Up at the Sundance film festival in Utah this past weekend there was a
premier of a documentary film about the life of Tara Dakides. Tara was
a major player in bringing women’s snowboarding more into the limelight
from a position well behind the men. Tara has not only helped to brings
women’s riding to where it is today but, being a hot female, with
talent, she has brought a wider audience to the sport as well. If you
think I am bullshitting or kissing ass, consider this: Tara has been
the one of the only female riders to get her own part in a Mack Dawg
movie (Stand and Deliver and Amp) and what can you say to that? The
Revolution crew not only saw the premier in Salt Lake but also got an
interview with the director as well.
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Things look up for Tara in the streets of Salt Lake
The documentary does contain a lot of snowboarding footage in it but
it is really a story about overcoming odds and all the success and
troubles along the way. Tara pretty much lays it all out on table;
family troubles, teen troubles, school troubles, drugs, suicide
attempt, self mutilation, even being checked into a mental hospital.
All that happened before she sold her stereo for $300, and bought a
Greyhound ticket to Mammoth with no plan. Of course most of us know
about the tremendous success she has had and the injuries that go with
it. The film delves into that stuff as well. I was seriously blown away
thinking, “is this for real her talking about all these things? this is
insane for someone to open up like this” The film is a whole lifetime
of big problems and big success on the screen in 50 minutes, powerful
stuff. In my mind her life is the difference between sitting around
smoking cigarettes, complaining about other people and not stepping up
to the gnar or chasing your dream, no matter what the obstacles are and
pulling it. Many of us face similar issues so it kinda hits home and
shows you it is possible to rise above the bullshit…if you try. We
won’t give it all up – go check it sometime.
The film was made by Josh Landan, the same guy that made Flow, which
was an award winning documentary about Kelly Slater. He did a great job
of portraying the dark times in Tara’s life to the audience. Mostly it
was shot on HD with the re-creation scenes being shot on 16 mm. It will
be distributed by 411 in the fall of 2008. If you want a snowboard
flick with straight up action, then this is not the film for you
although there is a lot new and old footage of Ms. Dakides Riding.
Actually all riders should check it to see what kind of shit she went
through. If you want to see an amazing story about a snowboarding icon,
then for sure check it out. A bonus is that this film will appeal to a
broad audience, for sure as well so you can have your non-snowboard
girlfriend or boyfriend watch it too. Hell, maybe your parents can
watch it and you tell them look what snowboarding did for her and they
will throw down all the cash to support your hobby.
Quotes from Tara
“It was beautiful and intense to go back and revisit those things from the past”
“The journey was not easy, but worth every minute”
“I am really not sure how I feel now”
“Slowing down can be one of the hardest things to do”
Interview with Josh Landan
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The director - Josh Landan
SR: So Josh, with your background being mostly in surfing, how did you find inspiration to do a snowboard movie?
Josh: The inspiration really was Tara’s life, you know. The
snowboarding to me was, I wouldn’t say secondary because that is such a
big part of her life; her life was the main inspiration though. I could
not get over the fact that her life was so challenging. I mean if that
was a guy you would be like oh my god that’s insane but a female, you
are thinking that’s incredible. Like at 16 who move to Mammoth with
nothing, who gets their face pushed in the gutter, who gets put in a
mental institution and who tries to kill themselves; I mean we had
dinner for 8 hours, she told me everything and she never said anything
before. She was dating Taylor Knox; he’s one of my best friends. Taylor
and I were in Australia together and I had no idea who she was before
that. Really it was her stories that were the big inspiration.
SR: Where did the support come from?
Josh: Studio 411 is the Producer and David Brooks is the executive
producer. David really believed in the movie from day one, believed in
me and never really questioned my ability. I did not even show them
anything until I had made 90% of the film.
SR: Well you have a good resume with Flow (The award winning Kelly Slater movie)
Josh: Yea but at the same time when people give you money I could have
made…The Aviator. I am familiar with surfing, I got started with Taylor
Steele, and so it was a stretch to do a snowboard movie. No one really
crosses over; guys who make skate films don’t make surf films, guys who
make snowboard films don’t make surf…you know whatever. So they really
believed in me for sure.
SR: Where do you live?
Josh: Ventura
SR: So your background…
Josh: Straight surfing!
SR: Where there things in the film that Tara was, how can I say…
Josh: Not amped on talking about…
SR: …right!
Josh: Everything (laughs) she believed in it being a classy film
though. You know Flow is really emotional; Kelly is crying on camera
but it’s done really tasteful. It doesn’t throw anybody under the bus.
I told Tara “you’re going to tell this story, I’m not going to
over-dramatize it, I’m basically going to be the guy that facilitates
it and makes people be able to sit through it never get bored” So as a
director I kind of keep a back seat, that’s what I tried to do, let her
do her thing and I try to make it look pretty. That’s what I thought
would be the best approach
SR: I never had any idea of all that crazy stuff Tara went through.
I kinda think its good inspiration for snowboarders and it has a
broader appeal as well.
Josh: Right, that was part of the allure too because I know no one has really done it in snowboarding.
SR: A new idea in culture?
Josh: That’s what I was thinking. There are a lot of snowboard films I
like a lot I just knew I could do something different and David
believed in it and I was just able to do it.
SR: Challenges of shooting snow versus surf?
Josh: I focused on the story, that’s really all I cared about.
Comparing this to Flow; it’s really different because I am covering
thirty years of the sport, Tom Curren’s life story and Kelly so it was
really different. I think it was harder for Against the Grain because
the subject matter was that much more sensitive. Plus there were no
visuals of like for instance the mental hospital Tara was in. That was
a challenge to present that stuff and not make it like E True Hollywood
story. I wanted you to notice (certain scenes) it and then forget it. I
didn’t want you to think too much and then Alicia Payne really helped
move the story along.
SR: Do you find inspiration from the people you do films on?
Josh: Yea, that’s why I do them. If I wasn’t inspired, I would say yes
to the project. That’s the biggest thing; if your heart’s not in it
then the money doesn’t mean shit. If you don’t believe in what your
making, you might as well not do it – money or not.
Next project for Josh – a movie about Todd Richards
- The marquee in downtown Salt Lake
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Josh and Tara do a Q and A with the audience
- MFM came out to see the film and stayed for the after party
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Heikki Sorsa and Erin Comstock
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Tara at the 2007 Roxy Chicken Jam - she won
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Her signature maneuver, a move that she fractured he back learning, the backflip, Park City Utah
Check our Interview with Tara Dakides HERE