Paris Surf & Skateboard Film Festival 10th Edition / 12–15 june 2025
PSSFF 2024
The Paris Surf & Skateboard Film Festival crew is happy to anounce its 2nd edition’s awards judged by Shawn Stussy.
The Skateboard Jury (Sylvain Robineau, Sébastien Carayol and Marc-Aurèle Vecchione) awarded the following prizes :
Virgin Blacktop by Charlie Samuels
We Skate in Iran by Benjamin Aryani
Melon Grab by Andrew Lee
the Surf Jury (Marion Poizeau, Erwann Lameignère and DJ Falcon) awarded the following prizes :
Bunker77 by Takuji Masuda
Biarritz Surf Gang by Nathan Curren & Pierre Denoyel
Woza by Pato Martinez & Francisco Canton
Takuji Masuda – USA, 2016 / 86' / vostf
Bunker77 is the wild true story of a young American rebel seeking freedom, love, and authenticity in a chaotic world. Bunker Spreckels, Clark Gable’s stepson turned his back on expectations and grew into a controversial surf star who expressed complete originality, like a cross between James Dean and Andy Warhol.
/ French Premiere
Nathan Curren & Pierre Denoyel – France, 2016 / 65’/ vostf
Through the portraits of the surfers of the Grande Plage of Biarritz, the film tells a transition period for surfing which passes from a counterculture to a high level sport. Praticing surfing in Biarritz, France, in the 1980s it’s to refuse the system. A thirst for pure sensations that could lead to the top of the tables of competitions or directly in prison.
This is the unknown story of the six best European surfer, of their greatness and decadence.
/ Parisian premiere
/ In attendance of the directors
Philip Gnadt & Mickey Yamine – Germany, 2016 / 87’ / vostf
Trapped in “the world’s largest open-air prison” and ruled by war, a new generation is drawn to the beaches. Sick of occupation and political gridlock, they find their own personal freedom in the waves of the Mediterranean - they are the surfers of Gaza.
Colin Kennedy – USA, 2016 / 71’/ vostf
In 1989, street skating became a force within skateboarding and was poised to usurp the ramp, pool, and skatepark disciplines that preceded it.
Enter Gabriel Rodriguez, Paulo Diaz, Rudy Johnson and Guy Mariano, 4 friends from Los Angeles, who through a chance encounter with Bones Brigades Stacy Peralta. This film is a firsthand account of the events that led to their fateful meeting with Stacy and the subsequent ground breaking video segment, they would create together for the 1989 Powell Peralta classic, Ban This.
/ European premiere
Charlie Samuels – USA, 2017 / 84’/ vostf
Virgin Blacktop: a New York skate odyssey is a coming of age story about a diverse group of kids from suburban New York City who had practically nothing in common but skateboarding. “The Wizards" were of different ages, ethnicity and economic backgrounds yet they formed a competitive, traveling and peaceful crew in 1977 and have remained friends since.
/ World premiere
/ In the presence of the director
Tristan Patterson – USA, 2011 / 73’25 / vostf
An intimate vérité portrait of the life and times of Josh “Skreech” Sandoval, a 23-year-old skate legend from the stagnant suburbs of Fullerton, California, Dragonslayer takes the viewer through a golden SoCal haze of lost youth, broken homes and abandoned swimming pools, set to a soundtrack of bands from indie-rock labels Mexican Summer and Kemado Records.
Lucas Beaufort – France, 2016 / 64’ / vostf
Skateboarding led Lucas Beaufort to painting, photography, video and to take a trip around the world. Alongside Devoted, he explores an old passion of his : skateboard magazines. What role did they play in the skateboarding culture until today ? At a time when anyone can become his own media, what place will they be given in the future ? Jake Phelps (Thrasher magazine), Pat O’Dell (Vice), Chad Muska (pro skater), Dave Carnie (Big Brother) and many others share their experiences and discuss their concerns about the future of paper magazine.
/ Out of competition screening
/ French premiere
Screening followed by a talk on the theme « Skateboarding and Medias : realities, developments and challenges », in attendance of the film director and contributors from press and digital industries: Benjamin Deberdt (Live Skateboard Media), Fred Demard (Soma magazine), Sébastien Carayol (independent journalist), François Chevalier (Télérama).
Moderator : Guillaume Le Goff
Ross Haines – USA, 2016/ 10’04 / vostf
Gary Linden, 68 years old is one of the few remaining masters of his craft and is still shaping surfboards by hand. The 2 year long journey reflects the ebb and flow of nature, starting with the growth cycle of the agave plant, the patience of shaping a board, and being ready when all the ocean’s conditions shift into sync.
