MENGEJAR OMBAK (CHASING WAVES) Winner of the 'Best Emerging Filmmaker' (for Dave Arnold and Tyrone Lebon)and the 'Best Original Score' Awards at the prestigious X-Dance FilmFestival 2009, Utah, USA. Mengejar Ombak is a documentary feature that offers a close and personal insight into the life of a young and very talented Indonesian surfer, Dede Suryana (current Indonesia Surf Champion and 2 time Gold Winner at Asian Beach Games). The film follows Dede as he embarks on his first serious season on the World Qualifying Series (WQS) - where he has been touted to become the first Asian to qualify for the World Championship Tour (WCT). This upcoming season will be the most important point in Dede’s career to date; will he obtain the results he desires? Or will Dede be temped to walk away from the money and focus on his true passion of free-surfing? Opening in Dede’s hometown of Cimaja, a small fishing village in South-West Java, the film follows Dede as he travels across 3 continents, and explores the dualities that exist within Dede's life; a Muslim from a disciplined and traditional background, a pro-surfer sponsored by a large American company, an outsider in the predominantly Hindu Island of Bali, and a young man very recently exposed to the Western world. These many, often conflicting parts of Dede’s life, challenge his belief system, and force him to constantly define his identity. How will he respond to new places and cultures, the volatile situation in Indonesia, financial gain and the growing attention he receives? Mengejar Ombak is not merely a simplistic portrayal of ‘good time’ travel or competition with winners and losers, nor is it a naive tale of small-town heroes against the villains of globalisation. Rather it is an insight into the life of a young man, trying to assimilate the challenges to his faith and identity, a personal journey that gives us a wider vision of the many changes occurring in developing countries today.

ABOUT DEDE SURYANA Dede grew up in a small fishing village in South-West Java, his parents were both rice farmers, and he is the youngest of their seven children. He went to school at the local Mosque and was brought up with his parents’ traditional values. At the age of seven he was given a secondhand surfboard, and he soon became the best surfer in Cimaja, winning many of the locally organized competitions. At twelve he took his first trip to Bali, Indonesia’s surf capital. It was here he caught the attention of the surf community, including Rizal Tanjung, Indonesia’s top surfer at the time. Not long after, Rizal alerted Hurley, a Nike owned Californian Surf company, of Dede’s talent. At the age of 15 Dede moved to Bali and was soon sponsored by Hurley. It was there he began his long and arduous journey, adapting to the challenges (both in and out of the water) of becoming a professional surfer.

Career highlights so far include: - Beating Kelly Slater (current and 9 times world champion) in thefinal of the “Todd Chesser Memorial Contest” in Hawaii – while still only 18! - Winning the “Todd Chesser Memorial Contest” twice - Being voted one of the top junior surfers in the world in 2004-5 by Surfer Magazine - Starring in internationally acclaimed surf movies - Campaign 2, The Pursuit, Shades of Indonesia, Flavours, Stranger than Fiction - Appearing on 5 magazine covers around the world in 2008 - Being voted Indonesian Surfer of the Year in 2008 - Winning the Indonesian Surf Championship in 2008 - Winning 2 Gold Medals at the Asian Beach Games