The Endless Summer’s filmmaker, Bruce Brown, reunited with co-stars Robert August and Mike Hynson at the recent Surf Expo in Orlando, Florida to kick off the film’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and preview a special Endless Summer exhibition curated by the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center (SHACC) in conjunction with Bruce Brown Films.
According to SHACC’s executive director, Paul Strauch, both the exhibition and the tribute screening of the film were very well received at Surf Expo. “Exhibitors and attendees from the surf community thoroughly enjoyed viewing this iconic film, embellished by live commentary from Bruce, Mike, Robert, and “Wingnut” Weaver, one of the stars of The Endless Summer II, ” Strauch said. “Having these legends on hand created a huge draw to the SHACC booth and the 50th Anniversary exhibition we have assembled.”
The scaled-down version of the exhibition unveiled at Surf Expo featured a curated collection of historic photos and memorabilia, including cameras used to shoot the film, original movie flyers, posters, letters, photographs and several items that have never been publicly displayed. The memorabilia was supported by storyboards that documented the history of the film.
SHACC will showcase the complete Endless Summer 50th Anniversary Exhibition on May 3, 2014, during a special gala event at the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort in Huntington Beach, California. A portion of the proceeds from the evening’s fundraising activities will benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. After the event, the exhibition will be on display at SHACC in San Clemente, until it goes on an international tour later this year.
“People visiting the exhibition at Surf Expo were able to instantly recall when and where they first viewed The Endless Summer, and share the lasting impression it made on them,” said SHACC’s Creative Director and Curator, Barry Haun. “It remains one of the most widely viewed documentaries of all time.”
Alex Mecl, Managing Director of Bruce Brown Films, said: “Bruce Brown Films is excited to be celebrating The Endless Summer’s 50th Anniversary in partnership with the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center. SHACC is considered to be the Smithsonian of the surfing community. Having recently acquired the original, authentic collection pieces, SHACC was the obvious choice to create an exhibition worthy of the film’s 50th anniversary celebration.”
For more information on The Endless Summer 50th Anniversary Celebration and Exhibition, visit https://www.surfingheritage.org or call SHACC at (949) 388-0313.
About Surfing Heritage & Culture Center
The Surfing Heritage & Culture Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, presenting and promoting surfing’s heritage for the appreciation and education of current and future generations; and to achieving our goal of surfing being more accurately understood, represented and enjoyed.
About Bruce Brown Films
Bruce Brown Films (BBF) is a film production company created nearly 60 years ago that produced a number of lifestyle documentary films, the most notable of which being The Endless Summer (1964) and On Any Sunday (1971), which garnered an Academy Award nomination for Documentary Feature. Today, BBF continues to provide its loyal fan base and general public with filmmaker Bruce Brown’s classic films and associated images for current and future generations to cherish. Bruce Brown caught his first wave in 1951 and was the second recipient of the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association Waterman of the Year Award.
