Surfboard 101: Surfboard Types
28 March, 2016Keala Kennelly wins 2016 Big Wave Awards Barrel of the Year
28 April, 201615 year-old surf prodigy and supergrom Noah Beschen stars in Aaron Lieber’s 2015 REDirect Film Festival awarded short film titled ‘The Wild’. The film explores the sensations of growing up in and around the stunning scenery of Hawaii’s North Shore.
A boy is standing in the forest. He starts to run, climbs a palm tree, picks a coconut, drinks from it. Suddenly he is immersed in water, weightless as waves roll by, he dives down, lies on a surfboard, a giant turtle passes by, he is under water, eyes closed, sharks circling in the background, he opens his eyes. What is it like to grow up in a magical place like this?
Noah Beschen for his part seems to have become one with his surroundings. Looking at Aaron Lieber’s stunning cinematography it seems like he is no stranger to neither the ocean itself, nor the creatures inhabiting it. When he is in the water one senses a certain feeling of belonging, unlike most of us Noah doesn’t seem to be a guest in the ocean, a visitor out exploring another world, always weary of what it might turn up next. No, in the ocean Noah is a constant, he belongs in this world like the giant turtle and the sharks, a point he makes even more clear with his surfing. At the 2:3o minute mark Noah takes off. The confidence of being in his home element radiates through his raw and powerful surfing. It seems natural to him, effortless almost, as he is speeding through barrels, at times standing tall, and spinning around doing airs.
Aaron Lieber, who puts out his work under the name Lieber Films, has been closely following Noah Beschen since he was 10 years old. The Wild so far marks the most epic outcome of their work together. Definitely check out the video below and if you still haven’t seen enough his website and Noah’s Instagram.