2. THE DARK LINES
INTRODUCTION
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« sUrFING tHe GlOBal WarmING » PLANET BLOW
PLANET BLOW
P L A N E T B L OW
B L OW
PLANET BLOW
THE DARK LINES
It is the bitter ending of a quest that takes us on a tour of a world that is on the brink of disaster yet continues to “surf” towards
its own ruin.
In the wake of his first independent film released in 2008, Sylvain Demercastel is releasing a second instalment of the adventures
of a group of surfers (surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, etc.), who in their quest for thrills and corners of paradise across the world
will ultimately become aware of their own contradictions.
By introducing his own character, confronted with his own doubts, Sylvain Demercastel shows us the flip side of a surfing trip for
the very first time and produces an ecological science fiction film that “shocks” and opens our eyes to the extent of the impending
disaster.
FIlm :
PLAnET BLOW “the dark lines” directed by Sylvain Demercastel
Length: 1h15 – Format: Full HD – Sound: 5.1 and 2.0 stereo – Languages: English/French
preview in Paris on 14 October at Publicis Champs Elysées – released on DvD in December 2010
lIvre PHOtO :
PLAnET BLOW
by Julian Schlosser, Maxime Houyvet & Sylvain Demercastel
Format: 196 pages – Paper: 200 g / 100% recyclable - Languages English/French
Available in December 2010
SYNOPSIS
2049 Paris: In the midst of an environmental and energy crisis, a jaded artist/surfer looks back on his life 40 years earlier in the
form of self-critical flashbacks.
From the smoke-filled rooms of his rock music world, tainted with the dark clichés of its genre, he sets out to seek a new start and
makes a radical change to his life, joining his childhood friend, a professional surfer and globetrotter.
We follow their trail and the story of his disillusionment, with our planet and environmental issues forming the backdrop.
3. THE DARK LINES
THE DARK LINES
tHe FIlm, BY sYlvaIN Demercastel
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scrIPtWrIter aND DIrectOr OF PlaNet BlOW
PLANET BLOW
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PLANET BLOW
THE DARK LINES
n tHe OrIGINal IDea
An encounter...The film is inspired by real events in Sylvain Demercastel’s life.
Meeting Fabrice Beaux got Sylvain out of the “rut” he had been in since the death of his friend Pascal Sternberg (a Green party
councillor) in the nanterre massacre in 2002.
A need to create.
A desire to talk in a variety of forms: speech, image and sound.
Perhaps an atonement...
n le FIlm
This is where Baraka meets Endless Summer meets Soylent Green…
An artistic feat blending emotional images and photographic quality.
80% of the movie filmed using cameras and specific lenses obtaining a “Cinema” image poles apart from conventional documen-
taries or surf movies.
A deliberately aesthetic focus to attract…. but most of all, to wake up.
2 years of work. no salary.
n la BIO
A film-maker, composer and photographer. But also a scout for surfing and windsurfing locations.
Sylvain is a globetrotting artist who became aware of environmental issues at a very early stage. He entered the world of politics
with the Green Party in 1989.
A green activist and keen reader of André Gorz, René Dumont and James Lovelock, he stopped campaigning following
the nanterre massacre in 2002 in which his best friend and Green councillor Pascal Sternberg was killed.
Since then, he has drawn on the full range of his various talents (film-making, journalism, photography, founder and leader of the
rock group Artsonic) to alert and propose a framework for interpretation, repositioning mankind as an integral part of
the ecosystem, whereas many others see humans as standing apart.
In this second instalment of his global Planet Blow project, he shares with us a futuristic biography in which the artistic aspect
and time lapse (2049) make it possible to say things without moralising. This is only one possible future and they are only the
words of one man. not a universal truth.
His intention is to leave the way open for the film’s viewers to take on board the positive message by taking action right now.
Sylvain Demercastel is currently working on the film adaptation of Planet Blow.
n les PersONNaGes
Fabrice BeaUX / One of the world’s top windsurfers. USA champion in 2000. Team O’Neill.
nick De WaNNemaeKer / Second in the 2008 Belgian Windsurfing Championship. Team O’Neill.
Masahiro mOtOHasHI / Japan’s No. 1 windsurfer. Team O’Neill.
