I watched this film and was moved to tears. Probably through identification — or how to bounce back when health throws challenges at you — but also for the selflessness and the joy that comes from pushing yourself with challenges for your physical well-being, which quickly becomes an emotional well-being too. Get your tissues ready. You will never look at “an old hand” by the river’s edge the same way again. Here, it’s grannies doing the surfing, but the mindset, if not the physical approach, is the same. Respect!
” There’s no age limit on enjoying the ocean. Winner of our 2023 Women’s Film Fund, Leah Rustomjee’s short film The Granny Grommets proves just that. A grommet, in surf lexicon, stands for a surfing newbie, usually a younger person. The Granny Grommets, however, are claiming the term for themselves, ignoring the looming threats of sharks and concerns of their worried offspring to embrace the waves, with bodyboards in tow. The group, based in the coastal town of Albany in Western Australia, was formed in 1999 and has been growing from strength to strength ever since…to date there are nearly 90 members taking to the waves every Friday morning, come rain or shine! Today, there are three rules to join the group “:
- Have fun!
- Be over the age of 50
- Take the introductory ocean awareness and bodyboarding course
There’s no difference with us… for some, just getting to the water’s edge is a real adventure, but the reward is all the greater for it!
Get ready to cry.