Filmmakers Lisa Denker and Charlotte Lagarde share their thoughts on the making of HEART OF THE SEA.

How did you first hear about Rell Sunn?

Charlotte Lagarde: In 1994, I made Zeuf, a portrait of a breast cancer survivor who used surfing as therapy after her mastectomy. Rell, who she had recently met in Hawaii, was the first person she called when she was diagnosed with cancer. I became fascinated by the stories she told me about Rell’s feats as a waterwoman, her work with children in her community, her fearless and giving spirit. In 1996, my thesis film was Swell, a portrait of 4 generations of women surfers in Santa Cruz. All of the women interviewed mentioned Rell as their role model. A year later, I called Zeuf and asked her about Rell. She was back from her treatment at UCSF and was preparing the Menehune contest. I asked Zeuf if she would call Rell and ask her if this would be a good time for Lisa and I to film her. A week later, Rell called us and invited us over. That was in November 1997. We packed our stuff and went to Makaha.

How did you initially plan to shoot this film?

Lisa Denker: Initially, my intent was to make a day-in-the-life film solely on Rell Sunn. It would be a live action portrait of her doing what she does in her unique lifestyle, that was based on her living physically; surfing, spearfishing, picking limu (seaweed). I was so fascinated by her unique lifestyle, which included ancient Hawaiian traditions like spearfishing; and her own physical beauty; the physicalness of her daily routine; the beautiful landscape she lived in; her athleticism; her appreciation of art and culture; her legacy; and all the while living with breast cancer.

When we arrived in Makaha and met Rell for the first time, I immediately knew that Rell was no longer living the life that I set out to document. The cancer was now throughout her body and in her lungs. She was so strong at the weakest point of her health, and I wanted to be there for her. There were a couple days when we thought, “Are we going to see her again?” I was even there to film her last ride on a wave, riding her boogie board. I feel very honored to have been a part of all this. We actually did get to shoot a sit-down interview. And it presented itself as the most in-depth, honest, open interview that Rell has ever given. And that became the backbone of HEART OF THE SEA. After the ten-day period we spent with Rell, a few days later she fell into a coma, and then a month later, she died on January 2, 1998.

What do you consider the legacy that Rell left behind?

LD: Rell Sunn is a person with more than one legacy. Some see the pioneer professional surfer; the Menehune contest (kids’ annual surf contest); the spokeswoman for breast cancer. To me she is more complex and layered than all these things. Rell had the ability to look inside of people. She could see who they were, and acknowledge them and affect their lives. I experienced this with her several times. It was astounding that she showed interest in who I was, because we were there to document her, and she was really ill, but yet, there were these few little moments when she would engage with me. She made me feel very special. Rell had a way of making everyone she met feel like she really knew them, and vice versa, and that they were special. The last night before we were leaving, we were hanging out at a friend’s home in Makaha. Rell showed up late that night. She just came back from a doctor’s appointment; that was probably the worst news that she had ever gotten. She arrived at the door weak and frail, and barely able to step up into the doorway. To watch this was very disturbing to all of us. She came in just to say goodbye, and gave us each a lei, in the Hawaiian tradition. I was so moved by this. It felt like she was sending us off to go make this film. The act of giving me that lei really sealed my commitment. A few days later she fell into a coma, and passed a month later. So many people have a Rell story that captures her spirit. I hope this film will help to extend the legend of Rell Sunn.

What do you hope to achieve with this film?

CL: I want this film to help make Rell Sunn a national if not international legend. Especially today when we are bombarded by negativism, a corrupted government and economy, we need positive stories to be told. Rell’s story is a perfect example of how one person can make a difference in her community. I hope that HEART OF THE SEA will encourage people affected by breast cancer to live their lives fully like Rell did, encourage women to seek early detection and raise the awareness and activism around looking for the environmental causes of cancer. As an extension of that, I think the film should also inspire people to fight for protection of the environment in which they live and invite them to be more active in their communities. We have already seen ways in which these goals for the film are coming true. When we started the film, Rell was a legend in her community, among surfers and in Hawaii. After the Hawaii premiere, which was attended by 6,000 people on Waikiki beach, an older Chinese Hawaiian man thanked me for bringing a hero home. He said, “Now, we have a Hawaiian hero we can look up to.”

The independent film business is a difficult one. What keeps you motivated?

LD: What kept me motivated through this film was that I truly loved my subject. During the last year of making this film I had the loss of my dear granny and the loss of a nine and a half year relationship. It was extremely difficult to work while dealing with these personal hardships. Had the project not been so meaningful to me, I wouldn’t have been able to stick with it. My commitment to making the film I saw in my mind, and my connection and commitment to Rell Sunn, which was sealed the moment I met her, is what kept me focused.

CL: Yes, it is a difficult business, mainly because of the lack of funding and the endless requirements from foundations and television stations. When I started making films, I had no idea that I would be spending 80 percent of my time raising money, doing paperwork and budgets! But, when a woman with breast cancer tells me that my four-minute film on a woman who used surfing as therapy after her mastectomy changed the way she looked at her illness, when a kid from South Africa sends me a letter saying that my film on children in extreme poverty opened his eyes on a full network of kids going through the same difficulties he and his family experience, it is all worth it.