The preview screening of investigative documentary @thebigseaorg followed by the hugely impactful Q+A with Director @lasurfpics and writer / producer Chris Nelson @approachinglines hosted by good friend of the festival Matt Barr has to have been one of the most powerful nights we’ve ever had at LS/FF. In this week’s episode of Matt’s essential listen @welooksideways , he talks Chris and Lewis about their film project which has been three years in the making. As Matt says, “It really is an extraordinary piece of work - an investigation into surfing’s ‘dirty little secret’, as they put it: the industry’s relationship with neoprene. Neoprene is the market name for chloroprene. Chloroprene is produced by a company called Denka in a factory in St.John, Louisiana, which emits levels of chloroprene that the EPA has found to be carcinogenic, and so deadly to the local community that the area has become known as ‘Cancer Alley’. The Big Sea is many things: a shocking environmental documentary; a cold-eyed juxtaposition of surfing’s public image with this shabby truth; an investigation into issue of the socio-economic factors that have led to this situation; and an exploration of the hidden hypocrisies that prop up our lives in the west, with surfing’s relationship with neoprene one metaphor for this wider unspoken reality. And it is also an exploration of activism in its many forms, from the dogged fight for justice headed up by local St John Parish campaigners such as protagonist Robert Taylor, to Chris and Lewis’s own independent efforts to bring this story to light over many years in the face of industry indifference and suspicion. As such The Big Sea has the power to reframe the conversation about surfing environmentalism and drive real tangible change in a way that will benefit real people in real communities. No wonder Surfers Against Sewage co-founder Chris Hines calls it ‘probably the most focused 50 minutes of environmental and social campaigning by surfers ever.’” 📸 @adrianamdu Hit the link in our bio to listen in ☝️ #saynotoneoprene #surfenvironmentalist #independentfilm #surfculture #surfmovie