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A Jersey filmmaker is "stoked" after winning awards at film festivals around the world for her new surfing documentary which aims to get people thinking about their environmental impact.
'Point of Change' is a thought-provoking documentary directed by Rebecca Coley, with contributions from local filmmakers, artists and graphic designers.
Featuring Super 8 footage, interviews and animation, Rebecca's multi-award-winning film tells the story of Nias, an Indonesian island, changed forever by the discovery of "the perfect wave" in the 1970s.
This discovery set off a chain reaction with unforeseen and dramatic consequences.
The film won the ‘Women in Surf Film’ award at the Portuguese Surf Film Festival in July, and was also crowned 'Best Surf Film' at the Byron Bay International Film Festival in October.
Most recently, Point of Change secured the ‘Best British Film’ award at the London Surf Film Festival on Thursday.
Rebecca described the experience as "so nerve-wracking".
She said: “After spending so long working on something, you just really want the audience to ‘get it’.”
Fortunately, audiences reacted well to her film and "laughed in all the right places".
“It was a big relief," she said. "It makes all the hard work worth it."
Rebecca has now made seven short films in total, which all address "challenging subjects".
Point of Change, which she has worked on for ten years, aims to start a conversation about environmental issues.
“I wanted the film to encourage people to be more conscious of our impact on the environment," she explained.
“The response has been really positive. I’ve had messages from people the next day saying they can't stop thinking about it, that it raised a lot of questions for them."
Point of Change premiered in Jersey in September as part of the Jersey Surf Film Festival, where it won the ‘Audience Award’.
Rebecca hopes to offer another local screening soon.
Pictured: Rebecca is the director of a drive-in film festival celebrating Jersey's unique surf culture, community, and natural environment.
The filmmaker was involved in organising the festival through the Creative Island Partnership (CIP) – a Government-initiated forum that seeks to improve the island's creative sector.
The annual Surf Film Festival supports charitable causes and showcases that local and international films that explore ocean culture. This reflects the long-standing surfing heritage that has been part of Jersey’s identity for many years.
Pictured: Rebecca is a filmmaker with experience writing, directing, and producing documentary and fiction films (Natalie Mayer).
Rebecca also founded a conservation and education charity in Northern Sumatra in Indonesia 20 years ago after a flash flood hit the area, leaving 1,4000 homeless and killing 240 more.
The Bukit Lawang Trust initially took the form of a medical clinic to help those suffering as a direct result of the disaster, before the charity expanded with the support of Jersey Overseas Aid.
Having returned to Jersey in recent years, Rebecca now acts as a Trustee for the organisation.
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