Say amigo, do you desire a cheap trip to Mexico, visiting a scenic, tropical beach renowned in the surfing world for its adrenaline-pumping, body-slamming barrel-of-a-wave? Do you want a taste of the warm, south-of-the-border lifestyle and introductions to some intriguing and friendly local folks? Well, it’s as simple as attending the San Diego Surf Cinema’s May 11 screening of the zesty surf film “Puerto Underground 4: Alma y Corazon (Heart & Soul)” at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego’s (MCASD) Sherwood Auditorium, 700 Prospect St. The show begins at 7:30 p.m.
This visual journey, the fourth in a series of surf documentaries by film maker Dave Ogle of Costa Esmerelda Productions, is a hot salsa excursion to Zicatela Beach, also known as the “Mexican Pipeline,” located in the town of Puerto Escondido in mainland Mexico’s state of Oaxaca. Discovered by traveling surfers in the early 1970s, this formerly sleepy fishing village has become an international gathering spot for wave riders hell-bent on tackling one of the hardest pounding, sandy beach breaks on earth.
Ogle has spent many years filming at Puerto Escondido, and captured some stunning footage of riders tackling 20-foot-faced waves that easily compare to the giant winter surf of Hawaii. The barrage of amazing tube rides is more than enough to satisfy any hard-core surfer and is expertly edited with up-close, you-are-there water shots and crisp beach-side angles, which the filmmaker describes as “Ogle vision.”
The wipe-out segment of the film is sure to have audience members gasping and howling as Puerto’s waves deliver a vicious pummeling to many unfortunate riders. A number of world-class surfers are featured, including Koby Abberton, Tamayo Perry, Laird Hamilton, Jaime Sterling, Rusty Long and Kalani Robb ” to name a select few ” and they show how the skilled can conquer this challenging break. Red-hot Californians Rob Machado, Joe Curren, Ian Rotgans and Josh Mulcoy also are featured on some of the segments that visit other perfect wave regions along the Oaxacan coastline. There is also a shot of female rider Jenny Useldinger charging a massive beast of a wave that would leave many guys awestruck.
What really makes this film fun are all the little slices of Mexican flavor that portrays the lifestyle in this part of the world. We are introduced to a number of engaging Puerto Escondido surfers and others who make a living based on its surfing popularity.
Miguel Ramirez, the local surfboard repairman, notes that due to the severity of the hard-breaking waves, he has repaired more than 30,000 boards in his 25 years of work. Dr. Pepe Melo, a local physician, also has plenty of clients ” the segment featuring one Will Dillon from South Carolina may not be for the squeamish. Dillon takes a brutal wipeout and his board gashes him in the side. Dr. Pepe has to stitch up, and we get to witness it. This part of the film definitely ensures all viewers will have a healthy respect for the extreme power of these wave.
Hot local surfers like Roberto Salinas, Oscar Moncada and Roger Ramirez show their intimate knowledge of their environment, and Carlos “Coco” Nogales offers the succinct description of his home break: “This is the heaviest beach break in the world. You can die here, but you can also get the best barrel of your life.”
Add in a lively soundtrack by bands like the B-Side Players, King Chango and Common Sense that perfectly complements the vibe of this Mexican paradise, and you have one enjoyable movie experience that may have you calling your travel agent for a trip south soon after.
The MCASD box office opens at 5:45 p.m. and doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for the “San Diego Surf Cinema” event, which includes pre-film live music, raffle prizes and the showing of “Puerto Underground 4: ‘Alma y Corazon’.” Advance tickets are $8.50 and may be purchased online at www.OneDropEntertainment.com. Call (619) 222-2385 for more information.