What people were saying after the Madeira screenings...

"It looks at both sides of our history, describing how it used to be and how it is now.  It provokes sorrow because it reminds us of how everything was before of the construction of the wall and promenade.  The feeling is even stronger for people who are from Jardim do Mar, like myself.  I found it positive, the idea to recuperate the natural characteristics of the shoreline, the coastline in our town that the construction damaged.  Many of the people in Jardim do Mar were once in favor of the construction, but they had misperceived what was going to be built." -Duarte Sumares

"It is a touching film.  It shows that the persons did not know well what was happening at the time.  I had no idea that the project in Jardim do Mar would be so big, or of its international importance due to the surf.  I liked the film very much.  I remain impressed.  The people applauded after the film.  And we laughed during the part that shows the seawall in Ponta Delgada because, imagine, so much protection just for a swimming pool.  It made me think: what was gained from that construction?  It is a film that obliges us to remember what has happened." -Marlene Lira

"It looks at both sides of our history, describing how it used to be and how it is now.  It provokes sorrow because it reminds us of how everything was before of the construction of the wall and promenade.  The feeling is even stronger for people who are from Jardim do Mar, like myself.  I found it positive, the idea to recuperate the natural characteristics of the shoreline, the coastline in our town that the construction damaged.  Many of the people in Jardim do Mar were once in favor of the construction, but they had misperceived what was going to be built." -Ricardo Nunes

Reviews in the press...

Carmen Viera
Tribuna da Madeira, October 1, 2006

The opinion of the spectators is unanimous: the film is high quality and is important in bringing to light a situation that deserves greater consideration, not only for the surf, but also for the entire island of Madeira.

The documentary "Lost Jewel of the Atlantic," produced by the North American organization "Save The Waves," was seen by about 900 people. The information was given to the Tribune by Maurício Marques of "Sétimo Selo", the company which owns the theater.

He stated that, since the reopening of Cinemax - in April of 2005 - the film about the village of Jardim do Mar was the most highly attended ever, having been shown 12 times. However, he also mentioned that Cinemax was rented for the exhibition of the film. "Already we had shown interest in showing it during post-production, but Save The Waves was responsible for the exhibition of the film," he explained.

The documentary pleased most of the moviegoers, judging from the opinions collected by the Tribune this past Sunday. Those interviewed were unanimous in relation to the quality of the film and its importance in bringing to light a situation that deserves greater consideration, not only for the surf, but also for the entire island of Madeira.

This was the opinion of Manuel Cardoso. "The film is interesting and is based on reality", he affirms. "It is well made and is not partial." Naturally in regard to Jardim do Mar, it disagrees with the size of the public works project there. "They ruined the place with a wall and promenade that was way too big", he laments. "When we go there the promenade is empty; one rarely sees anyone taking a walk there."

On another note, Luis Pereira already knew about the controversy surrounding the project, but the film sharpened his curiosity. "This happened some years ago, and at the time, it did not interest me", he admits. "I have not gone back to Jardim do Mar since the project has been completed, but I remember as it was before." Therefore he considers the result not to be so good.

Regarding the film, he thinks it was good quality, but says that too much emphasis was placed on the surf. "It would have been better if more had been said about the destruction of the coast as a consequence of the works," he claimed. "They tried to present both sides of the argument: I thought that it would have been more aggressive towards the Government, but it was sufficiently impartial."

Furthermore the documentary was true to its form. "It showed us Jardim do Mar before the project, but because of its size the surf was gone", says João Jardim. "Before the wave was dangerous, but not so bad because then we had the beach, now it is a death risk to the surfers, because they get beaten against the breakwall."

One young person already knew of the film prior to its release, because it had appeared on certain surf websites, and agreed with the film's purpose. "It is only proper to alert the people about what will happen," he says. "But it should have been done beforehand, to prevent it, because the promenade they constructed is extremely huge."

