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Get ready for Hawaii’s premiere international surf film showcase, the Kona Surf Film Festival, Dec. 2-3 at The Pavilion at The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows.

The eighth installment of this epic weekend of film, music, art, ono grindz and drinks is set to be the biggest festival yet with special guest Rob Machado, undeniably one of the world’s greatest surfers, on board to share in the stoke.

The Kona Surf Film Festival showcases independent short and feature films from established and emerging surf filmmakers from around the globe. The event is a benefit for the Seathos Foundation, which promotes education and awareness of the human impact on the world’s oceans.

This year festival organizers received a record number of film submissions and have attracted a line-up of big-name sponsors including Nike, Alaska Airlines, Hurley and Kona Brewing Company.

Festival founder and program director, Chad Campbell, said the “Kona Surf Film Festival is a chance for filmmakers to expose their work to a more mainstream audience that is psyched to share in the thrill of surfing outside of the water. These films are packed with beauty, creativity and awesome soundtracks.”

Campbell continued, “This year we are excited to introduce the inaugural Kona Surf Film Festival Awards presented by Alaska Airlines, which will recognize standout films.”

The 2011 Festival will also for the first time present “Sustainable Sunshine,” an art and eco cultural event hosted by sustainable design company, FIRN LIFE. Sustainable Sunshine will showcase planet-friendly local art, design, fashion, jewelry and surf equipment and accessories. Art installations, an alternative surf movie screen and DJ sets will also feature as part of the line-up.

Founded in 2003, the Kona Surf Film Festival celebrates the art of surfing. Campbell, a surfer, filmmaker and editor, has always held a passion for film-making and the surfing lifestyle. He wanted to use that passion to bring the community together to participate in the long-held tradition of surfers watching surf films on the big screen.

Often showcasing unknown films and filmmakers who have a love for all things surf, the Kona Surf Film Fest gives people an opportunity to share in the stoke, outside of the water.

The Kona Surf Film Festival is also proud to be a Zero Waste event endorsed by the County of Hawaii. Mayor Billy Kenoi will be in attendance to promote this positive message and encourage people to reduce the amount of material they throw away and incorporate by-products of one system for use for another system.

The Films

Come Hell Or High Water
Keith Malloy brings us a new surf flick featuring Mark Cunningham, Dan Malloy and Mike Stewart. Hell or Highwater gives us a different – beardless – perspective on surfing. The film explores the history and progression of the sport of bodysurfing and the pureness that comes from riding a wave. While Malloy is most widely known for his time in the water as a surfer, his exploration into the world of bodysurfing began some 10 years ago when he wanted to reconnect with the ocean and did so through bodysurfing. Said Malloy about this project, “It’s about taking a breath and kicking your feet in the big blue sea.”

Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOez2mFNk2s

The Drifter
In the summer of 2008 iconic surfer and former Pipe Master Rob Machado flew to Indonesia to experience a different kind of surf trip. A journey that would take him way beyond his comfort zone to the point where he could finally be alone with his thoughts, his desires and the empty perfection of an unnamed Indian Ocean reef. What did he discover? You never stop dreaming, even when dreams do come true.

The Kona Surf Film Festival is proud to welcome Rob Machado as a special guest and friend of the Fest.

Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzEKWreXgp4

For The Love Quietly hidden from the rest of the world lies a small town filled with ordinary people, with extraordinary stories; Stories that never seemed to matter until now. Raised in Hilo, on the windward side of the Big Island, Cliff Kapono, screens his debut film and will attend the festival to share his insights and experiences from producing this work of art.

Watch the trailer: http://vimeo.com/27998272

Leave A Message
Nike 6.0 presents this latest film project, starring the new generation of woman surfers who push surfing to the next level. Starring Carissa Moore (Hawaii), Lakey Peterson (California), Laura Enever (Australia), Coco Ho (Hawaii), Byrne-Wickey Monyca (Hawaii) and Malia Manuel (Hawaii), the film follows the women as they travel the world circuit to Australia, California, Hawaii and Mexico.

The Kona Surf Film Festival is proud to welcome Lakey Peterson as a special guest and friend of the Fest.

Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehkD6tw5opg

Lost & Found
Lost & Found is a documentary based on the discovery of 30,000 black and white surfing negatives at a flea market in Pasadena, California. As it turned out, the images belonged to Surfing Magazine from the iconic times of the 60s and 70s. It’s a journey over three plus years of reuniting and sharing the images capturing stories that unless told, would have been lost.

Watch the trailer: http://www.corduroy.tv/lostandfound/

Year Zero
Year Zero is a modern take on high performance surfing set in a post-apocalyptic world, reminiscent of Mad Max or an HG Wells novel. It tells a story of a band of renegade surfers, including Dion Agius, Yadin Nicol, Nate Tyler, Taj Burrow, CJ Hobgood and Damien Hobgood on a road trip through the apocalypse in search of waves, women and good times.

