Classic Surfing Film Inspires New Documentary 'Birth of the Endless Summer' Exploring the Evolution and Global Impact of Surfing Making Television Broadcast Premiere on PBS SoCal in August
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Los Angeles, Calif. – July 22, 2024– PBS SoCal Southern California’s flagship PBS organization, announced today that it will host the television broadcast premiere of BIRTH OF THE ENDLESS SUMMER, a new documentary that delves into surf culture and its evolution through the eyes of surfing pioneer Dick Metz. The film is the never-been-told-before story behind one of the most beloved and watched documentaries of all time, Bruce Brown’s “The Endless Summer,” a travel adventure that captured the hearts and imaginations of surfers and non-surfers alike in 1966. BIRTH OF THE ENDLESS SUMMER premieres on PBS SoCal on Mon., Aug. 5 at 7 p.m. PT and also Wed., Aug. 14 at 8 p.m. PT on PBS SoCal Plus. The film will stream on pbssocal.org following the premiere and will also be available to watch on the free PBS app.
The documentary explores how a few lucky coincidences sparked the travels of Californian surf pioneer Dick Metz as he vagabonded the globe from 1958-1961, leading to his hopes of “catching the perfect wave” in Cape St. Francis, South Africa, and the pivotal moment that sparks Bruce Brown's inspiration to create the 1966 documentary. 90-year-old Metz goes back to South Africa to retrace the steps of his original journey. The film offers an immersive exploration into the sport of surfing, tracing its trajectory from a local pastime to a global phenomenon, while celebrating the enduring spirit of adventure and camaraderie inherent in the core of the surfing community. Featuring meticulously curated archival footage, candid interviews with key figures in the surfing world, and never-before-told stories, the film provides an intimate glimpse into the enduring impact of Metz's discovery and Brown's groundbreaking film.
Key interviews in the documentary include (in alphabetical order):
· Joyce Hoffman – Two Time World Champion Surfer
· Kelly Slater – Eleven Time World Champion Surfer
· Mike Hynson – Featured in “The Endless Summer”
· Pat O’Connell – Featured in “The Endless Summer II”
· Paul Naude – Surfer and entrepreneur from South Africa
· Rob Machado – Surfing Walk of Fame Inductee
· Robert August – Featured in “The Endless Summer”
The film is directed by Richard Yelland, the award-winning filmmaker responsible for such films as “12 Miles North: The Nick Gabaldon Story” (2012), “Sine Qua Non: The Psychology of Big Wave Surfing with Greg Long” (2012) and “Seeding Change: The Power of Conscious Commerce” (2020).
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