“Doc of the Week” is a new summer series where I’ll be sharing my favorite documentary each week for the next 7 weeks.
I’ve seen a number of excellent short and feature films over the past few days, but the one that touched me most, and therefore is my first pick for “Doc of the Week,” has to be “CURT.”
How would I describe “CURT”? That’s easy—love.
From the Official Film Synopsis: “‘CURT’ is a short documentary about 50-year-old competitive surfer, Curt Harper. Diagnosed with autism as a child, Curt faced many challenges growing up, but one thing that came easy was his love for surfing. Over the past 21 years, Curt has become a beloved fixture in the Southern California surf scene, having played an unlikely, yet vital role in the growth and development of multiple generations of groms.”
“CURT” is the first documentary by director Brendan Hearne. His story of Curt Harper is a joy to watch, as is Curt Harper himself. The film is “love” because that’s what Curt Harper embraces the world with. His openness and enthusiasm for surfing and the impact he has had on the lives of the young surfers around him is an inspiration. You can tell that Brendan Hearne’s making of the film comes from a place of love as well. Hearne is a former professional surfer and in many of his shots his passion for the ocean and his affection for the surfing community shines through.
In short, this film simply made me happy. Watch this week’s pick for yourself below.
