The path to enlightenment begins at the world’s deadliest wave.
This summer, Patagonia releases The Yin & Yang of Gerry Lopez -a film that lifts the veil on one of surfing’s most enigmatic heroes. While “Mr. Pipeline” is known for his calm demeanour in the tube, Gerry built his career with aggressive surfing that left behind a trail of blood and tears. For the first time, his story is being told in full.
Gerry is as radical as he is Zen; he transcends categorisation. His style has influenced surfers around the world for generations. When asked about the global influence of Lopez on the world of surfing, Kevin ‘Cookie’ Cook one of the co-founders of the North Devon World Surfing Reserve says “with his smooth and effortless style, Gerry Lopez embodied the surfing soul of a generation which was seeking to embrace the essence and power of the ocean.”
The film is an opportunity to see the life of Gerry Lopez captured on the big screen for the first time. Cookie continues: “How do you look so cool with a freight train racing down the line trying to crush you?”
The new film by Patagonia is going to be shown exclusively at Croyde within the UK’s first ever World Surfing Reserve. The beach front location will be the perfect backdrop for such a dynamic film.
Tickets to the film are limited and on sale here. The profits go to the work of the World Surfing Reserve.
The film has been made by the legendary Stacy Peralta, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and one of the world’s most influential skateboarders, surfers and surfboard shapers of all time. His documentary Dogtown and the Z-Boys won him the Best Director Award at the Sundance Film Festival.
The film will tour surf destinations and cities across Europe from 14July. After a European premiere in Ericeira, Portugal, the film will be shown in San Sebastian in the Basque Country and Anglet on the Atlantic coast in France before heading to Berlin, London and North Devon.
Come ride the lightning!