In the wake of the catastrophic event last weekend, the Jack McCoy Australian Surf Film Fest will be donating all profits from ticket sales and auction items from the final day of the festival to Mercury Psillakis’ family. 

The event will be held at the iconic Bennett Surfboards shop in Brookvale, the original epicentre of the Australian surf industry, and where both Mercury and identical twin brother, Mark, worked as surfboard manufacturers throughout their lives.

Festival co-founder and McCoy’s son in law, Luke Campbell, has surfed at Long Reef with the Psillakis family for over 30 years and was in the water at the time of the attack.

“Merc was one of the most loved members of Long Reef and there wasn’t a day that went past that he wasn’t in the line up sharing the stoke. The whole reason we created the Fest was to bring together the community, and there couldn’t be a more important time for us to wrap our arms around the Psillakis family and each other in this tragic time,” said Campbell

In what will be an immersive old school surf film experience, the audience will be treated to the 1974 classic by Bud Browne, Going Surfin’. The film captures the first ever vision inside the tube by none other than Gerry Lopez – who also spent some time in his early days in Australia shaping at Bennetts. Other stars of the film include Jeff Hakman, Buzzy Trent, Larry Bertlemann, Gregg Noll, David Nuuhiwa, Mike Doyle, Jackie Dunn.

The day will also showcase an Industry Legends Talk Story featuring Bob McTavish, Denny Keogh and Greg Bennett who all knew the identical twins. The trio will share an insight into the transformation of the industry and their thoughts on what the future holds.

Live bands will close out the Fest created with McCoy’s vision to bring every generation of the surfing tribe together to share stories and the aloha spirit. 

Psillakis’ lifelong friend and leading Australian surfing identity, Matt Grainger, said that surf films was what inspired Merc to dedicate his life to surfing and exploration.

“I can still remember going to see Storm Riders with the twins at the Sydney Opera House in 1982. As soon as they saw Thornton Fallander out Nias, their lives changed forever and led them to spend their whole lives traveling the globe in search of the perfect waves. 

Let’s come together this weekend and celebrate Merc just like he would’ve wanted.” said Grainger

Click to purchase tickets and further information.

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE:

Thursday, September 11: 7.00pm at Orpheum Theatre, Cremorne
Snapt 5 Directed by Logan Dulien  *AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

Friday, September 12: 5:30pm at Ritz Cinemas, Randwick
Road to Patagonia (2024) Directed by Matt Hannon

Friday, September 12: 8:00pm at Ritz Cinemas, Randwick
Endless Summer II (1992) Directed by Bruce Brown

Saturday, September 13: 5.00pm at Orpheum Theatre, Cremorne
Modern Collective (2009) Directed by Kai Neville

Saturday, September 13: 7:30pm at Orpheum Theatre, Cremorne
Storm Riders (1982) Directed by Jack McCoy

Sunday, September 14: 3.00pm at Bennetts Surfboards, Brookvale
Going Surfin’ (1972) Directed by Bud Browne