Billabong Jack McCoy Surf Film Festival Japan Tour 2004

The Blue Horizon world tour hit Japan August 1st with festival producer Sinclair Black and Jack McCoy starting a one week tour of the country with the film.
Billabong head of Japan Mr Ueda, opened the tour at the Atom night club where a packed house of surfers, media and friends gathered to see the film.  With the direction of Billabong’s Nick Norio "little chicken" the Japanese subtitles made sure that everyone in attendance were able to follow the story from start to finish.  
At the end of the program, 90% of the audience world wide would get up and leave with out watching the credits.  However in Japan, not a single person got up until the last credit had rolled off the screen in what is obviously a show of respect for the film.  They then erupted in a thunderous applause of appreciation.  
The next showing was in the town of Oiso.  We stayed at a hotel that is a summer destination for the masses who come to the hotel to play in there 50 acres of water activities.  We were there on a Sunday and the park was in full swing.  Thousands of Japanese turned out for a day in the pools.  It was a sight to behold.  The highlight of the park for us was the flow rider that, although just a boogie ride, was the closest thing to surfing we’d had, so we spent many an hour lined up with the rest of the kids for a speed run going nowhere.
Next to the hotel was a drive in theatre and that is where we show the film.   The drive in was a first for us and it was a stoker to pack the place under a full moon rising.
The next show was in the landlocked town of Osaka.  Our venue there was in the 100 year old town hall that used to be the home of surf movies like 5 Summer Stories and Free Ride.  It was an honor to be bringing surfing films back to the big screen at this traditional surf movie venue.  A great crowd reaction.
Next was onto the town of Tahara, where the Billabong 6 star WQS event was being staged.  The show was packed with local and visiting surfers and judges that amped everyone up for the next few day competition.
Another bullet train ride latter and we were in the town of Shizuoka, the fried eel capitol of the world.  Here we had to do two show because of the demand of selling the first show out days in advance.  
All in all we are really stoked to be able to share the film with so many people.  Like everywhere else we’ve shown, the response has been overwhelming positive.  
Sinclair and I would like to especially thank everyone at Billabong for creating such a great tour and keeping us well fed!!!!  Aloha and onto Europe where Rasta will meet us for the final leg of the tour.

 Aloha  Jack...