The Paris Surf & Skateboard Film Festival – very first festival of its kind in France – sets up at la Gaîté Lyrique in June! Expect an exciting program with screenings and exhibitions.
First festival of its kind in France, the Paris Surf & Skateboard Film Festival offers an international selection of independant and rare movies, inspired by the practice of surf and skateboard. This festival is a special occasion to watch these movies in a cinema, since most of them never make it to french screens. The official selection of PSSFF gathers competing films (judged by a jury of professionnals), as well as non-competing films. Most of the selected films are french premiere (or at least parisian premiere). When it's possible, film crews are invited to the festival for a discussion with the audience after the screening.
Competing movies
Every film (long and short films, fictions and documentaries) tells stories allowing a reflexion that exceed simple sport practice. Themes adressed in the movies offer new perspectives on the world, creating debate and tackling social questions : women's and minorities' place, ecological questions, portrait of the youth of a country, reflexion on alternative lifestyles... They also present portraits of personnalities that participated in building these two cultures.
At the end of the four days, a jury composed by skateboard, surf and/or art pros, will award four prizes : best short film surf & skateboard, and best long film surf & skateboard.
A 3-film pass is available at our ticket office at all time during the festival!
A cultural event
In parallel to the screenings, PSSFF offers exhibitions (photographies, installations) realised by international artists from these two cultures, lectures on topical issues, and a music programmation featuring artists close to these environment (DJ sets and concerts).
Program - Day 2
12h
African Territory. Part II
de Los Gauchos del Mar – Argentina, 2023, 110’
Second part of African Territory from Cameroon to the south. The Gauchos del Mar brothers continue to share with the local people, exploring jungles, deserts, spreading environmental, conservation and human equality messages while surfing solitary waves. Africa is the one who continues to set the rules in this diverse, intense and practically unfathomable continent that never stops surprising them throughout 22 months traveled and 24 countries visited.
14h30 - Short films
Instrument 🌊
by Michael February&Tao Farren-Hefer – South Africa - 2024 - 10’
Surfer Michael February and jazz trumpeter Keegan Steenkamp explore the surprising parallels between the worlds of surfing and music. Together they discover unexpected synergies in their respective arts.
Tether 🛹
by Laura Basil Duncan – United Kingdom - 2024 - 12’
Lois Pendlebury is a former professional skateboarder turned shepherdess. At the end of her career, she decided to take a new path, which took her to the Pyrenees, alone and very far from her previous life.
Bloody Mess 🌊
by Perfect Designs and Gustav Olsson – France, 2024, 3’
This is the first, only and maybe last horror surfboard shaping film. A bloody Swedish adventure of the vampire surfer, featuring a new Perfect Designs©️ vehicle.
4DWN 🛹
by Danny Schmidt – USA - 2024 - 17’
4DWN is a non-profit organisation that focuses on recreation, education and culture, all within the confines of a skatepark in Dallas, Texas. President Rob Cahill's mission is to promote the long-term health of children, families, communities and the environment.
Rick Grifiin Interlude 02, Virginia City 🌊
by Steve Barilotti – USA - 2024 - 6’
In the summer of 1965, Rick Griffin, a 21-year-old surfer and art student, discovered the Charlatans' Seed poster at a friend's house. He immediately fell under its spell. This poster was the starting point for the research that would lead the young artist to make his mark on world culture.
Skate Territory 🛹
by Belén Guzmán – Mexique, 2024 16’
When Verónica was a kid, it was uncommon to see a girl riding a skateboard, so she learned to skate surrounded by boys and was even close to becoming a pro. This year she turns 33 and even though she has stepped back from official competitions, her life still revolves around the sport of skateboarding; together with a group of women, she organizes the first skateboarding workshop for girls in Mexico City, where they teach them how to skate and that skateboarding and public spaces like skateparks also belong to them. Through these lessons and her relations with the kids, Veronica keeps building a legacy that aims to battle the gender gap with hopes that, in the future, there will be more girls riding skateboards.
16h
Maya and the Wave
by Stephanie Johnes – USA, 2022, 95’ (sub fr)
Brazilian Maya Gabeira is one of the best big wave surfers in the world. This film tells the story of her struggle to surf the waves of Nazaré again after a serious accident and several surgeries. A story of resilience, courage, and self-overcoming.
18h
Automobilen
by Jonathan Lomar – Sweden, 2024, 57’
For three years, the director has followed one of the world's oldest skate parks, in Falkenberg. With unique archives,tt Automobilen takes a ryoad trip to "Halland's Las Vegas" in the 70s, a place that was anything but abandoned. A story that is woven around the big question mark: What is actually a cultural heritage?
21h30
Click Click
by Phil Evans – Sweden, 2024, 52’
Thanks to the lens of the photographer Nils Svensson, travel through three decades of Malmö's skate history.
