Surfwise

Surfwise

The Surfing Family

Doug Pray's film is a fascinating portrait of Dorian 'Doc' Paskowitz, a surfing guru whose clean-living image is rebutted by some of his nine children, who shared his itinerant life.

After introducing surfing to Israel, Paskowitz lived in a camper van on the San Diego coast with his wife Juliette and their nine-strong family. Here, he set up a surfing school, living the nomadic surfing life to the full.

Now in his mid-eighties, Paskowitz is the physical embodiment of healthy living - fit, tanned, full of life. But Pray has tracked down the nine children, who have all left 'home' and hears from them a very different story.

One son recalls finding out other families had eggs for breakfast instead of the cheap food they had; another remembers the children having to endure their parents' loud, enthusiastic lovemaking just feet away from their beds.

They all realise that the life they led - with no schooling or friends outside the family and beatings if they didn't shape up - left them ill-equipped to cope with life once they had left their father's sphere of influence.

The film, co-produced by Jonathan, one of 'Doc' and Juliette's sons, ends with a family reunion which finishes in hugs. But even here, Dorian still cannot resist exercising his power over his children

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On TV

First Shown

Date Time Channel
Tuesday 12 May 2009 10PM More4

Last Shown

Date Time Channel
Tuesday 12 May 2009 10PM More4
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