“Islands of Fire” wins 2 awards!
My latest film – which I haven’t really mentioned before – has just won it’s second award!
I finished editing “Islands of Fire” just before heading off for Tierra del Fuego and posted a copy to the ‘Reel Paddling Film Festival‘ literally on the day that we left the UK. Rapid Media kindly made a copy and sent it to the ‘Waterwalker film festival‘.
The 30 minute film about seakayaking in the warm turcoise waters of Sicily’s Aeolian islands won “Best Seakayaking Film” at both festivals, which is very exciting. The film is a little bit different to my other films in that the story is just as much about the place as it is about the paddling. We kayak between the islands, climb active volcanoes, join in with the annual grape harvest, eat plenty of delicious Italian cuisine & explore ancient ruins. Local paddlers and lovely fellas Gianfranco Liotta and Francesco Petralia add humor and a real insight into the Italian way of life.
The film will be released in October/ November this year as part of my next DVD. Excitingly, you will be able to select to watch it with Italia
n or French subtitles. Gianfranco Liotta has already translated and put Italian and French subtitles on the film! A huge thank you to him. I may release the film before then as a digital download, so watch this space.
There is a 3 minute trailer of the film on the Reel Film Festival website, and preview of the other winning films.
If you can’t wait to see it, the film is on tour around the world (although mainly in the USA and Canada) with both festivals in 2011. The Reel Paddling Film Festival visits over 100 venues – click here for details. See the Waterwalker website for details of their tour (soon to be updated).
“Islands of Fire” is also showing on 19th/ 20th March as part of my local adventure Film Festival in North Wales, Llamff. I’m also giving a talk there which is mostly about my latest adventure in Tierra del fuego. I am editing a few bits of footage for that talk.
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Lovely Justine! Happy for all those delicious (is English?) news! Brava! And Bravo Giancarlo Liotta! Un grande bacio ed abbraccio (a big kiss and hug) Luisella
Congratulations!!! I love Italy and I didn´t know the Sicilian area. Best regards. Julián – ARGENTINA
Hi, Justine, I just saw your Islands of Fire film last night at the ‘Reel Paddling Film Festival‘ in NJ, USA. Great film & congrats on the awards, well deserived! And what a location too! You are obviously a world-class kayaker & outdoorsperson. And I’ve followed some of your links to Francesco Petralia and http://www.maremotu.it/. Was it their “Aeolian Islands” tour that is mentioned on the website that you did? (Volcanic Eolian Islands’ tour: circumnavigation of Vulcano, Lipari, Salina and Panarea islands, with excursions to the craters (5 or 6 days). So tell me: how tough would it be for a 20+yr experienced non-sea but flat-water to Class I/II kayaker, comfortable paddling 4-5 hrs. a day, to go on the Aeolian Is. tour? Or do I need to get as good as you! I’ve paddled Florida & Georgia rivers and streams for week-long trips, but I love the idea of kayaking volcanic, warm, turquoise waters & exploring volcanic lands, while enjoying beautiful Italy & Sicily. Ciao, & many more wonderful excursions & films for you I hope!
hi Terri,
I’m glad you enjoyed the film – thank you for the compliments.
The footage was shot at Maremotu’s annual symposium in the Aeolian islands which runs for 3 days every year (Late September or early October). After the symposium there is usually a 4 or 5 day tour of the islands. I’m not sure if you saw this on their website, or a separate tour that Francesco runs at a different time of the year.
Either way, it is a fantastic trip which it sounds like you have enough experience for. Last year there were a few people on the tour with very little experience and they coped fine. There is a safety boat with us, so if anyone had felt like it was too much, they could have got out onto the boat. the best thing is probably to contact Franceso and talk to him about it.
I can thoroughly recommend it!
Justine