SAN LUIS OBISPO
FILM FESTIVAL PAYS TRIBUTE TO LEGENDARY FILMMAKER
The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival is
delighted to present an historic and exciting night honoring the world's
first surf filmmaker, 95-year old Bud Browne. Now a local resident of the
Central Coast, Bud will be honored here by many surfing greats, including
surfers Gerry Lopez, Joel Tudor, Peter Cole, Linda Benson, Fred Van Dyke,
Walter Hoffman, and surf cinematographer Jack McCoy. Buzzy Trent's daughter,
Anna Moore is helping to coordinate the event.
On Thursday, March 13, 2008, this group of legendary surfers from around the
world, will take the stage at the grand Fremont Theatre in downtown San Luis
Obispo to pay tribute to the man who inspired modern surf culture by
creating the first commercial surf films ever. Surfing the 50's will be the
featured film, and the evening will also include a raffle, Q & A session and
a post-screening Surf Party in the old Pier One building on Monterey St.
(generously donated by Copeland Properties) with live music, surf films and
the opportunity to meet the surf celebrities in attendance.
There are few that would deny that Bud Browne single handedly documented the
birth of big wave surfing as a sport in and of itself. Known and revered as
the father of the surf film, Bud's contribution toward the documentation of
surf history is immeasurable. Receiving his film degree at USC, and
documenting surfing from Malibu to Australia and Hawaii from the early
forties through the nineties, his film career spans a period of over sixty
years where his contribution to the sport is unrivaled.
The surf movies he produced during the fifties and sixties defined a
generation of its time. Having filmed surfing from the birth of big wave
riding through the short board evolution, Bud Browne was long regarded as
the first. He was not only recognized in his time as the best, but is also
revered in the industry as a surfing National Treasure. His work continues
to shed light not only on a unique time, but also on its key players, some
of who will be attending the tribute to Bud Browne at the upcoming SLOIFF.
The huge body of work that Bud Browne produced will continue to inspire and
move others by the daring and adventure of its time.
In 1994, Bud edited and re-released the best material from the eight surf
films produced between 1953-60, taking a year and a half to assemble Surfing
the 50's, narrated by John Kelly and Peter Cole. Many great surfers and surf
spots are featured in this 70-minute color film that will be featured at the
San Luis Obispo International Film Festival in honor of Bud Browne.
Tickets and more information can be obtained at the festival's website
www.slofilmfest.org,
by visiting the SLOIFF office at 861 Palm St., next to the Palm Theatre, or
by calling (805) 546-3456.
For more information on the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival,
contact SLOIFF Festival Director Wendy Eidson at
festivaldirector@slofilmfest.org
or (805) 235-1507.