Once Upon a Plate

Once Upon a Plate from Josh Berry on Vimeo.
I made this film as a celebration of the fish, farms and people behind your meal at Foreign Cinema restaurant in San Francisco, California. This film is an epic collaboration with chefs Gayle Pirie and John Clark. I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it!
More here: josh berry.squarespace.com

Production stills from Once Upon a Plate.

"Of Hearts and Hands"

  "Pichilemu, Ramón Navarro's hometown and the country's burgeoning surf capital, was deeply agitated because of a government proposal to build..." Read more.

I am excited and proud to write a chapter in The Fisherman's Son - a beautiful new imprint by Patagonia Books. I also have a hand in the book's companion film by Chris Malloy, which you can watch above.

Get the book here to read my chapter, entitled "Of Hearts and Hands" about my beach clean up adventures with Ramón during our early years of Chile eco-campaigning, together with great stories from surf-literature legends such as Gerry Lopez, Jack Johnson, Chris Malloy, Yasha Hetzel and many more. The book also features incredible photography by Jeff Johnson, Geoff Ragatz, Alfredo Escobar, Rodrigo Farías and others.

Learn more about the innovative eco-collaboration between Ramón, Patagonia, Save The Waves and the locals to protect Punta de Lobos here!

Punta de Lobos, Chile, 2007. Photo by William Henry.

Video Teaser!

Save The Waves Film Festival 2014 from Josh Berry on Vimeo.

Film Selections :: Save The Waves Film Festival

I curate this film program for Save The Waves Film Festival:

PENINSULA 

North America Premiere 

Made in Italy and shot entirely in 35mm, 16mm and super8 film.

Director: Luca Merli. Country: Italy. Year: 2014

ENDLESS OCEAN 

North America Premiere 

A wonderland of surf exploration with the first family of Azorean surfers. 

Director: Sachi Cunningham. Country: Portugal/USA. Year: 2014

INTO THE MIND OF GREG LONG

World Premiere

A journey into the mind, body and motivation of big wave surfer Greg Long.

Director: Patrick Trefz. Country: USA. Year: 2014

#SAVESANMIGUEL

World Premiere 

A story about the new Bahia Todos Santos World Surfing Reserve

Director: Kyle Thiermann. Country: Mexico/USA. Year: 2014

NET POSITIVA

World Premiere

Three friends set out to establish Chile's first fishnet collection and recycling program. 

Director: Ian McGee. Country: Chile/USA. Year: 2014

SOULSTICIO TRES

North America Premiere 

In search of where the desert meets the ocean.

Director: Diego Rojas. Country: Chile. Year: 2014

MEET CLAUDIO 

North America Premiere 

Harnessing the power of the ocean to engage, educate, and motivate student leaders.

Director: Martha Rigby. Country: Chile. Year: 2014

JUNE GLOOM 

A poetic inquiry into nature and the sea.

Director: Adam Warmington. Country: USA. Year: 2014

AGAINST THE GRAIN 

Documenting the construction and use of an ancient Hawaiian surfboard.

Director: Alessandro Rodriques. Country:USA. Year: 2014

VERY SHORT FILMS PROGRAM

Including new films, teasers and surprises from: 

Chris Malloy/Woodshed Films

It Ain't Pretty /Dayla Soul

Toddy Stewart /Picture Farm

Racing Extinction - PREVIEW

Leah Dawson

Ramon Navarro and Rodrigo Farias

...and more. 

* READ MORE ABOUT THESE FILMS HERE: stwfilmfest2014.blogspot.com

Long Live Paul Walker!

Today is Paul Walker's 41st birthday. This is a story of how I was inspired by the real man behind his Hollywood myth. This is a small tribute to Paul Walker. 

In early March 2010 I found myself in Curanipe, Chile, leading a disaster relief mission after the mega-earthquake and tsunamis that devastated the region. While I was traveling to the disaster's epicenter, a group of doctors and emergency responders in California emailed me and asked to be guided to the hardest-hit region.

Without knowing anything more about them, I agreed to meet them in Chile.  I was skeptical that a group of gringo strangers would even make it into the country, let alone find me in the disaster zone, but they claimed to be "a group of do-gooders" and we were desperate for help.

Martial law in Constitución, Chile, March 2010. Photo: Luca Wimer.

Five days later, I'm standing in a shuttered hostel in Curanipe. Our small group of relief workers has taken over the hostel and we are in crisis work mode -- exhausted and inspired and working 18-hour days for the task at hand. Thousands of people in the region are homeless, without running water, and in need of medical attention.

A familiar face walks into the room, a tall handsome California guy in military cargo pants and a grimy t-shirt. My mind races and I think quietly to myself, "I know this guy! I've met him before! Who is he? Where have we met?" It takes me a minute to realize... "No! It's that actor from Lost... No, wait, it's some other famous actor. What's his name..? What the heck is he doing here...?" 

We shake hands and start talking logistics of what is needed in the tsunami disaster zone. This famous actor -- whose name I still couldn't recall and whose movies I still couldn't place -- starts offering expert support for anyone that will listen to his doctors, paramedics, firefighters and tons of medical supplies.

It turns out this guy is Paul Walker, and we work side-by-side for the next 7 days with a group of amazing, selfless individuals -- helping everyone we can in the tsunami disaster zone.

I quickly learn that Paul is a thoroughly human and humble individual dedicated to traveling to the planet's hardest-hit natural disaster areas to help. His organization is called Reach Out WorldWide. They provide a pillar of support to people in their darkest hour who have lost everything.

Paul Walker with Reach Out WorldWide in Chile. Photo: Lucas Wimer.

In Chile we work with the Chilean Army, support mobile health clinics, mayors, psychologists, school teachers, hungry survivors, shell-shocked families, journalists and children. We clear rubble, build shelters, distribute free medicine and set up clean water systems for over 10,000 survivors.

Paul Walker is a very good man, an enlightened soul who used his success to help others without any expectations, other than goodwill and a strong heart.

Rest in Peace and thank you for being an inspiration to us all.

Visit Reach Out WorldWide and support their epic mission to help humanity. Long live Paul Walker! 

ROWW and Save The Waves in Chile. Photo: Lucas Wimer.