The Ice-Surfers of Kamchatka

Surfing in Kamchatka is an extraordinary experience. With temperatures dipping down to minus 15 degrees Celsius, ordinary fair-weather surfers wouldn't last more than a wave or two here. But that's what makes ice surfing so unique. A small community of Russian surfers is betting on it, hoping to inspire other young Russians to join them in what is not just riding the waves, but a way of life.

Anton Morozov grew up in the wilderness of Kamchatka, one of the northernmost regions of Russia. He discovered his love of water, nature and surfing at an early age. His vision is to create an entire industry built up around surfing in Kamchatka, where the fishing industry is now in decline. The first surfboards are already being produced here. "Made in Kamchatka", they're unusually sturdy and designed for the harshest weather conditions. Morozov's annual surf festival is attracting more and more people from all over the world, and surfing in Kamchatka has become an insider's tip. "Thousands of people surf off Bali's beaches," Mozorov says, "but in Kamchatka you have to fight your way to the beach first." Conditions are harsh, and winter lasts nine months. Poor infrastructure poses another challenge for surfers, but those who persevere are rewarded with enormous waves and breathtaking scenery. Once limited to Scandinavia, Iceland and Canada, "Arctic surfing" has now made its way to Siberia. Birgit Virnich's documentary examines the Kamchatka surfing community and the surfing culture they are creating, against a backdrop of remote beaches, icy-clear ocean and snow-capped volcanoes.