Each year the Santa Barbara International Film Festival features adventure and action sports films in its ?To The Maxxx? series.
This year is no different as the film festival, which opened on Thursday, has seven films ranging from big-wave surfing to a documentary on Frisbee culture and lifestyle.
Here is a listing of this year?s selections organized by the date of their first showing. Other show times are available on SBIFF.org.
The Signal Hill Speed Run
Fri, Jan 25, 7:00 PM Lobero Theatre
In 1975, the Guinness World Records TV show called James O’Mahoney ? now owner of the Santa Barbara Surf Museum — and asked him to stage a skateboard race. The result was Signal Hill Speed Run, the world?s first skateboard contest. It soon turned into an annual event, with crowds of over 5,000, television crews, and coverage by Sports Illustrated, some winners even made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. The film shows the evolution of this downhill dash, attracting daredevils of all types, until closing for good in 1978.
The Invisible String
Sat, Jan 26, 1:00 PM Metro 4 Theatre
The Frisbee story begins in the early 1900s at the Frisbie Baking Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where delivery truck drivers started tossing empty pie tins during their lunch breaks. This film traces the development of Ultimate Frisbee, Frisbee Golf and Frisbee Freestyle and includes vintage footage of exhibitions in Santa Barbara provided by Santa Barbara?s own Scott Starr.
Storm Surfers 3D
Storm Surfers 3D will premiere in the United States on Sunday January 27th at 8 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre.
Sun, Jan 27, 8:00 PM Arlington Theatre
In this epic expansion of the Storm Surfers television series, two of the greatest surfers the sport has ever known, Australians Tom Carroll and Ross Clarke-Jones, search to find and conquer the world’s biggest “un-surfed” waves. Their journey is shown in 3-D technology that all but allows the audience to feel the ocean spray. With the help of meteorologist/surf forecaster Ben Matson, they discover a wave seventy-five kilometers from shore, and head out on the most dangerous mission of their lives.
Alaska Sessions: Surfing The Last Frontier
Wed, Jan 30, 7:30 PM Santa Barbara Museum of Art
A local surfer in Homer, Alaska, sells his house and buys a fishing boat to start an epic surf adventure. With his crew they crew the isolated Alaskan coast in the dark cold winter. This is a true story of a few guys who aren?t exactly pro surfers in very unusual conditions. IThe result is homegrown, inspiring, and true story.
Isolated
Wed, Jan 30, 8:00 PM Arlington Theatre
Five surfers embark on a journey to search for one of the world’s last undiscovered waves. They go to the island of West Papua, New Guinea, where danger becomes all too real as they encounter cannibals, discover human rights atrocities, and expose an unethical mining corporation. this film features never-before-seen footage of an ancient aboriginal culture–as well as the discovery of an epic new wave. Narrated by actor Ryan Phillippe.
Driftwood
Thu, Jan 31, 7:00 PM Lobero Theatre
Santa Barbara director and SBIFF veteran Peter Trow directs film about a team of stand-up paddleboarders who take the less-traveled path. Those locations include Sri Lanka, Iceland, Colombia, Nova Scotia, and the United States. Narrated by surf legend Shaun Tomson, the film features gorgeous scenery, photography and a meditative approach to editing and storytelling.
Discovering Mavericks
Fri, Feb 01, 7:00 PM Lobero Theatre
The story of Mavericks, California?s most notorious wave, is one of triumph, danger and loss. Director Josh Pomer, a SBIFF veteran, gives an insider?s view of how the wave was discovered and made into legend. Interviews include many big wave legends Jeff Clark, Richard Schmidt, Flea, Peter Mel and Jake Wormhoudt. Sharks, cold water, unpredictable swells and rocks add obstacles that have led to two deaths.