Jack O’NeIll / Creator of the first surf suit in 1952. He appears in the film and expresses an unusual view of our world.
Damien castera / Professional surfer. Winner of the 2010 European Cup. Team O’Neill
Christophe allarY / Professional surfer. 5th place in the O’Neill Cold Water Classic 2009. Team O’Neill
Jason « RATBOY » cOllINs / Surf legend. Team O’Neill
4. THE DARK LINES
INtervIeW WItH sYlvaIN Demercastel
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PLANET BLOW
n What prompted you to make a film about surfing? P L A N E T B L OW
PLANET BLOW A desire to get away from clichés and portray another aspect of surf sports. To
show that surfers have a ringside seat when it comes to seeing what is currently
B L OW
happening acrossHourA R K L I N E S
T E D planet.
PLANET BLOW
n Why such a radical film?
Actually, it seems to me that the real-life situation is more radical than the film.
After all, I’m only showing things that already exist. We didn’t need to add any
special effects.
n the film is very finely crafted. How did you pick your team?
I’ve been working in the arts for almost 20 years. I’ve been involved in a number of
projects over the years and met and established links with a lot of talented people.
I only worked with people I have known for a long time and who know how to work
as a team, while bringing a definite something extra.
n How was shooting organised?
A year and a half of shooting to fit in with climate and budget constraints and the
availabilities of each member of the team. Above all, our dates were dictated by
the weather, something we had to constantly juggle with.
n visually, there is no sign of any budget restrictions at all…
That’s undoubtedly related to the team’s intense commitment and our mastery of
the tools at our disposal…. but that’s top secret!
n One might well imagine that it’s not easy filming in manila: how did the
night shooting go?
You’re right. It’s quite tricky shooting something that is part documentary and
part fiction. We often need to re-shoot scenes and keep the natural atmosphere
of the location. Juggling with problems of safety and secrecy… it wasn’t easy but
things were sometimes more complicated in destinations that were less “sensi-
tive” on paper…
There was no – or practically no – hidden filming…
n What surprised you most during shooting?
The kindness and good humour of some people who were nonetheless in im-
mense distress. The global and profound awareness of a person like Jack O’Neill.
An astonishing non-sanitised discourse from an American.
n In the film, your meeting with Jack O’Neill is decisive. What exactly did he
say to you?
Exactly what he said in the film. That sequence isn’t acted… it’s a real meeting. I
could sense that he was happy to be able to speak freely about how he sees the
situation instead of talking about inventing the surf suit...
What choices did you make for the film’s original soundtrack? Something that one
imagines is crucial in this type of project…
I usually compose alone but for this film I wanted to work with musicians from a
variety of different backgrounds, allowing me to create a range of atmospheres. I
had my own compositions that were ready for certain parts. For others, we worked
via internet, endeavouring to stick to the style of the images of the places visited…
it’s a film in which the music is almost as important as the visuals and the com-
mentary.
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n What references did you draw on in terms of surf movies?
P L A N E T B my O Wwere Baraka, Blade Runner, Apocalypse Now, Soylent Green...
None. More in L mind
I hope I haven’t made “just another surf movie”… that’s not what I intended.
B L OW
P L An WhatT you hopeW bring to the audience with this film?
N E do B L O to
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I simply hope that I don’t come over as lecturing. This film is a portrait of humanity through a romanticised depiction
of my own life.
I feel just as responsible as the audience I’m trying to reach. I’d like the notion of ecosystem to become more a word aimed
at describing wild life. The ecosystem is our home… or our loss.
nobody can get the upper hand without being called to order.
tecHNIcal creDIts
screeNPlaY : SYLvAIn DEMERCASTEL
DIrecteD BY : SYLvAIn DEMERCASTEL
PrODUctION : @DOC, SYLVAIN DEMERCASTEL & ACACIA FILMS
eDItING : SOPHIE SEIGnEUR
OrIGINal sOUNDtracK :
Sylvain Demercastel / Stéphane Buriez / Fréderic Scamps /Artsonic / Richard Mégret
camerameN : Sebastien Joffard / Olivier cohen bacri / Sylvain Demercastel
calIBratION : Rodolphe Pellerin
sPecIal eFFects : 11 décembre
maKeUP : Marie Bressand
