The Festival
The Bells Beach Surf Film Festival is the longest running surf film festival in Australia. Since 2010 it has screened the best surf films and documentaries from Australia and around the world.
The festival is held each year on Wadawurrung Country in Torquay, the surfing capital of Australia at the world famous Australian National Surf Museum.
Tickets can be purchased through www.eventbrite.com.au
Check out the official festival Vimeo site featuring surf film festival trailers, interviews and rare surf clips www.vimeo.com/bellsbeachsff
Our Mission
The Bells Beach Surf Film Festival is held each year to celebrate surf cinema and bring the best surf films in the world to Torquay. Our mission is to support, foster and promote independent surf films with original story ideas, innovative cinematography and music soundtracks that excite, entertain and challenge modern audiences.
We actively promote and support independent surf filmmakers from Australia and around the world whose films engage, inspire and connect surfers.
History
The Bells Beach Surf Film Festival is the longest running international surf film festival in Australia. Now in its 14th year the festival has screened over 130 surf films and documentaries including 25 Australian premieres. Previous film makers to present at the festival include; Justin Krumb (MINDS IN THE WATER) and Adam Blaiklock (CAUGHT INSIDE), Nathan Oldfield's CHURCH OF THE OPEN SKY, John Teague BELLY OF THE BEAST and Spencer Frost THE CORNERS OF THE EARTH - KAMCHATKA.
In 2015 the festival presented a special retrospective on Jack McCoy over two nights with the master filmmaker himself in attendance screening BLUE HORIZON. In 2019 we were stoked to have Dick Hoole screen his favourite surf films at a special one night retrospective.
Bells Beach Surf Film Society
The festival is run by the Bells Beach Surf Film Society, a dedicated band of Torquay surfers with a love of surf cinema who volunteer their time each summer. Festival Director John Foss and the festival committee (Bruce, Glen and Ted) search the globe each year for the best surf films to bring to Torquay.
The festival is run as a not-for-profit event with all proceeds going back into the festival, charities and emerging surf filmmakers. In past years the festival has donated over $4,000 to SURF AID and other charities and over $3,000 to emerging surf film makers to support their surf film projects.
You can find out more about the film society and its screenings or join our festival team by calling 0408 386 812 or emailing - bellsbeachsff@gmail.com