Kipp Caddy has released his first feature film, Desensitised. The hard-charging, 27-year-old Aussie has been flying just below the radar, and sea-level, for more than a decade. Caddy might subscribe to the actor Eddie Cantor’s theory that it takes 20 years to be an overnight success. Or if he was asked how he’s gone mainstream he could use Earnest Hemingway’s line about how he went bankrupt: “Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.’” Either way, Desensitised is not just a breakthrough film for Caddy, but for the surfing year that is 2024. But who is Kipp Caddy, and where did this film come from? Let’s get a little desensitized.
He Burst On the Scene Young
Kipp Caddy popped up on many people’s radars as a 14-year-old going psycho at Shipsterns Bluff. Not long after, a session at a local bombie further cemented his rep. His mentor and South Coast charger Brett Burcher told Tracks magazine after that sesh, “I thought I was seeing things when I saw him behind the rope. I don’t even think he has pubes yet and he’s doing this shit.”
The Best of Both Worlds
As a teen Caddy moved from Ulladulla on the NSW South Coast, home to a series of gnarly slabs and hard-charging underground locals to Kurnell, near Cronulla, home to a series of gnarly slabs and hard-charging underground locals. It’s the closest town to Ours (the wave) and a skip to the reefs of Voodoo and Shark Island. The South Coast and his gromhood with best mates like Russell Bierke influenced him greatly. Cronulla, with its waves and a higher level of exposure, shaped his surfing.
He’s Been Drip Feeding Teasers
Every few years Kipp would drop a slab-heavy banger of a clip that hinted heavily at the hinterland beneath. “Please Explain” and “Inside The Bluff” were teasers, made with long-time collaborator, filmer, and editor Cam Staunton and Phantom specialist Chris Bryan. Not exactly Nate Florence levels of output, but the signs were there nonetheless.
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COVID Narrowed The Focus
Caddy and Staunton had been planning a longer-form movie when COVID kicked in. Stuck in Australia, the pair (along with filmers Bryan and Tim Bonython) concentrated on Australia’s heaviest slabs where Caddy had spent the most time. While he’s done trips post-pandemic, they figured they’d narrow the focus.
Less Is More
Unsurprisingly for a dude who has remained relatively underground for a decade and prefers to let his surfing do the talking, this film is an exercise in minimalism. Directed by Caddy, it features only three iconic surf spots, none named. Bryan’s 76,000 frames-per-second imagery slows the pace down. And whilst Caddy calls it “a tribute to 10 years of trials, triumphs, and relentless dedication,” and shows his “evolution from a fearless 13-year-old to a seasoned big-wave surfer,” the narrative is as sparse as the imagery and the scenery is expansive. The music haunts rather than psyches. Waves like these don’t need words or explanations.
Now The Hunt Begins
With further backing from Rip Curl, Caddy is spreading his wings and is embarking on a full-tilt version of The Search. Desensitised showed he is a big-wave surfer of rare skill, style and commitment. It would be good to see more of it on the world stage. Let’s hope it’s not another decade till the next film.
