Photo: Yentl Touboul
North Stars is a new film starring Adrien Toyon, and it’s not one to miss. Over the course of two years, director Yentl Touboul followed Adrien around the world, from his home of Reunion Island to Australia, Indonesia, the Basque Country and Western Ireland. The result is something halfway between a surf edit and a profile piece, showing Adrien through the eyes of his friends and the shapers who inspired him.
It starts off with an auditory collage of Toyon’s friends, as they describe a man who sounds equal parts enigmatic, affable and relentless. They’re qualities that are nearly required for someone who chooses to lead the life of a professional surfer – a nomadic existence marked by moments of shocking intensity.
Of course, all of that would be nothing if Toyon couldn’t surf, and boy does he do that. On a wide variety of traditional and alternative craft, he dances across waves with an aggressive grace –all of it lovingly captured by Touboul’s camera.
Along the way, a few other famous faces popped up, too. North Stars also features Mikey February, Andrew Kidman, Kobe Hughes, Lee-Ann Curren, Tom Morat, Shane Sykes, Peta, Koldo Illumbe, and more.
