The Canadian Surf Film Festival (CSFF) celebrated the Jury’s selections and best box office sales yet at last night’s Closing Awards and party in Halifax. Prizes went to a local Nova Scotian kite surfer, an American short film about river surfing, and two Norwegian survivalists/surfers, amongst others. The Festival experienced its best ever box office sales and is already looking to up the ante for next year.

“We couldn’t be happier with this year’s Festival. It’s hard to believe we’re only three years in,” says Keith Maddison, Development Director. “We’re thankful to our super generous volunteers and the amazing surfers and filmmakers who bring such high calibre films to our Festival.”

Last night’s awards party, held at the Seahorse Tavern in Halifax, feted an international roster of films and filmmakers. Norwegian filmmakers Jørn Ranum and Inge Wegge of North of the Sun, were the stand out winners with two awards, Best Film and Best Cinematography. Their film tracked their nine-month adventure in an isolated bay in northern Norway where surfing was their only saving grace.

The Best Canadian Short from the CSFF Short Film Challenge went to Mark Moore for his film about kite surfing, Take It To the Coast. He walked away with the most sought after prize of the night: a full accommodations and surf tour at Keefer’s Reef Surf Retreat in Troncones, Mexico. Jury member Lesley Choyce called Moore’s film, “water, wind and happy wacky surf folk on a quest for salty happiness and harmony.”

Marc-André Laurin won second place Best Canadian Short with Seeking for a New Port. Best International Short went to Of Souls and Water: The Warrior by award-winning American filmmaker Skip Armstrong. And an honourable mention was given to 16-year-old Jamie Smith from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. His short Scrappy Happy was an homage to surfing with his friends and also to his favourite musician Joel Plaskett.

With the best screening attendance yet, national and international media coverage and a plethora of local celebrities in attendance–Trailer Park Boys, local rocker Matt Mays, comedians Shaun Majumber and Cathy Jones–the CSFF is gearing up for a bigger and better event next year. In the meantime, plans are in the works for special screenings year round.