Alby Falzon
Encyclopedia
Albert "Alby" Falzon is an Australia
n surf
filmmaker, photographer and publisher.
He grew up in the beachside suburb Maroubra in Sydney
. He did not begin surfing until age 14, when the family moved to the New South Wales Central Coast
.
Albert Falzon, film-maker,has always appreciated the power of music in his films. He directed Morning of the Earth
(1972), an influential surf film. The film portrays surfers living in spiritual harmony with nature, making their own boards (and homes) as they travelled in search of the perfect wave across Australia’s north-east coast, Bali and Hawaii. This inaugural feature film was the first Australian film to receive a gold record for album sales.
Falzon's career in film making was a natural progression from international still photography,and later combined with magazine publishing, in Australia, Israel and the island of Bali in Indonesia. In 1970, he was co-founder and publisher of the surfing newspaper Tracks
, with David Elfick
and John Witzig. His perceptive and sensitive photographic eye almost suggests that he was born with a camera in it.
A penchant for travel, particularly to remote and spectacular regions of the world has had a major influence on the themes of Falzon's work. A six part documentary series focused on traditional Festivals in such Far Eastern countries as Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Ladakh and Tibet and has sold to over eighty countries worldwide. The significance of filming some of these regions is only evident today with the political closing of Tibet and Burma to travellers and the civil strife in Sri Lanka and Kashmir. And not all locations were easily accessible. The journey through Tibet to the mystical mountain of Kailas was an arduous two weeks in sub zero temperatures, there the film crew recorded for the very first time the sacred Wesak Festival.
In 1982, Falzon directed "Khumba Mela (same as it ever was)", a 90-minute piece filmed in the waterways of Kashmir in India about a Saddhu's pilgrimage. He approached Brian Eno
in London about using some of his music as part of the soundtrack. After viewing the film Eno commented that he'd "never seen a film that was more suited as a vehicle for his work". Brian Eno and Harold Budd
are both in the soundtrack, along with music from Pink Floyd
and Talking Heads
. He entered this film into the Cannes Film Festival with the title "Crystal Voyager".
Another film "The Road to Timbuktu" followed a path from Casablanca across the searing Sahara Desert to Timbuktu
.
Falzon's twelve part series "Festivals of the World" has sold to over eighty countries. He has also directed two long version music videos for Chris Blackwell founder of Island Records
and was DOP on "Women of Spirit" a one hour television program filmed in India, NY and London. He has written a series of children's programs and has completed a screenplay for a feature film, tentatively titled The Dreamtime.
He recently filmed two surfing programs and co-produced a one hour program on Nicholas Roerich
a Russian artist who painted extraordinarily beautiful spiritual painting of The Himalayas at the beginning of the twentieth century.
He is presently working on three books. Essence a pictorial on flowers and exotic images from his world travels. Surf Art a portfolio on the work of ten world renowned surf photographers and, Journey to The Wesak Valley, a diary of his travels to the sacred Wesak Valley,near Mt.Kailas in Western Tibet.
GLOBUS-The Meaning of Light is a recently completed co-film venture with Jeff Hornbaker.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n surf
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
filmmaker, photographer and publisher.
He grew up in the beachside suburb Maroubra in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. He did not begin surfing until age 14, when the family moved to the New South Wales Central Coast
Central Coast, New South Wales
The Central Coast is an urban region in the Australian state of New South Wales, located on the coast north of Sydney and south of Lake Macquarie....
.
Albert Falzon, film-maker,has always appreciated the power of music in his films. He directed Morning of the Earth
Morning of the Earth
Morning of the Earth is a 1971 classic surf film by Alby Falzon and David Elfick.The film's soundtrack was produced by G. Wayne Thomas and included music and songs by noted Australian music acts Tamam Shud, John J. Francis, Brian Cadd and G. Wayne Thomas. The record became the first Australian ...
