Opening 25 Jun 2015
Directed by:
Jan-Willem van Ewijk
Writing credits:
Jan-Willem van Ewijk
Principal actors:
Fettah Lamara, Thekla Reuten, Mohamed Majd, Jan-Willem van Ewijk
Fettah is not only a young fisherman from a small village in Morocco but also a talented windsurfer, a talent which he picked up from the tourists who come seasonally for their holidays. He has made many friends among the group and makes them feel right at home. For Fettah and his family, the tourists mean a lot of money and sometimes they give him surfer equipment which he can repair and use to improve his skills. From the moment Fettah hits the water with his board, we can clearly see his freedom and how he, his windsurfer and the Atlantic are as one. It all seems as it should be until one summer Fettah falls in love with Alexandra, the girlfriend of one of the surfers from Holland. He then begins to realize that the Europeans have the freedom to come and go as they please. This creates a crack in his world and he undertakes to follow his path; the question is: which path to take? Should he stay with a family who loves him or risk travel far out into that big Atlantic on a surfboard and make it to Europe. The cinematography takes us to a place that feels like another planet. This vision is both fascinating but also isolating at the same time. It makes us think of all those boat people trying to travel here to Europe and why they are willing take such a dangerous risks to come here. This film has been recognized for its unique storytelling and is a film that shouldn’t be missed. (Shelly Schoeneshoefer)
