The Big Sea – film & filmmaker coming to Noosa

News from the Noosa International Surf Film Festival:

Is this the most controversial surf film of all time? 

The Big Sea 

The Price of the Perfect Wave is Greater Than You Think 

Lewis Arnold, filmmaker of The Big Sea, will visit Noosa from the UK to attend the Noosa International Surfilm Festival, presented by Suter.Smith.Cleine and proudly supported by Noosa Council and Screen Queensland, where his film, The Big Sea, premieres this month. 

Following the festival film screening on 20th June, the filmmaker will appear with Tim Baker, leading surf writer, author and festival host, in a Q&A session to discuss the award-winning documentary, exposing surfing’s dirtiest secret. 

Created by surfers and filmmakers Lewis Arnold, Chris Nelson and Demi Taylor, the award winning, independent documentary The Big Sea is an expose of surfing’s hidden links to Cancer Alley and the devastating impact of toxic Neoprene, the material used in wetsuit production.

Shining a light on the natural rubber solution that literally grows on trees, this must-see film is causing a sea change in the surfing world and beyond. 

Cancer Alley is a corridor of land along the banks of the Mississippi River. At its heart lies the only Neoprene plant in the USA, which rises from the site of a former slave plantation. The communities around this factory are exposed to the highest cancer risk in the USA - fifty times the national average - due to toxic emissions from the plant.

“We’ve been involved in surfing for more than two decades,” explains Lewis Arnold. “When we learned of the horrendous link between the wetsuits we use for our enjoyment and the impact their production is having on people and planet, we knew we had to do something about it.”

The Big Sea uses the lens of surfing to unwrap wider issues of environmental racism, social justice, corporate responsibility and greenwashing. The feature documentary brings together stunning surf cinematography, with the lived experiences of community activists, as well as insights from surfers, scientists, environmental campaigners and industry insiders from across the globe.

The Big Sea, with filmmaker Lewis Arnold, screens on Friday night 20th June at Noosa Event Cinemas as part of a packed festival program featuring local and international films. 

 More details of the festival program here

 - NEWS FROM THE NOOSA INTERNATIONAL SURF FILM FESTIVAL

What others are saying… 

“A very powerful and important documentary with robust investigative journalism and research, shifting the industry towards alternatives.” Kendal Mountain Festival Director, Steve Scott 

“The most focussed 70 minutes of environmental and social campaigning by surfers ever.” Chris Hines MBE, Surfers Against Sewage Co-Founder 

“So powerful. So well told. So poetic. The engine-message-activism that drives the film is so important, but it’s also very beautiful.” Jamie Brisick, Award winning filmmaker