Carolina Dantas had an identical opinion, and saw the film to connect with the sport of surfing. "It portrays the two sides of the situation well, it is not partial nor especially aggressive in relation to the Government and explains the truth well," she states. In her understanding, the reaction of the government was not correct. "They are stubborn, and refuse to admit fault," she suggests.

The Concrete Surfer, Jorge Freitas Sousa
Diario de Noticias da Madeira, September 17, 2006

It is already known that the Regional Secretary of Social Development was once a revolutionary warrior.  The fact that he is a surfer, however, is news to me.  How surprising to learn that Marques Mendes rides a bodyboard.  Yes sir, he is one radical secretary.  At least he says he knows the waves, because he claims that everything is still fine in Jardim do Mar, and the only reason there are no more surfers there is because of suspicious rumors that scared them away with lies.  So he was sent to make a film to compete with  "Save the Waves."  Now he himself has created an association - "Save the concrete" - which denounces those that oppose the construction of walls.

But seriously, because I do not believe that you, Mr. Secretary, like myself, will ever balance on top of a surfboard, your contribution will make Madeira an international anecdote.  This entire incident is evidence of the stubbornnesses and arrogant attitudes of the regional government, and the fact that they have always had much to learn from experts in the field.  Only an ignoramus would give credit to the belief that these are "barefoot tourists" without a penny in their pockets.  Unfortunately it is always like this, the one who knows better is not heard until it is too late, and now there is no one courageous enough to even apologize.

The people of Jardim do Mar also look bad in this picture.  Nobody is going to forget (or forgive) the shameful behavior, the insults and much more, against those who there to protect the wealth of the town.  Now they complain that they have no money because the surfers are gone, those they once accused of being "drug addicts".  They ruined the good relationship that they once had with the foreign surfers, by a "development" that was sold to them in the form of a wall of concrete.  Was is worth it?  Or has the development already arrived?

Diário de Notícias da Madeira, September 16, 2006

Save the Waves Coalition promised today to inform the European Unio0n (EU) about the poor utilization of development funds by Madeira's Regional Government, in the case of the seawall in Jardim do Mar and the marina in Lugar de Baixo, claiming that the money was wasted and was not used according to environmental guidelines.

The director of the international organization that fights to preserve the coastline, Will Henry, compares the relationship of the EU and the Regional Government to that of a father who gives money to his son to go to the market for milk, and tells him not to buy candy. As expected, "the child arrives at home with a bag full of candy and no milk," he observes.

In an interview after the sneak preview of the documentary "Lost Jewel of the Atlantic," the American surfer reveals that the next step is to "go to the European Union and show them that their political strategy is not working, that it has caused a good deal of environmental destruction all over Europe," and that it has led certain "people to gain financially at the expense of the general population."

He is confident that, sooner or later, they will have the financial ability to put a plan into action that will "file a complaint against the EU - for poor use of the funds and a lack of enforcement of environmental regulations - and eventually against Portugal and Madeira, too."

Análise da Semana, Raquel Gonçalves
Diario de Noticias da Madeira, September 16, 2006

The story about the death of the waves in Jardim do Mar continues to be told. Not so much a demonstration for or against the seawall, but rather a showing of a well-educated and polite process of negotiation, the "barefoot" tourists, or drug addicts - as they were affectionately referred to -  resolved to make a film.

In reality, the result was not something produced by the delirium of half a dozen "barefoot" people, nor created from the influence of any drug, but a challenge to our widely-acclaimed progress.

In the beginning the villagers in Jardim do Mar bought the story, but now they are already complaining that with the end of the surf came the end of their clientele. Once known as one of the best "surfing heavens" in Europe, it continues to make news, but not for the best of reasons.  No one denies that something needed to be done to protect Jardim do Mar from coastal erosion, but it just so happens that there were other options, ones that would have guaranteed a continued flow of money into the cash registers of the local businesses.

This vision of the world is not far from reality, as it displays a tendency towards homogeneity.  A journalist in slippers is no less a journalist that a barefoot surfer barefoot.  That is why, from now on, a tourist with enough money to surf in Madeira will go surf somewhere else.

About the film    View the trailer

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