Watch the trailer: http://vimeo.com/26600961

Gum For My Boat
Gum For My Boat is a story of hope focusing on the Bangladesh Surf Club and its members. The club consists of around 30 male and female members and is helping to introduce surfing into a culture in a very unconventional method.

Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kHeREaDvJo

Lost Atlas
From Kai Neville, the creator of Modern Collective, Lost Atlas is a view of postmodern surfing. This is youth on the run set to a killer soundtrack that veers across all genres.

Watch the trailer: http://vimeo.com/25854235

Sight/Sound
Artsy hip music, an über-talented bunch of surfers on long (and not quite so long) boards, and some very desirable line-ups. “As every surfer matures, so does their taste in surfing,” says filmmaker Mikey DeTemple. “These are my tastes and the people that really inspire me and some of the most unique and fun locations in the world.”

Watch the trailer: http://vimeo.com/18758953

The Fest will also host a lineup of short and semi-short films including:

Dark Side of The Lens
So popular last year that we’re screening it again this year! Renowned photographer and bodyboarder Mickey Smith offers a short experimental glimpse into what it takes to grind out a living as a water-based photographer in the surfing industry.

Hangs Upon Nothing
Jeremy Rumas shares his journey of traveling the world through his trusty Bolex 16 mm film camera. The film is really just about experiencing life on earth – what it feels like to experience the world as a surfer. “I wanted the viewer to feel they are experiencing life as the surfers in the film experience it,” Rumas says.

The Bonus Round
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Cliff Kapono looks at how Hilo (Hawaii) surfer/shaper Robert Patterson breathes new life into an 80′s board by stripping down the glass and redesigning it into something suitable for the modern surfer. It doesn’t take a whole lot to transform a board from beater to high flying shred stick, so next time you are at garage sale down the street and see an ugly duckling of a board, maybe you can reshape her into something beautiful yourself.

Be
This inspiring short captures the dreams of an aspiring pro surfer. Produced by Creative Artistic and written by Robert Dume.

The Surfer’s Journal POV Shorts
POV Shorts is a series of shorts from surf filmmakers including Chris Malloy and Cyrus Sutton. Each filmmaker has taken on one subject within a general framework interpreting this in their own unique style.

Sanded
Tar Productions presents the art of shaping surfboards in a modern fashion. A dramatic look at the mixture of man and machine to make a wave riding tool that dates back to the ancient Polynesians.

Hash Tags and Seagulls
A creation from the minds of Carmen Vicari and Russ Roe. Vicari’s stylish, high-contrast camera and editing work alongside the unique art direction and frantic animation of Roe creates a hypnotic vision of exuberance and creativity in surfing.

The 2011 Kona Surf Film Festival line-up

Friday Dec. 2, 2011

MAIN SCREEN
4:30 p.m. (ish): Live music by Kimie Miner
5:45 p.m.: Lost Atlas
6:50 p.m.: Short films including Dark Side of the Lens, Hashtags & Seagulls and Hangs Upon Nothing
7:45 p.m.: For The Love with an appearance by filmmaker, Cliff Kapono
9-10 p.m. (ish): Live music by special guests

SUSTAINABLE SCREEN
5:45 p.m.: Surfing visuals scored live by Conscious Riddims
6 p.m.: Leave a Message and short films including Wayne Lynch POV
6:45 p.m.: Year Zero & short films
7:45 p.m.: Surfing visuals scored live by Conscious Riddims

AFTER PARTY at HULI SUE’S AT MAUNA LANI
10 p.m.: Presented by Organik Clothing featuring the music of Kailua-Kona’s THE DARKROOM an eclectic genre-bending journey into electronic dance music, dubstep, punk rock, reggae and blues, or as they call it, Electronic Rockstep.

Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011

MAIN SCREEN
4:30 p.m. (ish): Live music by Leche De Tigre
5:45 p.m.: The Drifter with an appearance by star Rob Machado
7 p.m.: Leave a Message, Sight/Sound and short films
7:45 p.m.: Come Hell or High Water
9-10 p.m. (ish): Live music by special guests

SUSTAINABLE SCREEN
2 p.m.: Lost and Found
3:30 p.m.: Buffalo
4:30 p.m.: Surfing visuals scored live by Conscious Riddims
5:45 p.m.: Short films including Nate Tyler POV, Be and others
6:30 p.m.: Gum For My Boat and short films 8:30pm: Surfing visuals scored live by Conscious Riddims

AFTER PARTY at HULI SUE’S AT MAUNA LANI
10 p.m.: Presented by Organik Clothing featuring DJ D1RT33 spinning the wheels of steel to electro-bounce, house and dubstep beats.

COST: Adults $15, Groms (Kids!) $10. After party is free.

BYO: Beach chair and blankets for films shown under the stars. Bring a sweater as it may get a little chilly!

FOOD: BBQ and beer available for purchase. No coolers please. $2 popcorn, $5 hot dogs, $6 veggie burgers, $7 fish tacos, $4 beer, $7 wine.

— Find out more:
www.konasurffilmfestival.org
www.maunalani.com