SURVIVING TO THRIVING, 106min., Australia
Directed by Karin Isabelle Ochsner
As a fearless explorer with a disability, surfer and surf coach Karin Ochsner immerses herself in the raw beauty of nature. Her remarkable healing journey unfolds in the face of adversity.

http://www.surfingtosurvive.com/film2
https://www.instagram.com/surfingtosurvive/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

This film is the sequel to a documentary about my health challenge, which has been organised by my friends. The purpose was to help me in my incredibly difficult struggles to survive with my countless severe allergies. During the filming, I was very sick and wasn't able to put the messages in the documentary which I really wanted to pass on, hence I decided to do a second one to do so. The first documentary gave me so much support from my community and clarity in how to manage my disability, it improved my situation so much that I then could focus on filming my own story.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

Approximately 5 years

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Deep truth

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

To find a camera person at the time where the surf and weather conditions lined up with my health to be able to perform enough to capture interesting surf footage

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

Extremely satisfied and bubbly. I felt this showed me so beautifully that I had achieved my life goal.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

When I deeply enjoyed working on this film.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

Red dog (I don't have a TV or cannot go to the movies due to my allergies in dark spaces, but when traveling on long distance buses, they keep showing the same films again every year.)

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

I feel you did an amazing job with all your offers and I don't feel experienced enough to make a good suggestion at this stage.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

FilmFreeway seems fantastic for what I use it for.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Cassava with tigernuts (due to severe allergies, I mainly eat rare superfoods)

11. What is next for you? A new film?

Realising a business which sets me up

as a motivational speaker, traveling along the coast to different organisations with people facing challenges and schools, showing my films, followed by Q&A and workshops I will lead. I also would like making short films on smaller film topics but in line with SURVIVING TO THRIVING, including what we had to shorten out of the documentary. For example one about the 'health part' and one about the 'outdoor/nature' part.