Filmmaker Jason Baffa pictured with surfer/environmentalist Chris Del Moro at the North American premiere of 'Bella Vita' at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival last week. (photo by Brian Clifford) Filmmaker Jason Baffa received his first camera, a Super 8, when he was in grade school as a gift from his grandmother after his older cousin, Christopher, got him excited about film when he was 7 years old. More than 30 years later, the El Segundo resident has become a renowned surf filmmaker. His latest film, “Bella Vita,” made its North American premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival last week. With the documentary's star, surfer, artist and environmentalist Chris Del Moro, “Bella Vita” explores the burgeoning surfing scene in Italy while exploring the country's culture through its traditions. The film also follows Del Moro on a journey to his ancestral home with some friends along for the ride. Baffa and Del Moro met in 2008 when SBIFF screened Baffa's second documentary, “One California Day,” and Del Moro's film, “Sliding Liberia,” as a double header. Coincidentally in 2011, they reacquainted while vacationing in Bali. They bonded when they discovered they were both sons of Italian dads and still had strong ties to that culture. A film about surfing in Italy was discussed, but Baffa knew it would be a challenge. Yet at the same time he realized it allowed him to do “something more with the genre.” “As Chris told me more stories about his upbringing and splitting time between California and Italy, I knew there was something there,” Baffa said. “I really had to work on him to be the reluctant star. I think in his mind it was going to be more of an expose on the locals and the surf scene. I kept saying, 'Chris you’re the thread to this film, it’s your journey and your connection to surfing.' It introduces the audience to all these things. We might have something that could connect to more people. Part of that was letting the journey happen.” The journey began with a very tight budget when Baffa met Del Moro in Italy, in the surrounding areas of Pisa, in August of 2012. A very small crew joined them later including cinematographer Scott Kassenoff (who joined them a month in and stayed for 36 days) and camera assistant Jonathan Taylor (who they begged to fly over when they realized handling two 35mm cameras, two Super 16mm cameras and three HD cinema units were too much for two people). Dealing with the hefty equipment was one of many challenges Baffa and the crew had to face during filming. There was also the language barrier since Baffa knew little Italian. Through meeting new people and conducting “research with the camera,” Baffa and Del Moro discovered several ancillary characters, from winemakers to a violin maker, that added depth to the film. “I was always one step behind,” said Baffa because of the language barrier. “I enjoy telling stories with a camera, but I feel maybe my strength is trying to be one step ahead. So when you're one step behind you're just pulling your hair out. We would do an interview and I really wouldn’t know everything we got. It wasn’t until months later when we returned home with the footage and got transcripts that I really did know what was there.” Then there were weather complications. “I knew we’d get a couple (good) days if we were there long enough, but we had 22 days of rain and bad wind,” Baffa said. “I was really depressed about it.” Baffa filmed for 108 days, and halfway through that Kassenoff arrived with the 35mm cameras to film most of the surf scenes. While they were waiting for the cameras for a month, Baffa and Del Moro were able to get some of the nuts and bolts of the documentary figured out. Baffa knew he wouldn't get the spectacular surf footage comparable to some surfing locations around the world, but at the same time he needed footage that would survive the scrutiny of surfers worldwide. While at the mercy of Mother Nature, another challenge was trying to find the balance between the surf footage they did capture and the rest of the story, which Baffa feels is the strongest part of his film. “I liken it to a bit of a tight rope between the core surf audience and the non-surf audience,” Baffa said. “If you go to far one way or the other you're going to alienate. It’s incredibly challenging and that was the last layer of stress.” Baffa added, “If you want to get beautiful surf footage, go to Indonesia or Hawaii … I think we did end up getting some beautiful surf imagery, but for me as a film I never wanted that to be the weight of the film.” Baffa said the Italians welcomed them with open arms, even the surfers who at times can be territorial. “They were excited to share this thing they love so much,” Baffa said. “They were so happy that we thought surfing in Italy was worthy of a movie.” “Bella Vita” was also somewhat of a family affair when Conner and Parker Coffin joined the cast. The Santa Barbara natives are Baffa's nephews. “They are top-tier young professional surfers,” Baffa said. “It was funny having to talk to their agent about their schedule. They missed some contests to do it because they wanted to be part of it.” The Coffin brothers are sons of Baffa's sister Krista and her husband Richard, who Baffa credits for exposing him to surfing. Baffa came to surfing later in life when he was attending Loyola Marymount University and studying film production. “I became obsessed with surfing, which probably derailed my film career on some levels,” joked the 41-year-old, who did take a year and a half off from his day job of directing/filming commercials to film “Bella Vita.” While “Bella Vita” is in part about the appreciation of family, he had the difficult choice of leaving his 8-month-old son to travel to Italy. “I was turning down work, leaving my baby to pursue this passion project,” he said, but his parents, sister and his wife Linda were able to join him in Italy toward the end of filming. Baffa said he also has a different outlook on surfing since he has a family. “Now that I’m older I realize that surfing weaves into my life,” Baffa said. “When I was younger it was all about surf, chasing that and having fun. Now I balance it with family, having a child. I like the way the film does that, surfing is part of the fabric of Chris' life and it connects elements. It's used as a release at times, it's used for fun, it's a quest at other times to find that wave.” “Bella Vita,” according to Baffa, would never have been completed without the help of numerous people including his Italian friends who helped translate the numerous interviews; Giusseppe Maio, a film student and surfer in Rome who helped coordinate gear and rental house pick-ups; Nico Pinzauti and Piergiorgio Castellani hosted them when they arrived in Italy: and the Los Angeles producing team of Greg Schultz, along with Manhattan Beach residents Scott Griest and Anh-Thu Le, who flew over to Italy to lend a hand. Baffa hopes to have “Bella Vita” available in digital format and DVD by late spring with the possibility of screenings thoughout the U.S. and Italy before its release. Source http://tbrnews.com/lifestyle/surfing-the-bella-vita-new-documentary-explores-surfing-in-italy/article_49b7092e-9386-11e3-892f-001a4bcf887a.html
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