"The Women and the Waves” was conceived out of Executive Producer, Heather
Hudson’s passion for surfing, first… and being a female, second. Having surfed
for three decades, Heather came to the conclusion that being a surfer, and
being a female surfer has been quite a “trip”!
A few years back, filmmaker and “The Women and the Waves” co-producer, Peck
Euwer asked Heather to be one of five subjects in his 2005 documentary, “The
Craving”. She accepted. The focus of “The Craving” was surf addiction… how that
works, what goes on in their heads. “The Craving” was raw, real life. It
premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival to a packed house at
the Arlington Theater in 2006. Featuring five surfers, different ages,
different backgrounds and all sharing the same drive to surf often!
After seeing it, Heather was completely and absolutely inspired! It occurred to
her that she was the only woman featured in the film and had a strong desire to
tell more of the surf story from the feminine perspective, a story that has
always been there, but often overlooked or minimized in the surfing world. She
approached Peck while surfing on a rarely uncrowded and perfect day. "I have
your next surf film," she said, pointing to her head. "It's right here." He
smiled knowingly. (She had no idea what she was getting herself into!) – “Okay,
let’s talk”, he replied. At that moment, the yet untitled documentary “The
Women and the Waves” was born.
The Press Release:
WOMEN SURFERS MAKE WAVES IN NEW DOCUMENTARY
The Women and the Waves
Celebrates the Female Surfing Experience Through the Decades
(SANTA BARBARA, CA — January, 2009) “I never wanted to surf like a girl,”
smiles 64-year-old Linda Benson, “But now it’s different…they’re really good!”
For women who have paddled head-first into a once male dominated sport, surfing
is not only a daily passion, but a way of life. Battling fierce tides and
stereotypes, female surfers from every decade are connected by a common thread:
they are “The Women in the Waves.”
On Tuesday, January 27th and Friday, January 30, The Women and the Waves
premieres at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Through the
collaborative efforts of Heather Hudson (Graciegirl LLC) and Peck Euwer (Swell
Pictures Inc.), the film production documents the female surfing experience
through the lives of ten women from age 17 to 64.
From the swells of Mexico to Hawaii’s temperate waters and the enticing
California coastline, audiences will gain insight into what it’s like to “Surf
like a girl!” Shot in High Definition, The Women and the Waves pays tribute to
pioneers who paved the way and recognition to the everyday surfers that keep
the dream alive.
Featuring 10 extraordinary women, the 48 minute film introduces five-time
Women’s World Champion, Linda Benson, who began riding waves at age 11 in 1955,
and 50-year-old Zeuf, a longboarding Santa Cruz local and self professed
“oceanaholic”, who despite a valiant battle with cancer, still manages to ride
the waves she loves.
Of the younger generations, viewers meet Rachel Harris, 17, as she shreds
in-between high school classes and weighs the options of going to college or
pursuing a pro career. Chat with 22-year-old Aussie waterwoman, Shakira
Westdorp and watch in awe as she drops into bombs at Waimea Bay. Integrating
interviews with old and new surfing footage, The Women and the Waves allows
surfers and non-surfers alike to savor surfing from the feminine perspective
while throwing in comments from the guys for good measure.
Through the decades, women have carved a place in today’s surfing world and
found a place of their own. “I remember going for weeks without seeing another
girl in the water,” remarks executive producer Heather Hudson, who started in
1978. “A few years ago while surfing my favorite break, I noticed that the
women out numbered the men in the line-up. If someone told me 30 years ago that
this would be true, I’d have said they were crazy!”
Since modern surfing stormed the West Coast in the 1950s, the waves have not
changed, but the people who ride them have. Through striking visuals and
inspiring interviews The Women and the Waves reveals what surfing truly is to
female riders of all ages —a sport and a lifestyle. “The film was conceived out
of my passion for surfing, first …and being a female, second.” explains Hudson,
“Being a surfer has been quite a trip!”
