The Jack McCoy Australian Surf Film Fest is donating all profits from ticket sales and auction items from the final day of the festival to the family of Mercury Psillakis’ who died after being bitten by a shark at Dee Why on 6 September.
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 Luke.
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.
The day will also showcase an Industry Legends Talk Story featuring Bob McTavish, Denny Keogh and Greg Bennett who all knew the identical twins.
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 were 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,” said Matt. “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 Matt.
The festival takes place from 11 to 14 September and also has events at the Ritz Cinema in Randwick and The Orpheum in Cremorne. More information at jackmccoy.com.