Rebecca, what was it like growing up and surfing in Jersey?
Jersey is so beautiful in summer and we grew up on the beach really as you could run about and be free.
My dad ran the pedalos & the banana boat in St Brelades bay for a few years when I was young & we learnt to surf with the local youth club. I stopped surfing when I was a teenager because I was put off by being one of the only girls! I wish I’d been braver & I’d probably be a much more accomplished surfer now! Jersey is small though so it is really important you spread your wings and get out into the big wide world to get the bigger picture!
What brought you back to Jersey?
I was living in London and it was hard work. I loved filmmaking but the daily grind got to me after seven years of it. Getting older I guess your priorities change. It was a day when I had spent six hours on public transport and hadn’t achieved much that I was yearning for the sea. The space here gives more room for thinking and creativity so here I am trying to create a lifestyle I love and still keep the filmmaking dreams alive!
How has film making enabled you travel and surf the world?
I’ve been really lucky working on travel documentaries when I was younger and more recently working on POINT OF CHANGE a surf documentary about a young girl from a small village in Nias who went on to become the first female Indonesian Champion surfer. Nias is like the cliched postcard idea of paradise – the surf is amazing and the history and culture is totally fascinating. I’ve been very lucky to travel there a few times to make this short documentary and now develop a creative documentary feature film which is mega-exciting!
What inspires you about women’s surfing?
I love the freedom it represents. I love seeing ladies sliding. They always look so graceful like they’re dancing on the water. It’s just right that there should be women out there as it balances out all that testosterone ha ha! I am very inspired by someone like Bonne Gea who came from a Muslim family and so had more than the usual social stereotypes to break out of in order to trailblaze her own path. To me it represents that freedom and individuality of expression and a strength of character that is needed to just keep getting out there no matter how many times you get knocked back! I am also very inspired by anyone who can make their living doing what they love!
What are you working on right now?
POINT OF CHANGE the short will be screened in October and then do the round of the festivals and be launched online. The feature is in production and we are commissioning animators – working with archive and animation. The premiere is end of next year. It’s going to be very exciting!
I have also launched DRIFT – a surf & yoga retreat based in Jersey this September. We’re right in amongst the wild nature in the National Park a stone’s throw from the sea and we’ll be sharing the most amazing delicious nutritious food together and practicing yoga together. Whether you’re beginning surfing or improving we have coaching for every level. We’ll also be having great conversations, setting some good intentions for ourselves, making raw chocolate and wild foraging together!
For more info on Drift Retreats go to www.driftretreat.co.uk
