PSSFF's Top 10 Surf and Skateboard Documentaries
Documentary Weekly is proud to be an official media partner of the Paris Surf & Skateboard Film Festival (PSSFF), taking place 24th to 27th September.
18 competing international independent films including 12 national premieres, 4 photography exhibitions, a gig and a DJ set will be taking place under the trendy glass roof of L’Entrepôt in the 14th arrondissement.
In attendance at the festival we’ll be soaking up the atmosphere, meeting directors, catching audience reactions and even orchestrating some kickflip challenges - all streamed to you via our Facebook and Instagram stories.
To attend, you can buy your tickets here.
But first, the PSSFF team are kicking things off with a brand new Top Docs selection: their all-time roundup of the best surf and skateboard documentaries ever made.
The Devil’s Toy (1966) by Claude Jutra
Skateboarding
Where better to start than with one of the first skateboard films ever, produced documentary pioneers The National Film Board of Canada (NFB). This short documentary dedicated "to all victims of intolerance” depicts the dawn of skateboarding in Montreal. A new activity frowned upon by police and adults, skateboarding gave youngsters a thrilling sensation of speed and freedom. Jutra’s film captures the exuberance of boys and girls having the time of their lives in free-wheeling downhill fashion and serves as an intriguing time capsule too.
Watch the original French version, ‘Rouli-roulant’, here.
The Endless Summer (1966) by Bruce Brown
Surfing
Documentary filmmaker Bruce Brown, himself a competition-level surfer, follows surfers Michael Hynson and Robert August on an around-the-world surfing adventure. With Brown's wry, sardonic narration and a twangy, guitar-driven instrumental soundtrack by The Sandals playing over the silent footage, Mike and Rob leave their California home to visit Hawaii, Australia, South Africa and other secluded surfing spots in a search for the surfer's holy grail that Brown dubs "The Perfect Wave." This classic of the genre was released the same year as ‘The Devil’s Toy’.
Minding The Gap (2018) by Bing Liu
Skateboarding
Three young men in a Rust Belt town bond through skateboarding in a bid to escape their difficult, volatile family lives. As they begin to face their adult responsibilities, some deep, unexpected revelations threaten their decade-long friendship.
Riding Giants (2004) by Stacy Peralta
Surfing
Part sports history, part thrill ride, skateboarder Stacy Peralta's documentary pays homage to the brave, foolish surfers who dare ride the world's biggest waves. Peralta lays out the evolution of big-wave surfing from the '50s to today, touching upon changing trends and the constant search for ever larger waves. Then he shifts his focus to a handful of contemporary surfing superstars, among them Jeff Clark, pioneer of San Francisco's remote waves, and Laird Hamilton, known for tow-in riding.
DogTown and the Z-Boys (2001) by Stacy Peralta
Skateboarding
In mid-70s America, skateboarding was a fad in danger of dying out, until a small group of surfers in Santa Monica began moving to extremes in both lifestyle and techniques, using their skills in empty swimming pools and the streets to create a new form of skateboarding. Director Stacy Peralta, who was one of the group, weaves home footage of their early days with interviews with those still in the scene.
Big Wata by Gugi Van Der Velden
Surfing
During the Ebola outbreak, the younger members of a traditional fishing community discover their identity and purpose through surfing as they join the first surf club in Sierra Leone. Together they embark on a journey to better themselves and their community.
The Man Who Souled the World (2007) by Mike Hill
Skateboarding
‘The Man Who Souled The World’ tells the story of Steve Rocco, the irreverent genius who transformed the skateboard industry from corporate to skater-owned with a do-it-yourself punk attitude. Steve's antics and entrepreneurial impact on the skateboard business are huge and have ultimately had a significant influence on broader mainstream culture. Steve gave Spike Jonze his first directing gig, discovered Jason Lee and created Big Brother Magazine which became the genesis of Jackass.
Biarritz Surf Gang (2017) by Nathan Curren, Pierre Denoyel
Surfing
Biarritz Surf Gang tells the story of French surfing's transition from counterculture to a high-level sport. To surf in 1980s Biarritz was to rebel against tradition and polite society. For the sport's enthusiasts, the thirst for absolute and pure sensation could lead to the top of the competition tables or the bottom of a prison cell.
This Ain’t California (2012) by Martin Persiel
Skateboarding
‘This Ain't California’ provides a unique perspective from crumbling streets of the German Democratic Republic, from behind the Iron Curtain. Three frowned-upon teenagers discover the subversive powers of fun in a part of Germany that had lost touch with its citizens. The film follows them from their childhood in the 70s through their teenage rebellion in the 80s, ending with their last summer in the GDR in 1989, when their lives changed forever.
Into The Sea (2015) by Marion Poizeau
Surfing
The documentary shows how three young women - Irish pro surfer Easkey, Iranian pro snowboarder Mona and Iranian diver Shalha introduced a new sport in Iran: surfing.
Through the eyes of these young, pioneering sportswomen the film explores why it is so important for women to practice sport and how the apparently simple act of surfing can become a powerful creative medium for change.
Our Top Docs series brings you a readymade selection of the best documentaries so you can get down to watching instead of searching. Get in touch to collaborate with us on our next collection.