/ European premiere
Andrew Lee – France-Australia, 2016 / 10’ / vostf
Dysfunctional truth, rap and suspended youth: the final skateboard session between two best friends.
Courtney Powell – USA, 2015 / 15' / vost
A ghostly love story unfolds as two men look for answers where ocean meets sky and city meets wild in Rockaway Beach, NY.
Bemo Lundgren – Germany, 2016 / 20’15 / vostf
South Africa’s tragic colonial history has resulted in extreme inequality, corruption, and record crime rates. Gender equality is written into today’s South African Constitution, but in reality, even Born Free girls and women suffer from a harshly patriarchal tradition. One NGO , however, uses skateboarding to break down barriers. If the disparity in treatment between boys and girls is extremely clear, so is skateboarding’s power to shatter prejudice and expectations. Johannesburg is Skateistan’s fourth location, and the prism through which we documented the support and strength of a movement on the rise.
/ In the presence of the team
Reyndert Guiljam – Netherlands, 2016 / 20’55 / vostf
Three skaters from Rotterdam share their unique vision on the city, each told from different perspectives and phases in life.
Pato Martinez & Francisco Canton – South Africa, 2016 / 5’15 /vostf
The story of an African surfer who has been taken as a lover by the African water spirit Mami Wata.
Benjamin Aryani – Switzerland, 2017 / 25 /vostf
We Skate in Iran is a documentary film about the rise of skateboard culture throughout modern Persia’s cities. Through the eyes of young iranian director, it relates how popular such a western trend has become in Iran, and its path toward acceptance.
Mike Bromley & Ryan Meichtry – USA, 2017 / 27’ / vostf
Inspired by the story telling style of classic maritime novels, Perilous Sea follows a group of professional surfers as they explore the landscapes and waves of Iceland, the Canadian Maritimes and Ireland.
/ French premiere
The jury awarded the prize for best short film and for best documentary about surf & skateboard.
Les trophées PSSFF 2017 sont conçus par le studio Joran Briand et fabriqués par les Ateliers Synapses
Born in 1954, he grew up in California where he’d surf and worked in a surfshop. In the early 80’s, he launches with success the eponymous brand Stüssy. In 1996, he retires to Hawaii and spends time with his family before getting back in 2009 with S/Double.
Before getting caught by cinema, Sylvain was filming his skateboarding friends in Orléans and making videos. Now living in Paris, he writes and directs short films. He also enjoys playing in his own movies
His work has been published in numerous skateboarding magazines since 1996, he writes full books about this theme and is also passionate by Jamaican culture.
He started Resistance Films and has been producing shortcut documentaries and more recently did his first fiction long format Star.
Led by her curiosity, she travels the world to find inspiration in the people she meets. Her latest self-produced documentary Into the Sea on the female surf story in Iran won the Best Surf Documentary Award at the PSSFF in 2016.
Erwann is the one who created Redux and Hotdogger magazines, as well as Collectif Combo (publishing house and creative agency). He also curates art exhibitions, directs shortcuts and always keeps an eye on the ocean.
French electronic music artist, DJ, signed on Thomas Bangalter’s label (Roulé), he has also collaborated with the Daft Punk. Parisian skateboarder in the early 90’s, he since became an heavy surfer now based in Biarritz.
In parallel with the screenings, the PSSFF showcased every night on the terrace of the cinema (Sur le Toit) from 6pm to 1am outdoor projections,De Biarritz Yearbook photo exhibition & presentation of the City Triptych Yearbook.
DJ set : DVNO
Screening of Surf & Skateboard videos by VANS
Screening of Eurotrash (13’), most recent Volcom production, co-produced by Wasted Talent.
/ World premiere
DJ sets : DJ Falcon / PJY
Screening of Surf & Skateboard videos
DJ set : HRP
Screening of Back to the Bowl by Julian Nodolwsky (37’)
Retraces the history of The Marseilles Bowl, one of the most famous skateboard spots in the world. Produced by Red Bull TV. The screening is followed by a cocktail offered by Red Bull.
Screening of the last video produced by Nozbone (10’), followed by Lomepal Flip Skate Tour Aftermovie.
DJ sets : Arnaud D / Nicolas Malinowsky
Short films screening - closing session
Break the Silence by Mathieu Renoult,
The Smiling Bag by Josh Barrow,
That One Day by Crystal Moselle,``
ON/OFF - Variation sur HOw Many BPM ? de Youri Fernandez
etc.
Photos — © Apolline Cornuet
Video — © Blake Myers
