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Doug Pray Gets Surfwise
The past few years have seen a boon in the number of documentaries that focus on senior citizens out to prove it’s not age that matters but state of mind. It was Doris “Granny D.” Haddock in Marlo Poras’ Run Granny Run, a chorus of elderly folks who tugged at the heartstrings of Stephen Walker’s Young @ Heart and a group of more than a dozen 60-plus dancers that became the NBA’s first senior dance team in Dori Berinstein’s Gotta Dance. There are a few more that can be added to that list for sure, but few that will make you feel as invigorated and inspired as Doug Pray’s Surfwise. Through his account of 85-year-old surfer Dorian “Doc” Paskowitz and his brood of sun-loving, adventure-seeking children, Pray crafts a documentary that challenges the conventions of age and the idea of the American Dream.
For Paskowitz everyday was a day at the beach. As son Adam says, Doc found his “swan song” when he first encountered waves along the shores of California. It was at the age of 13 that Paskowitz moved to San Diego and made his first attempt at surfing, learning from a local deaf-mute lifeguard. But this is only one of the interesting tales that surfaces in the documentary’s 90-plus minutes. With stills, home video and his own footage, Pray takes the audience on a trip through the life of this unconventional doctor and his unconventional home life.
The story is about more than just an 85-year-old surfer; it’s about his ideas, passions and the way he chose to live his life—traveling the country in a small RV with his wife and nine children in tow. If ever a person demonstrated that America was the land of opportunity, it is Paskowitz, who exemplifies the ideals and desires of the country, but finds his own way of reaching that destination. In these ways, the documentary is similar to Pray’s earlier work, which documented the Seattle rock scene (Hype!), hip-hop (Scratch), the art of graffiti (Infamy) and the lonely road through the eyes of long haul truck drivers (Big Rig). It is with these “outsiders” that the documentarian seems most comfortable. It is with these “outsiders” the Pray is able to showcase what is often a misunderstood undercurrent of society. Surfwise is no different.
On the eve of the documentary’s limited release, Pray spent some time reliving his visits with the Paskowitz clan and explaining to MM why his heart lies in the documentary genre.
Mallory Potosky (MM): Dorian Paskowitz was originally resistant to being the subject of a documentary. Why were you so persistent in pursuing him and his story?
Doug Pray (DP): Because it was a great story that was entertaining and relevant: A guy who actually pursued his dreams and has lived strictly according to his principles for his entire life, and made his nine children do the same. Usually people just talk about dropping out of society; the Paskowitz family lived it and I had access to all 11 of them (who are wildly entertaining on camera) to tell about it. For a filmmaker, this was a rare opportunity.
MM: He was so against the film that he refused to see it, is that right? Is that still the case?
DP: If he was really “against” the film he wouldn’t have participated at all, but since it so candidly portrays his children’s reactions to their upbringing, it might not be something he’s eager to relive. At the world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, I found him sleeping on a bench outside the screening. At this point, I literally don’t know if he’s seen it or not. I’m honored that I got to know him, and that he granted me the interviews and footage. If he decides never to watch the movie, it’s his choice. His wife, Juliette, and the rest of the family have embraced the movie, and Doc has been honorable about press requests and supporting the film in a general way.
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