Everyday Activist - Gaza Surf Club (CUFF.Docs 2016)

Posted on Friday, November 18, 2016 at 08:00 AM

Gaza Surf Club (CUFF.Docs 2016)

Movie Review by Everyday Activist X CalgaryMovies.com

I pondered this title in context of the other documentary festivals this month. “Gaza” evokes thoughts and images of war to be shown at the Marda Loop Justice Film Festival while “surf club” sounds like it belongs with the other surf films shown at the Banff Mountain Film Festival. Appropriately, this unique film will be at CUFF.Docs. Among the violence in the Gaza strip, people still have to live. I can’t imagine trying to cope within a war zone that could ignite at any time. Ibrahim, a young man living in Gaza said that his marriage proposal was refused, because the young woman didn’t want to move there. To forget about the violence, some people learn to surf the aggressive ocean waves.

While most of the surfers are young men, girls are allowed to learn how to surf and swim until they become women. It’s generally up to the father to make the decision to teach them. One avid surfer had three girls and despite the cultural taboo took his older daughter out on a wake board. His middle daughter was still young enough to surf, while the youngest girl is still learning to walk. When life is so difficult, it’s sad to see culture and religion interfering with some of few pleasures these young people can enjoy and yet at the same wonder to know that parents love their children so much.

Another difficulty is obtaining a visa to travel abroad. One surfer, Ibrahim had the idea to set up a surf shop in Gaza. He wanted to go to Hawaii to learn how to make surf boards, because it’s hard to import them into Palestine. After enduring many rejections from different embassies, he finally got it. His friend, Mathew, a US citizen, had come to Palestine previously and would serve as his US guide. He helped the Gaza surfers procure surf boards that were eventually allowed into the country. While in Hawaii, Ibrahim experiences a completely different culture and lifestyle than what he’s used to at home. He does his best to embrace the local customs as he learns the craft of making good quality surf boards.

Back in Gaza, his friends wait for him to come back, catching waves when they can. To me the surf looked particularly dangerous, but they go out anyway. An older surfer helps them train on dryland as well as in the water so they will be strong enough to enjoy the rough ride. He loves the sport, because it takes him away from the realities of every day. In many ways he’s lost hope that things will change in Gaza.

Gaza Surf Club will screen at the Globe Cinema on Sunday November 20th at 12 pm as part of the CUFF.Docs 2016 Film Festival. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketfly.

Calgary Showtimes: CUFF.Docs 2016 > | Gaza Surf Club >