28^th, 2010 at 8:45 pm at Village East Cinema-2

Friday, April 30^th 2010 at 3:30pm at Village East Cinema-6

Sunday, May 1^st, 2010 at 12:00 pm Tribeca Cinema-1

Tagged: film, world cinema film

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