By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Rabbit Kekai, Woody Brown and John Kelley at
Duke Kahanamoku beach on the last day of filming.

HIFF offering showcases
surfers in golden years

Surfing for Life
Where: Hawai'i International Film Festival
When and where: 3:45 p.m.Nov. 10, Signature Dole Cannery Theater #7; 6:45 p.m. Nov. 12, same theater; Maui: Nov. 19; Kauai: Nov. 20
Call: 528-HIFF (528-4433)

By Greg Ambrose
Special to the Star-Bulletin

San Francisco documentary filmmaker David Brown and gerontologist Roy Earnest of Pacifica, Calif., have found the secret to a long, healthy, possibly even happy life and they want to share it.

Using a stellar group of surfers ages 59 through 93 as a focal point, the new documentary "Surfing for Life" shows the golden years can be prime time for anyone who discovers the secret: exercise, humor, a passionate involvement in something you love, and a sense of community.

"It makes (healthy aging) appear so appealing and so much fun that people would want to incorporate that in their own lives, even if it's not surfing," says Sally Cole, wife of North Shore big-wave pioneer Peter Cole.

Early showings of "Surfing for Life" have drawn rave reviews from surfers and care givers for the elderly. Hawaii residents will have an opportunity to see what has gotten so many people so excited at the prospect of getting older, with style.

"Surfing for Life" will debut on Oahu at the Hawai'i International Film Festival, with subsequent showings on Maui and Kauai.

Although the film uses older surfers to show how to deal with the challenges of aging, the target audience is the massive wave of panicked Baby Boomers that is surging relentlessly toward old age.

Viewers become caught up in the human drama as an all-star cast -- including former Punahou teachers Peter Cole and Fred Van Dyke; Waikiki beachboy Rabbit Kekai; and catamaran inventor Woody Brown -- provide positive and hopeful visions of the potential of later life.

"The idea that you don't stop having fun when you reach a certain age is important," says Sally Cole.

And that's a message for a broader audience.

Fred Van Dyke's wife, Joan Marie, said "I would like to be able to show this at assemblies at Punahou, to juniors and seniors. ... They are already starting to think about going away and being on their own. This video inspires you to head in the right direction, even if you are only 17."

---

HIFF

Click for online
calendars and events.