We’ve all seen the shiny professional surf films out there that commercialize surfing and smooth over the intricacies of the sport. Most of the time, but not always, there is another commonality in these films beyond a ‘big screen perfection’: they tend to both star and be directed by male surfers.

But what about if film making could capture the authentic side of surfing and tell the day-to-day stories of real surfers, even highlighting more narratives involving female surfers?

Annika von Schütz is part of the team behind the Portuguese Surf Film Festival which was started 11 years ago in Ericeira by Susana Metzger. Both a film maker and a surfer, we caught up with her to find out the roots of the surf film festival, more about the Women’s Day on July 28th, talk about female empowerment through watersports and her new film ‘Femme Ocean’.

We’ll also be awarding the winners of the festival an interview with BlueBound to tell their story and elevate their voices even further. So stay tuned!

Hi Annika! Thank you for joining us. Let’s start with a rundown of the Portuguese Surf Film Festival. Could you tell us briefly what the festival aims to do, and how you got the idea to start it?

It’s the 10th edition this year. Its aim is to show the wide perspective of surf culture not only in Portugal, but also worldwide. Susana Metzger is a great director, growing up here in Ericeira and starting it in 2011. An interesting fact is that we are a fully female team.

What are you hoping for the 2021 edition of the festival?

We hope to empower more women to go surfing and fight for their equal rights, not only in the surfing world, but also in general. Besides of that, we are collaborating with “Safe the Waves“. Our mission is to keep the ocean clean and select films that motivate everyone to do so, too. And of course, surfing is about dreaming and living the passion, so we invite to surf the best waves ever by watching the films and having a good time.

Can people watch any part of the festival online, or see the winning films at home?

This year everything will be analogue again, so everyone is invited to come and experience the festival in Ericeira.

Could you also tell us about your Women’s day on July 28th? How do female surfers take part?

We created the Women’s day to show everyone out there the strong potential of women in men-dominated fields, such as filmmaking and surfing. It’s a great inspiration and women should be better represented in media: more as sporting athletes and independent women who follow their own path, than just beautiful bikini models at the beach smiling into the camera. I’m very happy to be having three Portuguese surf pioneers join us at a round table that day: Teresa Ayala, Teresa Abraços and Patrícia Lopes.

You’re working on a surf documentary “Femme Ocean” about women’s empowerment – could you tell us more?

The documentary is about strong female portraits as role models. Together with an international professional crew, we create impactful stories of women following their passion of surfing and creating new paths for the next generation. Consequently, “Femme Ocean“ is a documentary about women in surfing, where women from all backgrounds are invited to share their experiences and to discuss the power of sports impacting lives.

In addition to covering the motivation to dedicate a life to surfing and indulge in the anarchic forces of nature, the documentary provides time for deeper insights into this passion and, above all, shows an authentic picture of the surfer far from her stereotype. Five 10-minute portraits of international surfers demonstrate their waves of life in a very personal way. The stories open the doors to their personality and show what is hiding behind their sunshine façade. They are professional athletes and free surfers, as well as pioneers, environmental activists, independent and risk-takers. Diversity plays a key role here – in terms of age, social background, religion as well as different backgrounds and professions. One thing unites them: surfing as a motivation to live and to protect the place they love, namely the sea. It begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

What do you find most empowering about surfing? In the water, and out the water?

Surfing a bigger wave makes me feel strong. I like to feel my heat beating and see that green wall of water next to me. And at the same time it makes me feel vulnerable, because the ocean has so much power. It make us humble. The most empowering thing about surfing is the contact with nature and being at one with it, to communicate and adapt to what nature gives us in each moment.

How about film making – what do you love about this art and what does it bring you?

I love filmmaking to tell stories and inspire people. My motivation is to make someone think about the topic and see the subject from different perspectives. A film can open your mind, make you dream, invite us into different worlds and empower us to become a better person. It’s a fulfilment of the many images and thoughts I collect on my journeys, bringing it all together in a documentary film – with a positive impact.

Media is definately the strongest form of getting more women to benefit from both the empowering natures of surfing and film making. If we use it in the right way, like social media for example, it’s a powerful source of inspiration because you reach a high amount of people in a short time. But also acting in a good way in society is very important, to be a role model for the people around us. I like seeing more and more women out there in the line-up – that’s the best form of empowerment!

Finally, do you do any other watersports, and which skills do you carry over between each sport?

I like to go ice-bathing in the snow in and swimming in the cold Atlantic Ocean during the winter months. It makes me feel alive and strong, with a fresh and healthy mind and body. It’s such an intense way to experience our human body in mother nature.

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