Sliding Liberia at the Honolulu Academy of Arts

[goro]

SLIDING LIBERIA
Directors: Britton Caillouette and Nicholai Lidow
USA, 2007, 48 mins.

Like so many surf films this one is about travel, unlike the others, it is also a social documentary. Sliding Liberia follows three young surfers who go to the civil-war-torn West African country in search of more than perfect waves. Along the way they record the stories of people like Alfred, a young boy who became Liberia’s first surfer after finding a bodyboard while fleeing from rebels. Besides rediscovering a world-class point break, the surfers find something much more important—a way to travel responsibly in the 21st century. Featured surfers: Chris Del Moro, Dan Malloy, and O‘ahu-born Crystal Thornburg. Film veteran and Hawai‘i resident Dave Homcy (Surfwise, Lost) did the cinematography.

• Saturday, December 20; Sunday, December 21; Tuesday, December 23 at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
• Monday, December 22 at 7:30 p.m.

$7 general public; $6 seniors, students, military; $5 museum members.

SLIDING LIBERIA: PERFORMANCE & TALK
Saturday, December 20
Performance is 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Jon Swift will perform from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 20 before the 7:30 p.m. screening of Sliding for Liberia. Jon Swift’s music has been included in influential surf films such as Drifting (1996; Poor Specimen), Shelter (2001; Moonshine Conspiracy), and now Sliding Liberia (2008; Woodshed Films). His third album is scheduled for release this winter under his own independent label. He grew up surfing in California and moved to Oahu in 2006 to conduct research at the Institute for Astronomy after earning a Ph.D. in astrophysics from the University of California at Berkeley.

Saturday, December 20 at 7:30 p.m. Dave Homcy, surf photographer and cinematographer, has worked on notable projects such as Shelter, A Brokedown Melody, Surfwise, and the TV show LOST. Dave will introduce the film with Crystal Thornburg, an artist and environmentalist who was born in and raised in Oahu. She is featured in Sliding Liberia, the upcoming film El Mar, Me Alma, and the book Bend To Baja. Dave and Crystal will be available for a q&a after the screening.

[starbolt]

thanks!

[olly]

This is a great movie, but don't go expecting a typical 'surf movie' as it's far removed from that.

Dave Homcey has completely out done himself with the cinematography, it's visually stunning and a moving account of people surviving in the face of incredible hardship.

anyway, go check it out.