Does it sound like a dream? “You’re paddling a kayak in open ocean six miles off the South Florida coast when a sailfish bigger than you peels off with the fishing line at your rear.” For offshore angler David Gauzens this is an everyday reality, and the short film Flotsam takes you along for the ride. Watch the trailer above and you’ll see why the award-winning film is worth checking out.
Flotsam: Offshore Kayak Fishing Film
Directed and produced by Kjell Redal, Flotsam depicts a day in the life of a crew of offshore anglers led by Gauzens. The passion project was shot on a shoestring budget, but it features stunning footage from underwater director of photography Josh Liberman.
Escape to South Florida
With its balmy Florida setting, Flotsam is a great antidote to the winter blahs. “A Miami native, David knows glitz—but he shuns it as part of a small, gritty band of kayak fishermen who forsake flashy boats for utilitarian pieces of plastic to pursue their passion,” the film’s synopsis reads.
Do Gauzens and his group live a life of nothing but sun, swell and sweet fishing? Not exactly. “High seas, storms, even capsizing don’t deter David from exhaustive encounters with prehistoric fish—and he learns in the process how little he needs to be content.”
Watch Flotsam in Full
Flotsam is available to view on Vimeo, so follow this link to enjoy the award-winning short film in its entirety.
Looking for more paddling films? Watch Flotsam and other award-winning entries in the 2021 Paddling Film Festival’s Oceans Program.