(1972), an influential surf film. The film portrays surfers living in spiritual harmony with nature, making their own boards (and homes) as they travelled in search of the perfect wave across Australia’s north-east coast, Bali and Hawaii. This inaugural feature film was the first Australian film to receive a gold record for album sales.
Falzon's career in film making was a natural progression from international still photography,and later combined with magazine publishing, in Australia, Israel and the island of Bali in Indonesia. In 1970, he was co-founder and publisher of the surfing newspaper Tracks
Tracks (magazine)
Tracks is a monthly Australian surf magazine, promoting itself as "the surfer's bible". It is published by Next Media.It was established in October 1970 by Alby Falzon, starting as a kind of counter-culture tabloid, printed on cheap paper and produced on Queensland's Gold Coast. Since then it has...
, with David Elfick
David Elfick
David Elfick is a noted Australian film and television writer, director, producer and occasional actor. He is known for his association with writer-director Phillip Noyce with whom he has collaborated on films including Newsfront and Rabbit-Proof Fence .Elfick began his film career as the...
and John Witzig. His perceptive and sensitive photographic eye almost suggests that he was born with a camera in it.
A penchant for travel, particularly to remote and spectacular regions of the world has had a major influence on the themes of Falzon's work. A six part documentary series focused on traditional Festivals in such Far Eastern countries as Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Ladakh and Tibet and has sold to over eighty countries worldwide. The significance of filming some of these regions is only evident today with the political closing of Tibet and Burma to travellers and the civil strife in Sri Lanka and Kashmir. And not all locations were easily accessible. The journey through Tibet to the mystical mountain of Kailas was an arduous two weeks in sub zero temperatures, there the film crew recorded for the very first time the sacred Wesak Festival.
In 1982, Falzon directed "Khumba Mela (same as it ever was)", a 90-minute piece filmed in the waterways of Kashmir in India about a Saddhu's pilgrimage. He approached Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
in London about using some of his music as part of the soundtrack. After viewing the film Eno commented that he'd "never seen a film that was more suited as a vehicle for his work". Brian Eno and Harold Budd
Harold Budd
Harold Budd is an American ambient/avant-garde composer and poet. Born in Los Angeles, he was raised in the Mojave Desert, and was inspired at an early age by the humming tone caused by wind blown across telephone wires....
are both in the soundtrack, along with music from Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
and Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
. He entered this film into the Cannes Film Festival with the title "Crystal Voyager".
Another film "The Road to Timbuktu" followed a path from Casablanca across the searing Sahara Desert to Timbuktu
Timbuktu
Timbuktu , formerly also spelled Timbuctoo, is a town in the West African nation of Mali situated north of the River Niger on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. The town is the capital of the Timbuktu Region, one of the eight administrative regions of Mali...
.
Falzon's twelve part series "Festivals of the World" has sold to over eighty countries. He has also directed two long version music videos for Chris Blackwell founder of Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
and was DOP on "Women of Spirit" a one hour television program filmed in India, NY and London. He has written a series of children's programs and has completed a screenplay for a feature film, tentatively titled The Dreamtime.
He recently filmed two surfing programs and co-produced a one hour program on Nicholas Roerich
Nicholas Roerich
Nicholas Roerich, also known as Nikolai Konstantinovich Rerikh , was a Russian mystic, painter, philosopher, scientist, writer, traveler, and public figure. A prolific artist, he created thousands of paintings and about 30 literary works...
a Russian artist who painted extraordinarily beautiful spiritual painting of The Himalayas at the beginning of the twentieth century.
He is presently working on three books. Essence a pictorial on flowers and exotic images from his world travels. Surf Art a portfolio on the work of ten world renowned surf photographers and, Journey to The Wesak Valley, a diary of his travels to the sacred Wesak Valley,near Mt.Kailas in Western Tibet.
GLOBUS-The Meaning of Light is a recently completed co-film venture with Jeff Hornbaker.