Protect the West Coast (PTWC) and Wavescape are stoked to welcome the South African leg of the Save the Waves Film Festival world tour, which will take place at the Labia Theatre in Cape Town on Wednesday 23 September.
Join us as we screen a series of short films hot off the press from around the world, including Azores, Australia, Ghana, and Indonesia, curated and shared by our friends at Save the Waves (STW).
The lineup on the night comprises two halves of inspiring nonfiction and documentary films on surf and water sports, travel and adventure, conservation and climate.
During the interval, we will be sharing the work of the Save the Waves Coalition and their work around the world saving surf spots that form part of important ecosystems.
Join us for a great evening out, which includes giveaways of awesome PTWC and STW merch!
HAAGUA
By Marc Antony Chavez, and Octavio Aceves Coutiñoi
An Indigenous surf film that celebrates the timeless bond between humanity and the ocean, Haagua follows a group of Native American surfers as they revive ancestral traditions, blending cultural resilience with the art of surfing to honor the past and inspire the future.
In Between Tides
By Miguel Blanco
A film about ear infections, from treatment systems and urban runoff to the ocean itself. We gathered data, spoke to experts, and tested the water. In places where the ocean shapes daily life, the impact is real, even when unseen. This episode is about awareness and accountability. Are you ready to face the truth?
ECAT
By Josh Hamilton
A decade after the Gold Coast World Surfing Reserve was dedicated, this documentary retraces the spirit of a journey that first connected communities through waves. The film weaves together voices from surfing, conservation, culture, and community to explore how coastlines shape identity and belonging, while celebrating the shared stewardship required to protect waves, culture, and coastal ecosystems.
Granny Grommets
By Leah Rustomjee
A grommet, in surf lexicon, stands for a surfing newbie, usually a younger person but the Granny Grommets is different entirely! Ignoring the threats of sharks and concerns of their worried offspring, this group of grannies from Albany in Western Australia was formed in 1999 and has been, with 90 members now, paddling out every Friday morning, rain or shine!
Peace of mind
Jannik Schlüter
This is the story of Loshe, a surfer from Ghana who turned the ocean into a collective sanctuary of healing and hope. In Cape Three Points, a remote village where life is defined by fishing and farming, Loshe finds a new path through surfing, personally and mentorship so children get a vital alternative to traditional labor for a better future.
Pertama: The life of Rio Waida
Matt George
Follow Rio Waida as he rises from Bali to the global stage, carrying the spirit of a new Indonesia with him. His journey is rooted in heritage yet driven by modern energy. Through surf, music, and island life, the film connects performance with provenance, showing how a new generation is proudly exporting Indonesian culture, from waves to rum, onto the global stage.
Surfing São Miguel, Azores
By Laurens Ismael Vendrig Castillo
Through Peter Healion, the island’s current surfing champion, we discover the true essence of São Miguel, where people, culture, and nature are deeply connected. This is a journey into the island’s soul, revealing not only its world class waves but also its rich traditions and striking landscapes from an authentic local perspective.
The Save The Waves Film Festival is an international film tour and fundraiser for PTWC’s efforts to protect the West Coast of South Africa from unlawful and /or poorly conceived diamond and heavy mineral mining, as well as the work of Save the Waves Coalition’s to save surf ecosystems.
Supported by finisterre, oneilleurope, oneillusa, rivianoffcial, fuel.tv, surfer_magazine, mountains.wave.
Get your tickets for the movies:
https://www.quicket.co.za/events/396499-save-the-waves-film-festival-presented-by-ptwc/#
