Rakuten TV launches 265 Days Without Waves
July 24, 2023
265 Days Without Waves is a documentary directed by Julie Gomez that will be available exclusively and for free on Rakuten TV from July 25th. It is a unique and extraordinary story about how a group of surfers from Barcelona have managed to create a community and promote a surf culture against all odds, in a territory with only 100 days of waves a year.
This is a project filmed over several years on the incredible beaches and surroundings of Barcelona, which features the presence of up to eight local surfers – amongst them pioneers who have dared to overcome myths and new generations who live surfing in a completely different way.
Frustration, waiting, and despair are mixed with emotion, perseverance and humour in a journey through the history of surfing in Barcelona told by the protagonists who have experienced it firsthand. This trip through the Catalan beaches was co-produced by three local production companies: Glassy Films, Elemental Komunika and Kalapa Studio, in collaboration with the Rider Agency alongside other freelance professionals who have made this project a reality.
Each one of the testimonies that will be presented in this exciting documentary holds within it a captivating and enriching story that is revealed throughout the documentary:
- Evan Illas: At the age of 63, he is considered one of the pioneers in riding the waves of the Mediterranean Sea in Catalonia. He discovered surfing as a teenager and since then has travelled to places as remote as Australia and South Africa thanks to his job as a wool merchant. Evan, in love with the sea and surfing, has always tried to live in contact with his passion.
- Esteban Roses: Surely one of the first Catalan surfers. He has witnessed events that mark the history of surfing worldwide. He was editor for 10 years of the newspaper SurfTime and has always been dedicated to things related to surfing. He currently lives in Biarritz, where he has his own surf store.
- Paco Escolà: Owner of one of the pioneering surf stores in Barcelona, a haven for the surfing community, which has stood the test of time. He has been linked to the world of surfing all his life and is a key figure in the history of this sport in Catalonia.
- Sören Manzoni: Collector and former promoter of incredible festivals like the Nasty Mondays, Sören became an emblem of surf culture for new generations internationally. His time at the Free Sports store in the 90s made him a fundamental character in the creation and development of the surfing community in the city of Barcelona.
- Abel Marsal: Founder of Escuela Catalana de Surf (Catalan surf school) where he still teaches today. He is a member of Asociación Catalana de Surf and organises surf activities for disabled people.
- Sergi Galanó: The creator of Flama, a brand that markets 100% ecological handmade wooden surfboards. His creations in his own workshop located in Alella have become internationally renowned in recent years.
- Pilar Páramo: A cultural manager who decided to start surfing when she was fifty years old. Since then, her connection with the sea and the waves have been completely insatiable and essential to her in her fight to overcome cancer.
- Felip Verger: One of the main promoters of the Catalan Surf Association. He is currently a partner of a group of Catalan entrepreneurs who have acquired Wavegarden technology with the intention of setting up an artificial wave pool in Barcelona.
265 Days Without Waves will be launched on Rakuten TV from 25 July. This documentary will be part of the Rakuten Originals collection, which is exclusive and free content from Rakuten TV available in 42 European countries, showcasing stories of optimism, empowerment and diversity that reflects the company’s DNA.