Girl Surf Power
Women are achieving equality in the waves
Female empowerment and surfing are not two terms you would typically put together, but Annika von Schütz is riding a wave of creativity to depict a new breed of woman.
This new vision of femininity is one that explores their creativity, embodies freedom, fun and embraces comradeship with other women, through surfing or other extreme sports.
Annika is currently being sponsored as a resident artist at LAC, (Laboratório Actividades Criativas), in Lagos. She puts her creativity down to the energy and synergy she feels with the ocean while surfing. “Women need to take the waves as a medium to achieve something else”, she tells me. “Thanks to a great network on the international surf scene, I am in contact with very interesting surfers, surf journalists and environmental activists. I am very grateful for the opportunity LAC gave me to live and study in Lagos”.
She began the sport aged 14 while on a family holiday, then when she was 18, she travelled to France from Germany and learnt properly. This led to her forming a band of nomadic surf goddesses who called themselves the Velwet Girls. They define this as a collective output of photography, art, editorial, travel, love and life.
The girls came from an academic background but wanted to have fun without limitations and to explore their creativity. “Our mission was to show that women could have fun and travel with other women, not with a boyfriend. Of course, it has become more normal now, but then we were not the norm. We slept in our cars, surfed or snowboarded, made clothes, art and created a website”.
The founder of Velwet collective is Valerie Schlieper, a graphic designer and photographer who receives sponsorship at surfing competitions, Faye Sjöberg works as a musician in Berlin, Alexandra Siebert is a graphic designer who creates surfing images, t-shirts and bottles. “Being in nature is linked to creative output,” explains Annika.
Annika herself is a cultural scientist, yoga teacher and actress but is currently pursuing a passion for documentary-making, and the topic? You have guessed it, women and surfing! After studying for a masters in art and media, she worked with a German national and regional TV channels and even tried her hand at presenting.
Her first film was a University project in Mali, and she became hooked on the medium. She made her first documentary film in 2018, "Set up to sell - Surfing as a lifestyle product", exploring the commercialisation of the surf scene, which won an award at the Ericeira film festival. “My work keeps me driving to the European Atlantic coast. I work as a
curator at surf film festivals, art exhibitions and organise workshops on sustainability and plastic pollution in the sea”. She is now working on a new documentary, “Femmeocean - unlimited,” where she invites women from all backgrounds to share their experiences and to discuss the power of sports to impact lives.
“Thanks to the greater power and ability in many fields, women surfing is growing fast. Female surfers are fighting for their dreams and see more and more results of equality. One example is the equal payment in surf contests since 2019. It is important to have strong and authentic women with perseverance for women to identify with. The documentary is about strong female portraits as role models in a growing market. Together with a professional crew, we will create high-quality content, pictures and impactful stories”.
Twelve five-minute portraits of international surfers and short features for social media demonstrate their “waves of life2 in a very personal way. “The stories open the doors to their personality and show what is hiding behind their sunshine façade. They are professional athletes and amateurs, stand for diversity, environmental activism, independence and risk-taking. One thing unites them: surfing as a motivation to live and to protect the place they love, namely the sea”.
The documentary will feature Joana Andrade who rides 30m waves in Nazaré and who will appear in the 2020 film “Big versus Small” about conquering fear and pushing your limits. In December Annika interviewed a free surfer who lives in Peniche and is over 60 but surfs every day and often without a wetsuit.
Another of her subjects is Lizzy Artwork, who is an artist who works for the Surf-Rider Foundation, which fights for environmental protection in Portugal.
The documentary will be screened at international Surf Film festivals, such as Save The Waves, International Surf Film Festival Ericeira, Santa Cruz Surf Film Festival, Sun Valley Film Festival International Ocean Film Tours, and digital TV.
When I meet Annika she has suffered an injury while filming in Ericeira, she was walking on the beach and hit by a freak wave which washed her onto some rocks, so she had to stop filming. Ironically, this action woman suffered a setback while taking a walk, but she shrugs it off and says, “No matter how difficult it is, you should fight to do the things you love.”
If you feel you can contribute to the documentary or wish to sponsor the project, please contact Annika.
www.annikavonschuetz.com
@annikasyniva
@femmeocean_unlimited
@velwet_
