Ryanstar
April 2008
This is an email sent to NYBODYBOARDING.COM (Bob Baldwin) from the public relations firm promoting "BRA BOYS" the film in NY.....
"Hey!
I wanted to introduce myself and reach out to you regarding the New York Screenings of the documentary Bra Boys that begin this Friday, April 11th.
The documentary is about Maroubra, Australia's notorious surf gang, the Bra Boys, and details their professional big wave surfing, hard partying, and rough justice. The film is narrated by Russell Crowe and is told from the perspective of their much maligned and tattooed surf community.
There is a link to the trailer below and attached is a postcard with the theater locations. We'd love it if you would write a post on your site about the local screenings and get the word out about this amazing award winning film that's screening in your community.
Best,
Emily
About The Film
Bra Boys†is a film about the cultural evolution of the inner-Sydney beachside suburb of Maroubra and the social struggle of its youth – the tattooed and much maligned surf community known as the Bra Boys. The story is narrated by Australian actor Russell Crowe and is told through the eyes of members of the Bra Boys.
It is the first full-length film project being undertaken by, and officially sanctioned by, the Bra Boys. It is their story. It shows their success in professional big wave surfing, it explores their international reputation for hard partying and rough justice, it touches on their running battle with authorities and it shows their absolute reliance on one another to fit into a society in which they are displaced and, at times, disinterested. It shows how the evolution of Maroubra, coupled with the historical stigma associated with Australia’s rebellious surf community, has contributed to their social displacement.
Central to the story is the true-life struggle of the Abberton brothers – Sunny, Koby, Jai and Dakota … one charged with murdering a Sydney standover man, another pursuing a professional surf career but charged as an accessory in his brother’s legal fight, another trying to hold the family together and a young brother whose inheritance is his siblings’ notoriety.
“Bra Boys†uses archival footage shot and blends it with current surf vision and interviews to create a story that is compassionate and confronting. It is a story of contrast involving against-the-odds success and predictable failures and, ultimately, a story exploring the legacy and hopes of the next generation of Bra Boys members."
And this is Bob's reply
"Hi,
Thanks very much for reaching out to us!
While we are a bodyboarding website, we are also surfers and friends of surfers and fully support and love the sport and would generally be fully supportive of such a request.
Unfortunately, we are not at all fans of the "surf gang" known as the Bra Boys, and quite frankly are disgusted at their lack of respect towards our beloved sport of bodyboarding. Specifically, their actions at a spot they now call OURS are a complete disgrace to the sport of waveriding. At this spot they now claim to be their own (hence the name "Ours"), they threaten and carry out violence against the same bodyboarders who first pioneered the wave and don't allow them or other outsiders to even attempt surfing it. Just recently, they attacked one of the sport's top pros Mitch Rawlins when he attempted surfing there, and one day they will likely kill someone. As you noted, one of the individuals in the "gang" was accused of murder at one point. Why and how this is part of the film's selling point is beyond comprehension and those endorsing such actions should be ashamed of themselves.
I'm sorry but we simply cannot and will not endorse this film. It's disgusting that their conduct is being glamorized in this way, and we are against everything it stands for.
Kind Regards,
Bob Baldwin
NYBB
