2012 CSFF Schedule

Thursday, September 27^th

3-6pm Patagonia Festival Launch Party -  The Patagonia Shop, 1496 Lower Water Street

7-9pm Screenings: Surfing with Sharks & El Mar, Mi Alma – Empire Theaters Park Lane, 5657 Spring Garden Road $10*

9-2am Post Party:  The Mellotones – The Seahorse, 1665 Argyle Street $9

Friday , September 28^th

7-9pm Screenings: Short Film Challenge Presented by Patagonia, Stamps Surfboards, If Only Surf Shop, The Atlantic Film Festival & SANS – Empire Theaters Park Lane, 5657 Spring Garden Road $10*

9-12am Post Party: Garrison Big Wave Brewery Tour  – Garrison Brewery, 1149 Marginal Road $12 (Beer Included!)

Saturday, September 29^th

1-5pm, 15th Annual Surf Art Show @The Laughleton Gallery – 115 Shore Road in West Chezzetcook

3-6pm If Only & Spy Pre-Party – If Only Surf Shop, 1300 Queen Street

7-9pm Screenings: Here and Now & North of the Sun –  Empire Theaters Park Lane, 5657 Spring Garden Road, $10

9pm-2am Post Party:  A Surfin’ Rockabilly Riot – The Seahorse Tavern, 1665 Argyle Street, $15

Sunday, September 30^th

1-2:30pm Moksha Surfer’s Yoga – Moksha Yoga, 1512 Dresden Row, Free

7-9pm Screenings: We are All Radioactive & A Deeper Shade of Blue  –  Empire Theaters Park Lane, 5657 Spring Garden Road, $10

9pm-12am Closing Ceremony, Award Show and lots of free stuff!!! – The Seahorse Tavern, 1665 Argyle Street, Free

Surfing N.S., 1971

Background and Welcome

In the late 60’s and 70’s American and Australian surfers began visiting and moving to remote areas of Canada’s coastlines looking for perfect, uncrowded waves.  This hardy, loose band of expat surfers, and the locals that they inspired to take up the sport, were able to keep Canadian surfing under the radar for decades.  In the late eighties and early nineties wetsuit technology went through a revolution as lightweight Asian neoprene made surfing Canadian waters year round a possibility.  Since the mid-nineties surfing in Canada, and Canada’s profile as a world class surfing destination, has exploded.  Canada is now home to thousands of surfers from coast to coast including hardy crews that surf our large lakes and raging rivers year round.  Both coasts of Canada are regularly visited by the best surfers in the world, host thousands of surfing tourists each year and support dozens of surf related businesses.

The inherently graceful, intimate and powerful activity of surfing with its rich culture dating back Hawaiian kings has always translated well into film.  The breakout moment for surf cinematography was in 1966 when Bruce Brown released the iconic surf film The Endless Summer to sold out screenings across North America which both inspired a new generation of surfers and surf film cinematographers.

Almost four year ago a group of us wanted to celebrate the amazingly rich and diverse community of surfers that has grown across Canada. With such a diverse and quality ecosystem of surfing films available, and the tradition of surf film festivals well under way in many of the surfing world’s most prominent communities, it only seemed natural to develop a world class festival here in Canada.

This year will mark the third year of the festival which has grown beyond our expectations.  The support from the Canadian surfing community, the government of Canada as well as both local and international businesses has been amazing.   At the same time the diversity and quality of films available to us this year was stunning.  Whether it’s a historic look back at surfing culture and boardbuilding in A Deeper Shade of Blue,  a cultural exploration like El Mar, Mi Alma, the environmental sustainability based dialog in Surfing with Sharks or the extreme adventure in North of the Sun we’re proud to bring you a diverse, thoughtful and exciting program.  Before and after each screening we’ve put together art shows, concerts, launch parties and even a free yoga session.  Please join us this September in celebrating the diversity, history, beauty, adventure and thoughtfulness which together create the passion of surfing.

Yassine Ouhilal, Festival Director
Keith Maddison, Marketing/Development Director
Iaian Archibald, Operations Director
Matthew Stewart, Operations Manager
Anna Duckworth, Publicist
Jessica Flynn, Marketing Manager
Benjamin McDade, Promotions Manager
Patrick Johnson, Graphic Designer
Devin McLean, Photographer