CHILDREN OF THE WIND?!!!!!

 

IF YOU DON'T KNOW...YOU WOULD DO WELL TO

 

 

GET FAMILIAR!! 

  

Ok...let's talk 

Children of the Wind...

Can you say

AMAZING!!

 

While in Miami at the ABFF in 2013 I met a very nice man by the name of Elvis Martinus and short story short (lol) he extended to me an invite to see a documentary that was very close to his heart. Now if you've ever been to a film festival you know very well that everyone wants you to come and support their films, so you're constantly playing the "Eenie meenie minee mo" game when it comes to which films you'll choose. It's not often that I ever see a film where I have absolutely no idea what the film is about. As a matter of fact it's only happened maybe twice but I must say the two times that it's happened so far has been the best time I've ever had in a theater for reasons that I will happily explain.

 

1. No expectations

2. Feels new, fresh

3. It's adventurous & intriguing

 

Just to name a few :)

   

Now I most assuredly could have read up on what the film was about but instead I chose to ride the wings of Mr. Martinus's ever present enthusiasm and go in blind and I was never more happy at my decision to do just that. From the very first moment I was like a child, bright eyed and curious...and within minutes I was excited and totally captivated...not long after I was moved and inspired...feeling empowered & ready to take on the world!!

 

CHILDREN OF THE WIND is a refreshing documentary that tells the story of the Bonaire windsurfers, a group of native kids, who under the remarkable mentorship of Elvis Martinus, founder of the Bonaire Aquaspeed windsurfing club, overcame insuperable odds to not only dominate an inherently elitist sport but to revolutionize it.

Awards?!! YESSSSSSS!! All of which are beyond well deserved!! (Just saying)

The film focuses on brothers Tonky and Taty Frans and their cousin Kiri who come from a poor fishing family and began windsurfing before the age of ten, using whatever broken or discarded equipment they could scrounge, and who are now, twenty years later, global superstars.

Tonky, Taty and Kiri burst onto the international scene in 2001 when, along with thirty or so other Bonaire sailors, they attended windsurfing’s North American Championship in Florida. Given the island’s economic status, just getting to Florida was an achievement in itself. Once there, they caused a sensation, taking home twenty trophies between them. Given that Bonaire has a population of under 15,000 and had, at the time, no way to fund formal training facilities, provide equipment or pay for travel to events, this accomplishment was simply astonishing.

The Frans brothers and Kiri are now among the top five freestyle windsurfers in the world and have become local heroes on their island. More remarkable: Bonaire continues to produce young champions at every age category of the ProKids World Championship, which started on the island. Set against the backdrop of the 2011 Freestyle Windsurfing World Cup on Bonaire, ‘Children of the Wind’ is an exciting tale of kids who refused to be defined by the limits of their circumstance, and consequently transformed a sport.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.childrenofthewindmovie.com

Thank you to everyone that had anything to do with making this film. You do more than inspire, you inject hope into the world and that's too beautiful for words!!

xoxo,

Mahoghany