One World Cinema

New York Surf Film Festival

Films entitled, “Dear Suburbia,” “European Surf Journal,” “Gauchos Del Mar,” “Here and Now,” “Jaws ‘Changing the Game,'””Promised Land,” “Raw the Movie,” “Sebastian Beach One Fine Day,” “Surfing and Sharks,” “The Africa Project,” “The Find Claiming Nelscott Reef,” “This Time Tomorrow,” “Through the Whisky Barrel,” “30 Days Without Surfing,” “Away,” “Bernie and Ges,” “Fathoms Left to Fall,” “Free Aloha,” “Follow the Sun,” “Itxasoa,” “Kook Paradise,” “Margaux,” “Montauk Documentary, “Simon Anderson,” “Stacked,”  “Upcycling,” “Water Warriors,” “WindanSea,” “Wright Side of Wrong,” “and  “You Look Swell” have shown at the Nitehawk Cinema in Williamsburg, Brooklyn over the past 2 days.

“Surfing for Peace” Can surfing bring about peace on Earth?  In “Promised Land,” you will learn all about the impact the sport has had on the Israeli state, and the hope of what could be if everyone were to spend quality time with people from different cultures, in the water, “because when you are a surfer, you are not a country or a religion, you are a surfer. It doesn’t matter if you are in Israel, Europe, or America, you are just happy to surf and get good vibes.”

Geographically located near Arab nations, with a past and present deep in conflict, Jews in Israel have always felt as if they have to fight for their everyday existence. “Promised Land” tries to soften the tensions in the Mid-East by describing a little bit about the often misunderstood Jewish population, explaining that “shaping a surfboard is a good metaphor for how the Jewish people really are. Hard as a shell from the outside, but once you get to know them,  gentile, with a very kind and big heart.”

Todd Morehead, the director of “Promised Land,” dreamt of becoming a pro-surfer, however,  when those dreams faded, he decided to put Christian ministry work, and his love for surfing, together in Israel.  He and his wife refurbished b-mb shelters, while trying to make surfing more popular. The hope is that by getting people to go surfing, they won’t think about wars or their country’s problems.

Knowing that waves and war do not mix, Dr. Dorian Paskowitz, traveled over the Israeli border to Gaza, bringing  with him 14 surfboards to give to Palestinians. This wise sage explained that “when a man steps into the ocean, there is only one enemy, and that is himself. You are one with the water, one with the wave.”

Appearances by Tom Curren and Al Merrick.

Article by Sharon Abella

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