Keith Malloy and Taylor Steele at this year's Solento Film Festival, talking about the excellent Tom Lowe biopic, Let Me Live.

Taylor Steele’s Film Festival Is Going To The East Coast For The First Time Ever

And a few Floridian Stab Premium Members are riding for free.

elsewhere // Nov 16, 2024

Words by Christian Bowcutt

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Click here to enter for a chance at free tickets (we’ll cross reference your active Stab Premium Membership) and click here for first dibs on purchasing tickets.

Taylor Steele’s annual film festival is going bi-coastal — and he’s giving a few Stab Premium Members free entry and drinks.

Three years ago, Taylor Steele started the Solento Film Festival to “shine the spotlight back on full-length surf films.”

Since then, he’s introduced dozens of now-beloved surf films to the world at the festival — including John John’s Gravity, Kerby Brown’s Facing Monsters (currently playing exclusively on Stab Premium), Billabong’s Trilogy: New Wave, and Michael Oblowitz’s infamous Sea of Darkness, just to name a few.

Kelly examining Kerby’s damaged dome after being “blown away” by *Facing Monsters.* Photo: Colin Leibold

For the extra obsessive among us, the best part of the Festival is Taylor’s interviews with the surfing’s best surfers/filmmakers/industry characters in an informal and, err… socially lubricated setting.

Plus, Taylor is offering free tickets for Stab Premium Members — fill out the survey above for your chance at free tickets for the Solento Film Festival (please only sign up if you definitely will be attending).

Also, for the gen-pop, you can get first dibs on tickets here. All Stab Premium Members can get 20% off their ticket with the code SSF20 at check-out.

For Florida, Taylor and team have organized eight feature films. Here are the movies and their official synopses below:

Yes, the winning *Stab Premium* Members get a ticket for a plus one. Choose wisely. Photo: Colin Leibold

Friday 11/22:

North Stars

A 42-minute surf film & portrait of Adrien Toyon by Yentl Touboul.
At the crossroads of a surf film and a visual portrait, the film depicts Adrien through the eyes of some of his closest friends and those of the board makers who’ve inspired his dive into alternative designs.

Filmed around the world in between 2022 and 2024, from Adrien’s home Island of Reunion to Australia, Biarritz and the cliffs of Western Ireland.

Also featuring Mikey February, Kobe Hughes, Andrew Kidman, Shane Sykes, Koldo Illumbe, Tom Morat, Lee-Ann Curren, Peta, Hanna Scott, Micky Clarke and more.

Let Me Live

Directed by Keith Malloy, starring Tom Lowe

As a surfing outsider, British big wave surfer Tom Lowe paves his own path to surfing’s highest level through pure grit, determination, and a little help from his friends. Cutting his teeth in Ireland and pioneering unknown waves with a small group of surfers, Tom found meaning in pushing himself to the limit.

Lisa Andersen

Live conversation and retrospective with Lisa Andersen.

Granny Grommets

Directed by Leah Rustomjee

The Granny Grommets, a nearly 90 strong group of women, come from all walks of life and with all the life experiences that an older person brings with them, to bodyboard every Friday morning at Middleton beach in Albany in Western Australia. United by their love of the ocean, the group serves as much more than simply a weekly exercise class, for some it’s an escape from caring responsibilities and others a place to feel a sense of identity. This film ultimately reflects on the healing and transformative power community and friendship provide for us later in life.

Our latest *Ferrari Boyz* starboy, Kobe Hughes, soaking in last year’s festival on the concrete carpet. Photo: Colin Leibold

Saturday 11/23:

NO WAY

A film by Harrison Roach

In Norway’s Varanger Fjord, on the northernmost coastline of continental Europe, the Barents Sea fluctuates between mystic calm, ferocious instability, and fleeting windows of harmony. Rumors are, in those windows lie the sublime dream of every surfer: perfection. NØ_WAY follows a mixed group as they chase that dream and ponder their motivations. Experience the highs and lows of surf exploration in the 21st century with this raw and off-the-cuff look at the Arctic. NØ_WAY – the antithesis to The Endless Summer.

HUCK

Screening and panel conversation with Ryan Huckabee of his latest edit HUCK.

Taylor Steele usually fits in some surprises at each festival, like bringing up Rob Machado for song or two last year. Photo: Todd Glaser

BEYOND NORMAL

In the world of professional surfing, Becca Speak is known for her relentless pursuit of waves in the far corners of the globe. To her, the sport is both the source of her greatest joy and the catalyst for her most profound struggles.

Throughout her life and career, Becca has suffered multiple traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), including a recent one that left her temporarily speechless. TBIs are complex and difficult to recover from. They require their victims to stop doing the things they love, leading to feelings of isolation and other mental health issues.

Yet, Becca refuses to surrender her livelihood to the unforgiving sea. She embarks on an arduous recovery journey, determined to unlock what she calls her “Beyond Normal,” an elusive state that represents a pinnacle of mental and physical well-being she has yet to attain. Becca’s rehabilitation path is marked by setbacks and frustration, but her unwavering resolve drives her to reclaim her identity and her mind, no matter how treacherous the tides may be.

Horse

A surf film by James Kates. Starring Noa Deane in a striking vignette of travel and shelf discovery. Appearances from Tom Gillespie & Makoa Gomez. Original score by Russell W.

Click here to enter for a chance at free tickets (we’ll cross reference your active Stab Premium Membership) and click here for first dibs on purchasing tickets.