God Went Surfing With The Devil

What's it like to surf, skate, and live in a war zone? How can more universal identities like "skater" and "surfer" transcend those like "Israeli" and "Palestinian"? What happens when people trade their weapons for surfboards, skateboards, and guitars? Pay attention, because this might prove to be the most important action sports-related documentary ever made.

God Went Surfing With the Devil is a documentary in progress about the Middle East – made by skaters and surfers – and is about the most interesting blog/photoblog/travelogue I've come across. With real-time dispatches from skater Alex Klein and crew in Israel and Gaza, I'm increasingly fascinated by the whole thing. The project got under way at the beginning of April and will eventually will be a film titled God Went Surfing With The Devil: A Documentary About Life In The Middle East.

Here's an example of the kinds of jarring context and perspective to be gleaned from Alex Klein and his crew's notes from the field, and a glimpse of the tone the film might take...

Day 3: "We received a text saying two Israeli civilians were killed when Palestinian militants breached the border and attacked a fuel depot near Nahal Oz. Both Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility, though Israel blamed Hamas, responding with air strikes, and mobilizing tanks for an offensive in Gaza. An hour and a half north of the violence, in Tel-Aviv, the waves have gone flat."

Or how about this dispatch, from Day 8:

"Had coffee with a navy commando. Discussed war and peace, surfing and politics. The men here are affable and deadly. Tried tracking down Abdullah, the leader of the surf scene in Jaffa. No one seems to know his whereabouts. The last anyone heard he was in jail. Lots of phone calls, chasing leads, waiting around. A two-hundred shekel guitar was purchased to alleviate boredom. Went to the skatepark at night, a dog got stuck in the bowl. In other news, four Hamas gunmen were killed in gun battles today, a commander of Islamic Jihad was struck with a rocket while riding a motorcycle, two Palestinian civilians were injured when their house was struck by a tank mortar, and three Israel Defense Force soldiers were injured, including one who was shot by a sniper. Numerous Qassam rockets were fired at Sderot and the western Negev."

Because of the blog format and the site's layout, it's a little bit tricky to navigate in anything other than reverse chronological order, but once you get started you'll find yourself going all the way back to the start of the adventure.

Here's more about the project, via SkateDaily.net:

"God Went Surfing With the Devil will hear from Palestinians like Mohammed A’lwan about what it’s like to surf in a war zone. It will explore 16 year-old Omer Levin’s pursuit of sponsorship amidst the prospect of conscription. It will document life with Abdulla, an Arab-Israeli surfer who’s been shunned by fellow Arabs and attacked by Jewish settlers. It will accompany American Matt Olsen’s attempts to open Gaza’s first surf camp. It will visit with surfers, soldiers, militants and politicians.

Alex Klein has secured a talented, ready, and able crew including cameraman Chase Masterson, editor Jon Schwartz, Bryan Derballa, Danilo Parra and Nikki Scoggins. They’ve been in Tel-Aviv shooting since April 1st and are looking to have a trailer posted up on their site by June 1st. In the meantime, check the film’s Notes From the Field for a daily run down behind the cameras."

– Colin Bane