Coastside welcomes first annual film festival

Opening night will feature the film “Waterman,” the story of olympian Duke Paoa Kahanamoku and how he popularized surfing around the globe. Narrated by Jason Momoa, it will go into Kahanamoku’s legacy for the sport and his success and struggles throughout his life. The directors are Isaac Halasima and Cole Keeton, who will have a question-and-answer period after. Mell first saw “Waterman” in a limited screening show and was blown away by the story and how much it would resonate with the coastal community.

“I saw it, and my jaw dropped, and I said I have to get this film,” Mell said.

Although “Waterman” is sold out, the festival’s other films on days two and three still have tickets available. The second day features the films “Mermaid on Mars,” “Buried: The 1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche” and “We Were Hyphy.” “Mermaid on Mars” is a short animation that tells a tale about magic and adventures for kids. One of the film producers is Nancy Guettier, a local who owns Nancyland Kids and Baby, a Pacifica shop that sells children’s books, music and films, and an award-winning publisher of children’s books. “Buried: The 1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche” covers the disaster in the Lake Tahoe area that killed seven people. Following “Buried,” a film about California farmworkers during the pandemic will show, called “Campesinos: America’s Unsung Heroes.” Day two wraps up with “We Were Hyphy,” which chronicles the people influential in spreading the Hyphy Movement in the Bay Area. Director Laurence Madrigal will also speak after the film. Day three will feature “The Comedy Club,” documenting how San Francisco’s famous Cobb’s Comedy Club was rebuilt by owner Tom Sawyer and other comedians, with Sawyer and comedian W. Kamau Bell speaking after the event. The festival will conclude with a showing of “Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey A Song.” The film explores the life of the renowned singer and his most famous song, “Hallelujah.”

Mell said the stories all show adversity and roadblocks and how to overcome them.

“I think there is a theme amongst the films about resilience and doing what you need to do and keep going and be heard,” Mell said.

The inaugural event was originally supposed to take place last December. However, Mell canceled the festival due to a rise in COVID cases and the increased risk. The festival is at the Coastal Repertory Theatre at 1167 Main Street in Half Moon Bay.

Mell is a filmmaker and coast resident who has been involved with various film festivals for decades. She started the festival to bring more film events to the coast and create an annual downtown event to benefit the community. Mell believes the event will grow and help support the local film community and businesses coming out of the pandemic. She said it would be the first annual film festival in the area since 1998. Mell has spent the last year with her selection committee and board choosing films and helping organize a new event, noting it would not have been possible without the community support.

“I think the beauty of this festival is bringing people from all over California and our community together,” Mell said.

People can go to https://www.bbffhmb.org/ for more information about the festival.

curtis@smdailyjournal.com

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