November 19th through 22nd Oceanside’s population will swell a bit with surfers and patrons of the culture so many find magical and mystical. For those of us that know the feeling it is an exciting time. The Festival, produced by the California Surf Museum is designed as a fundraiser for the museum that also can benefit the local community and a worldwide population of those who love everything surf and many things California surf. This year the event expands to 4 days with music, photography, art, culture, VIP events and the heart of it all based in film screenings.

The cool music events to see are Jake Shimbukuru and theTijuana Panthers after party gig. Jake is known as the Jimi Hendrix of the Ukulele and will perform Friday November 20th at the Grace Theatre where tickets are available but will certainly run short. The Tijuana Panthers are great lo-fi rock and their appearance at INSIGHT clothing’s premiere of their latest campaign “Repeat After Me: I Am Free” will be the hot party to be at. The short film for the campaign features all sorts of fun and wrong doing, excess, drinking, smoking, skating, surfing and some art too. Great surf footage of Jared Mell, Luke Stedman, Kai Otton, Warren Smith and other Insight surf and skate team members. Check the scene out Friday night November 19th starting at 9:30pm at the Royal Dive 2949 San Luis Rey rd Oceanside CA 92058
www.insight51.com/2010/REPEAT-AFTER-ME/Film/surf.html

Films I plan to chase down at the Festival include “Gum for My Boat”, “Sea of Darkness”, “the Drifter” and “lost prophets”

“Gum for My Boat” by Russell Brownley is showing Friday November 20th at 7pm at the Sunshine Brooks theatre on Pacific Coast Highway in Oceanside, CA. This film is the story of the Bangladesh Surf Club and its members. The clubs consists of 70 boys and girls. The film follow how they are using surfing to change the lives and bring light into the lives of street children and other from very poor families. Many of the children learning to swim and face a fear of the ocean. Find out more at www.gumformyboat.com/

“Sea of Darkness” is the story of a handful of surf explorers who pioneered areas of Indonesia and South America. It digs into how, for some, what they did to finance their adventures and passion for a way of life was very dangerous and illegal. The story focuses on one man with stories told by legends in surf culture who took a different path but were witness to the story. See “Sea of Darkness” at 3pm Saturday Nov. 21st at the Grace theatre in Oceanside CA.

Taylor Steele blesses us with another masterpiece it would seem from what I have seen. I am looking forward to getting a chance to see “The Drifter” with Rob Machado. I hope to get some words with Taylor so keep tuned for more on that in a later article. Catch “The Drifter” at 6pm on Saturday Nov. 21st at the Sunshine Brooks theatre.

I attended a sneak preview of “Lost Prophets” in Laguna a few months back (see article here) and this looks like a groovy soul searching soul surfer flick. I thought the trailer didn’t really give us enough of what it is about so I look forward to finally seeing the whole film. I really like the style of the surfer’s involved so it should be good film. Check out “Lost Prophets” Saturday at 7:30 at the Sunshine Brooks theatre.

And check out "Echo Beach" a killer trip back in to the ripping days of the 80s surf scene in Newport Beach. The styles, the music, the surfing are all a mind blowing trip back to paint splashes and shredding on twin fins. I really dig this little film and we will have more on this film in the weeks to come. "Echo Beach" shows at the Sunshine Brooks theatre on Saturday Nov. 21st at 4:30pm. Look for our exclusive interview with Jeff Parker on RE:Cal mag soon. www.echobeachfilm.com
For more information www.californiasurffestival.com

The Sunshine Brooks Theatre 217 North Coast Highway Oceanside CA 92054
The Grace Theatre 102 N. Freeman Street Oceanside CA 92054