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You Should Have Been Here Yesterday

Directed by Jolyon Hoff

2023

Australia

81 minutes

All Ages

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A cinematic ode to Australia’s early surfing culture featuring evocative restored footage, a chilled-out soundtrack, and narration from surfing aficionados and heroes such as Tim Winton and Wayne Lynch.

In 1960s Australia, a generation travelled Australia’s coastline seeking waves – and a different kind of life. Their odyssey was captured on 16mm film, now lovingly restored by The Surf Film Archive. Director Jolyon Hoff (Watandar, My Countryman) combines this never-before-seen footage with stories from the original filmmakers, surfing gurus and more. One enthusiast likens surfing to being “kissed by God” – a sentiment in keeping with the blissed-out vibes that permeate this sun-filled, salt-infused movie. The original soundscape is from Australian music collective Headland (led by Murray Paterson, a Tex Perkins collaborator).

Limited seats are available for patrons requiring access for wheelchairs, low vision and hearing loop. Please contact our ticketing team directly on 1300 733 733 or tickets@sff.org.au to complete your booking.

This is a crucial project for Australian surfing history and culture. Our collective surf film archive is a precious treasure of our shared cultural memory. It’s brilliant, brave and slightly mad that someone is actually game to take this herculean task on. They deserve all of our gratitude and support

Tim Baker

The next best thing to a time machine. The scans are amazing, stoked our surf history is in caring and capable hands

Alan White

Special Guest

Jolyon Hoff

Director, Screenwriter, Producer

Jolyon Hoff is an Australian documentary filmmaker. His previous projects include The Staging Post – which won Highly Commended for Best Stand-Alone Documentary by the Australian Directors’ Guild – and Watandar, My Countryman , which premiered at Adelaide Film Festival in 2022. Hoff spent 15 years living and working across Nigeria, Indonesia, Nepal and Washington, with the commitment to bridging the developing and developed worlds together.