With the return of the 7th Annual San Diego Surf Film Festival (SDSFF), one can only ask themselves what new could possibly be done by a hometown festival which brings together some of the most renowned names in surf filmmaking, let alone the surf world, year after year.
“Simple, bring them all together at once,” offers SDSFF founder Pierce Kavanagh with a smile. “Last year we presented Skip Frye with the Spirit of the SDSFF Lifetime Tribute Award which had a ripple effect far greater than originally imagined. It was such an incredible and heartfelt evening that we knew we had to continue. We recruited Skip and a select panel to compile a list of the ‘100 Most Influential Surfers to call San Diego home.’ This year, with the guidance and approval of the legends, we are excited to announce we are turning that list into the San Diego Surfing Hall of Fame.” The San Diego Surf Film Festival runs May 9 to 12 at more than a dozen locations around San Diego, with its hub being the Misfit Gallery in La Jolla on Pearl Street. Fifteen of the best international surf films are presented over the four-day festival with highlights including Nathan Oldfield’s “The Church of the Open Sky,” Taylor Steele’s “Proximity” and Nathan Curren and Pierre Denoyel’s “Biarritz Surf Gang” among many others.
The festival kicks off Wednesday, 6 p.m. on May 9 at featured artist Wade Koniakowsky’s Art Gallery in Solana Beach in what has been described as having a “live art beach party vibe” with some of California’s foremost surf artists.
Thursday, May 10 is the highly-anticipated San Diego Surfing Hall of Fame Induction Ballot Dinner Ceremony, emceed by Hank Warner at the La Jolla Community Center. Over a dozen local eateries have come together to create a special tasting menu to be paired with Ballast Point beer, ZioBaffa wine and Babe Kombucha in what looks to be an incredibly memorable evening amongst the legends of San Diego surfing.
Friday and Saturday, May 11 and 12, include the majority of the SDSFF Films with Special Events running throughout the day and evenings.
For more information, visit sdsurffilmfestival.com.