Board shorts paved the way for the Cornwall Film Festival with a variety of short and feature-length films highlighting the joy of surfing.

Far more than just a sit-down-and-be-silent screening, the event was activley ostentatious in its bid to showcase how much passion and commitment is required in the making of a surf film. Consistent levels of verbal hollering from an audience made up of surfers and non-surfers alike proved that by the end of the viewings, this goal had well and truly been scored,

Prior to the showing of the delightfully soulful feature-length Mikey Detemple film Picaresque, and the excitement of the raffle and live DJ set that proceeded it, much of the evening was put aside for the short-length film competition. Exclusivley consisting of independent entrants, the diversity of the films on view was a refreshing example of the artistic element behind many surf-related pictures.

This was displayed perfectly by the eventual winner, a film by Ollie Banks entitled Board and Rider. A piece taken from his feature-length film, 600 miles. The work combined grainy black and white footage with a jazz-infused soundtrack, and encapsulated the intensity that can be found from surfng in Britain and Ireland.

Other entrants of note included two shorts from the well-regarded 'Mr. B Productions' entitled Nightwaves and Rhythms, and the rare nostalgic treat that came in the form of Rod Sumpter's 1960's film Come Surf With Me. Appreciation should also be shown for Robbie McIntosh's beautifully visual, animated masterpiece Surf Hog, and the emotional and heartfelt documentary by Izzy Charman entitled The Beach Boys. This film, following three young autistic boys as they are introduced to riding waves for the first time, was by far the most poignant way to sum up exactly how much joy can be extracted from the art of surfing. (Christoper Ward)

Watch Surf Hog by Robbie McIntosh...