By Kate Rodger
The filmmaker behind Bra Boys, Australia’s highest grossing documentary of all time, is about to release his new film.
Another story borne of the Sydney surf scene, Fighting Fear is a far more personal tale of friendship and how important your mates are.
The Maroubra surf gangs were immortalised on the big screen a few years back in Bra Boys. Narrated by Russell Crowe, it was also Macca De Souza’s first ever film.
“I don’t think anyone expected it to be so successful commercially,” he says. “But as far as awareness went, it got a lot of press, it would be seen by a lot of people. I was quite humbled. It really opened a lot of doors for me as a filmmaker.”
One of those doors opened onto De Souza’s second feature, Fighting Fear. It stays true to his hometown surfing roots, but is an even more personal story; focussing on the friendship between two of his best mates – both hardcore surfers and hardcore partiers.
Childhood surfing friends Mark Mathews and Richie Vas chased girls and waves and, in the end, a fair bit of trouble.
Vas found himself in court and all over the headlines after a bar brawl turned nasty.
Mathews was on the brink of losing a promising surfing career after a serious accident in the big surf off Tasmania.
Fighting Fear is their story – which one of the boys didn’t think was worth telling.
“He [De Souza] approached us and we said, ‘No way, that’s a stupid idea’, but we took some convincing and I’m glad now; they made something pretty amazing and well above our expectations,” says Mathews.
It has been quite a journey for these Aussie men and they’re hoping Kiwi blokes might find it a learning experience.
“We come from a place where it is all about the boys. You gotta maintain a certain cred and I think the fact the boys went on record, happy to open up, be affectionate to women and each other, might open the floodgates for other guys watching this,” De Souza says. “That it’s okay not to just hug your mate, but speak about your feelings and have each others backs in that way.”
Fighting Fear opens in New Zealand and Australian cinemas in a few weeks.
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