Sea Fever Soundtrack (2009)
Synopsis
Sea Fever completed in 2007- was a feature-length Irish surf documentary filmed over the course of two years between 2005 and 2007 to capture the mood of Irish surfing throughout the seasons.Sea Fever was an insight film into the surf culture that had developed in Ireland over the previous forty years. With dramatic footage from Ireland's giant wave 'Aileens' (Aill na Searrach) at the 700 feet Cliffs of Moher and close-up interviews with the troubadour surfers that brave these 40 - 50 foot waves to Kevin Cavey and the early pioneers of the 1960s & 70s with their rudimentary equipment and spirit of adventure, Sea Fever set out to capture the character and craic of Irish surfing.Sea Fever was Ken O'Sullivan's first production and was made with any form of funding.Sea Fever features archive of Irish surfing from the 1960s and 1970s shot on 8mm & 16mm film, including the 1972 European surf championships held in Lahinch Co. Clare featuring Kevin Cavey and a host of international surfers. Ken O'Sullivan revisited some of these men including Kevin and Cornish man Mike Wingfield of the British surf team thirty five years after the event to document their recollections of the early days of surfing both in Ireland and the UK and elicit their views on the evolution of Irish surfing and world class big wave wave chargers taking on fifty foot waves. Somewhat comic yet incredibly brave insights into the early efforts were provided by the Britton brothers about using woollen jerseys to try and keep warm, and Rod Bennet with rubber kitchen gloves for freezing winter waters, while also recounting the use 'hospital wax' from the shaping of prosthetic limbs, as surfboard wax with none being available to buy at that time!Sea Fever opens with Irish big wave pioneer John McCarthy talking about his first childhood love of surfing and fear of waves and the moment he acquired his first wetsuit allowing him to surf continually 'since then'. Easkey Britton second generation surfer from the famed Rossnowlagh Britton family, Ireland's first surf family shares her childhood surf experiences before moving on to talk about surfing the famed Teauphoo and then during production one of Ireland's giant wave at the Cliffs of Moher, 'Aileens'. The film moves on to reach a crescendo in September 2006 on the day Hurricane Gordon provided likely, the biggest surfed waves ever at the Cliffs of Moher at that point in time, in an event support by UK surf mag Carve and featuring Cornishman Dan 'Mole' Joel charging onto the biggest wave of the day a 45 foot monster which made front pages around the world. Sea Fever also features Sam Lamiroy, British surf champion at the time, Clare surfer Saul Harvey and surf photographer Mickey Smith.Although made with a ZERO production budget, Sea Fever was hugely well received both by the public and media critical reviewers, here is some of what was said by journalists: "This doccie is thick with cultural nuance, partly the indomitable seafaring spirit of the Irish." Wavescapes, South Africa November 2008 "If you still don't think Ireland is a legitimate wave zone, pick up a copy of Sea Fever. The flick, which is part surf film and part documentary, will introduce you to the people, places and very real waves that make Ireland a vital landing pad for any surf seeker worth his weight in Guinness." Surfer Magazine USA July 2008 "Forty years of Irish surfing. From the early pioneers to the recent discovery of the un-jolly green giant Aileens, this is the definitive Irish surf flick. ... certainly rootsy, hardcore and full of surfing devotion." Surfing Magazine USA June 2008 issue "Beautifully shot and slickly edited, Sea Fever charts the arrival and growth over the last forty years of big wave surfing in Ireland. Two years work have produced an epic production worthy of bigger budgets and the quality of footage is tantamount to O'Sullivan's skills and dedication and the hell man instinct of Ireland's and Britain's big wave surfers. This film is dramatic, ballsy, fascinating and manages to capture the character and charm of Irish surfing..." Pitpilot - British & Irish Surf Magazine "The film is steeped in dedication and reverence, highly entertaining and full of jaw-dropping waves. O'Sullivan's love for his subject - Irish surfing - shines through beautifully in this relaxed romp around the coast of the Emerald Isle, past and present." Surfer's Path - Alex Dick-Read "..covers Irish surfing unlike any movie before, it is well made and interesting throughout.. If you are Irish it is a must, if you have any interest in Irish surfing you should also get hold of a copy as it captures the vibe of Irish surfing and surf history perfectly. " Wavelength - British & Irish Surf Magazine ".. slickly edited independently made movie complete with jaw-dropping footage of surfers surfing the Aill na Searracht (Aileens) wave off the Cliffs of Moher. " Irish Independent"Sea fever is a soulful insight into the growth of big wave surfing in Ireland. With dramatic footage and eloquent insight from Irish pioneers and the new Irish professional surfers it captures the spirit and addresses many questions with honesty and integrity" Carve Magazine "...a great Irish surf film, a reflective, relaxed look at surfing in the Emerald Isle, the Aileens footage is worth the price of admission alone. Sea Fever is a professional mix of great surfing, interviews with key characters old and new, gorgeous scenics and it's all soundtracked perfectly. In short it's an essential purchase. Fins Magazine "... an enjoyable documentary and a well made film capturing the thrills, history and spectacular waves, such as the giant Aileens off the Cliffs of Moher. Especially intguing treatment of the early surfers who 'discovered' the sport in Ireland..." Four Stars - Tom Hickey / Irish Examiner Film Review Watching Sea Fever will leave you with that same stoked refreshed feeling as an early morning session, on a cool deserted beach as the sun comes up. Sea Fever is a surf film with heart...it captures the essence of surfing that in many other parts of the world has been lost. It is a great surf film, which creates an impression of Ireland as being an outpost on the border of a great wilderness, the last great untamed surfing frontier, full of wild characters with a glint in their eye and broad grins on their faces. SurfingGenie.co.uk - "This is the kind of video that keeps my faith in surf films. There is nothing more inspiring than a dedicated individual who works with his friends to give insight to a specific part of surfing that he is passionate about. Ken Sullivan finally drops Sea Fever, an Irish surf film project, which he filmed for two years. He documents the history, from the first "Morning of the Earth" crowd who surfed here to the current big waves scene that rivals any on the planet. This is a real gem. Enjoy." Jon Coen - EXPN.com April 2008
