Surf’s Up In Montauk With Return Of Annual Women’s Film Festival

The 7th Annual NY Women’s Surf Film Festival, presented by Lava Girl Surf and Clif Bar, will make a splash in Montauk during the yearly free, two night outdoor happening at The Montauk Beach House.

Women’s Surf Film Festival founder Davina Grincevicius relayed, “We’re deeply grateful that the Women’s Surf Film festival is returning to The Montauk Beach House. It’s a base for New York’s surf community and provides such a warm and welcoming home to present the work of artists seeking to highlight women’s experiences within the surf world.”

Programming will launch on Friday, August 16 with an artist reception celebrating Taylor Slater’s The Pink Coast at 6 p.m. “The Pink Coast is an exact replica of a place that I wish I could visit but never have. It is a coast filled with pink sunsets and pink sand beaches,” Slater said about her exhibition. “Sunsets have the sheer power to stop life for a moment and embody the power to take you back to an utterly romantic point in time.”

“In addition to the films we feature, I always make it a priority to showcase the work of one visual artist whose work fits within the Women’s Surf Film Festival’s mission to support women in surf and ocean conservation communities,” Grincevicius noted. “This year’s art exhibition, The Pink Coast, presents mixed-media artist Taylor Slater. Her show is emotionally evocative and visually complex. I give her so much credit to her for donating the proceeds of her sales from this show to the ocean conservation non-profit The Lonely Whale.”

The Festival, which is focused on women in surfing and filmmaking, will have a global theme this year, with stories taking viewers worldwide. “This year’s programming is all about women taking their place in an ever-expanding global surf culture and their determination to protect the ocean habitats, all while they strengthen their own communities,” Grincevicius noted.

The Saturday screenings will feature Paige by Bjarne Saléna, a new short film presented by Patagonia; the World Premiere of Circle of the Sun by Inigo Grasset – which was co-directed and featuring Lena Stoffel; the World Premiere of Tofino is a Place by Ryan Struck; and the USA Premiere of This WayPaige, a new short film presented by Patagonia, which documents the inspirational career of female big wave surfer Paige Alms. We’re also the world premiere venue for two new films, Circle of the Sun, and Tofino is a Place. Circle of the Sun, by Inigo Grasset and co-directed and featuring Lena Stoffel, follows professional free skier and passionate surfer, on an almost surreal journey to Norway. Tofino is a Place by Ryan Struck, is a short film about the moving and tight-knit women’s surf community in Tofino, Canada.”

Additionally, the Festival will present two yoga sessions; a complimentary class Saturday morning at 8 a.m. at The Montauk Beach House, presented by bYoga and CLIF Bar, and a special class Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. at bYoga Studios, presented by bYoga and Athleta.

A beach clean up will take place on Sunday from 7 to 10 a.m. at Ditch Plains, in collaboration with Surfrider Foundation, CLIF Bar and Athleta, followed by a fun free surf session with local women.

The Montauk Beach House is located at 55 S Elmwood Avenue in Montauk. For more information, visit womenssurffilmfestival.com.