Spirit of Akasha (Andrew Kidman): 2015

Reviewed by Shelby Harris at Santa Barbara Film Festival 2015

The Spirit of Akasha is a documentary film that channels the magic and spirit of the surf culture told through surf footage and blissful music. The soundtrack enchances the experiance of watching the beauty and connection that each surfer shares with the ocean. Sharing the story of  five natural born surfers including legend Kelly Slater as they escape everyday life and find true peace within the ocean.

This film is a recreation of Morning of the Earth, a film released in 1972. The director of The Spirit of Akasha was enlightened and determined to create a film that captured the spirit and freedom when riding a series of waves. Containing no diagloge the beauty of surfing is exposed through the body language of each surfer.

Riding boards shaped by thier own hands each surfer shares a intimate connection with the ocean, the film doesnt tell individual stories but exposes the creativity and art of surfing.

The documentary shows the surfing culture as a lifestyle not a competition sport. With fast pace editing and collages the audiance experiances the process of board shaping. Shots fade in and out of the the ocean from angles, above water and under as the audiance is absorbed in its intensity and beauty. The film ties in that all life and earth is connected, through the sun, stars, ocean and land. This film is not made for everyone, as many walked in the theater expecting to watch a surf documentary showing clips of pipeline surfing and epic wipe outs, but this film is an experiance for those with a true passion and deep connection with the ocean. You get a chance to see the true beauty and enjoyment of ridding waves.