Adaptive surfer spotlighted at inaugural Wailuku Film Festival

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A short film about Josh Bogle, a quadruple amputee who was the first to surf and stand on prosthetic legs, will be screened at the first Wailuku Film Festival.

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“Finding True North” explores how surfing changed his life and his perspective.

“Surfing saved my life,” Bogle said in the film. “Being a quad amputee, I lost all that muscle and balance, and it took a few years to get it back.”

“Every doctor said he was going to die,” director Matty Schweitzer told Hawaii News Now. “His heart has stopped multiple times and he truly feels like the ocean has saved him.”

Schweitzer said he was immediately drawn to Bogle’s story.

“The biggest thing that you notice is he’s got a bigger smile than anybody else, and that’s the biggest thing that captivated me,” Schweitzer said. “The second I started talking to him, there was just this infectious energy and gratitude for life.”

Schweitzer spent months with Bogle, capturing his journey on and off the water, including moments Schweitzer said took time for Bogle to open up about.

“At first, most of us know when a camera gets on us, it’s easy to get sheltered and it took a few months for all of a sudden him to really open up about his story, open about his life and be honest with some of the things he’s gone through,” Schweitzer said.

“There’s just this true golden light is when somebody’s soul steps up and says, ‘Hey, I’m gonna help you out,’” Bogle said. “I can see that things aren’t quite working well for you, but we’re gonna make some dreams happen.”

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Schweitzer has two films in the festival. He also worked on the award-winning documentary “Lahaina Rising,” which is being spotlighted as a jury selected feature.

“Finding True North” falls in the Watersports Shorts category, and Schweitzer said he’s glad Hawaiʻi’s watersports scene is getting the spotlight.

“The fact that they’re putting up this platform for athletes, for people that practice it every day and for filmmakers,” Schweitzer said. “I’m really grateful that Wailuku Film Festival put in this category to really showcase the talent that we have here in Maui, not just with filmmakers and artists, but with athletes.”

Bogle’s story is one of resilience, and Schweitzer said he hopes the film helps anyone struggling.

“Gratitude is the biggest thing in the world that creates joy and happiness and once you find your gratitude in life, I think, your entire life changes and Josh is a really great example of that,” Schweitzer said.

You can watch “Finding True North,” along with “Sweet Spots” and “The Sea & She,” Saturday at noon at Iao Theater.

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