Helping a community to heal after recent tragedies is the idea behind the screening of a surf movie at four Eyre Peninsula towns.
Organised by Penong’s Michelle Schleidgen-Smith, the movie Ground Swell: The Other Side of Fear, will be screened in Penong, Elliston, Port Lincoln and Streaky Bay in the coming weeks.
The film features a number of big wave surfers as they chase waves in different parts of the world and their experiences in pushing past their fear and finding out what is on the other side of the monstrous waves.
“The surf community has been rattled with the recent shark incidents and it has left people scared to get into the water,” Michelle said.
“I thought if I could show the film to different communities, it might help collectively heal and come together as a surfing community – and help people get back in the water.”
Ground Swell will be shown at the Penong Town Hall on Friday, April 11, Elliston Community Visitor Information Centre on Sunday, April 13 and Beer Garden Brewing in Port Lincoln on Tuesday, April 15.
The Streaky Bay session had been planned for April 12, but has had to be shifted to Thursday, May 15 at Streaky Bay Area School.
All sessions start at 7pm and tickets are $20.
“I have had encounters with sharks and know people who have been bitten or taken, or people who have saved others. I have also been bumped when surfing,” Michelle said.
“I don’t want the ocean to be a place that is feared and thought the film could help.”
Daniel Lee will be the guest speaker at the sessions, talking about the current online petition relating to shark mitigation strategies – ‘Demand reasonable action from South Australian Government for shark mitigation!’
Michelle said she was hoping for at least 100 people at each session.
Tickets can be bought through trybooking.com
Mr Lee’s petition has more than 7200 signatures and more information about it can be found at change.org/p/demand-reasonable-action-from-south-australian-government-for-shark-mitigation
