REVIEW: ‘GIVEN’ – GO ROUND THE WORLD WITH THE GOODWINS.

Surf movie meets odyssey in this full-blown cinematic experience 

Imagine deciding that you were going to take your three-year-old son and three-month-old daughter on a global surfing adventure that spanned six continents, 15 countries and 40 cities.  Surfing, super-couple, Aamion and Daize Goodwin, decided to do exactly that and make a film about it with friend, Jessi Bianchi.

Aamion is best known as the tall, string-limbed-limbed goofy footer who climbed the North Shore ranks to become a modern, Pipeline specialist, while Daize is a former two-time world long-boarding champion.

Given, directed by Jessi Bianchi, is a global adventure that immerses you in the Goodwin’s quest to embrace the richness and diversity of the planet’s natural and human wonders.

Told through the eyes of their six-year-old son, (whose name is Given) the film is a travel epic that fully delivers on the sensory overload scale. Exquisitely shot and edited, it’s not so much a documentary as a cinematic experience that rips you out of your daily grind and makes you question why you are not seeing more of the world.  

While their itinerary is guided by their passion for waves, the Goodwins take anything but a predictable route as they journey to Israel, Iceland,Thailand, Nepal and Senegal, along with a bunch of better-travelled coastlines in Australia, Sth Africa, Peru and Fiji.

The film focuses on the majesty of the natural world and the dignity of the diverse humans who walk upon it. Meanwhile, the surfing action provides an engaging counterpoint to the geographic odyssey as Aamion spears purposefully through tubes and Daize shuffle-steps elegantly through sunsets on her long-board.

True, the film is intentionally idealised, but you also have to be mindful that we are suppose to be seeing the world through the eyes of a child – a technique which helps us return to the innocence of our own youth. Ultimately, Given’s biggest achievement is that it makes you want to once again believe in our planet, and all the different people who call it home. In a time when the mainstream media feeds us a constant diet of fear, scepticism and division, The Goodwin’s epic journey reminds us that there is still a world of good will, wonder and excitement waiting to be experienced. All that’s left is to start our own journey.

Given has already won the award for best  cinematography at Florida Surf Film Festival and best film at the recent Sayulita Surf film festival on Sunday.

If you want to catch Given on the big screen it will premiere in Australia at the Byron Bay Surf Festival on Feb 24.The film goes on pre-sale on itunes next week on Feb 14 and also goes on sale at the end of the month via the official website. 

Look out for an interview with the Goodwins in an upcoming issue of Tracks.

~ Tracks Magazine: Luke Kennedy, Feb 9th 2017

http://www.tracksmag.com.au/news/review-given-go-round-the-world-with-the-goodwins--450502