Big-wave surf film Facing Monsters nominated in multiple categories at WA Screen Culture Awards

A documentary showcasing Denmark big-wave surfer Kerby Brown on the rough and raw WA surfing scene has been nominated for three WA Screen Culture Awards.

Facing Monsters, which stars Brown and his family, has been nominated for best feature documentary / non fiction; cinematography or visualisation; and sound or sound design.

The Statewide nominations follows three Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards nominations, announced earlier this month.

Cinematographer Rick Rifici, whose stunning visuals are up for a win, said he and the team were “stoked”.

“It’s always special to be nominated for a local award. Normally the local ones are your toughest crowds, so it’s an honour,” he said.

“The whole production team is stoked. Screen West played a huge part in it, supporting u, which we’re very grateful for.

“Any award or nomination we can win is always a great achievement. We’re super-honoured and super-stoked.”

Rifici, who has also filmed local adaptations of Tim Winton novels Breathe and Blueback, said filming on the ocean was a “beautiful challenge but it’s the most rewarding”.

“On a main film set or commercial, there’s quite a skilled crew around you but when you’re on the ocean it’s a smaller crew and a lot can go wrong, but that’s all part of the challenge, trying to capture everything in the best possible way.”

Rifici said he had arrived fresh from the US, where the documentary premiered across the country.

“People were blown away by our coastline, it’s so unique,” he said.

“The south coast is one of the most scenic places I’ve shot from all around the world. It’s one that stands out for me.”

After accumulating so much footage of Brown over four to five years, the team decided to turn it into a documentary and shot the backstory over three months in 2020 in the surfer’s home town of Denmark.

The documentary follows his journey of self-discovery as he searches for remote monster waves off WA’s coast.

The WASCAs will be held on Sunday, December 4 at Luna Cinemas Leederville ,where the winners across 20 categories will be revealed.