201905.16
0

‘Part of Water,’ a documentary about Newport lifeguard Ben Carlson, is centerpiece of community festival

by in News

It’s all about community.

There’s the tight-knit lifeguards who watch the water and become like family, and the beach-going locals who spend their childhood on the sand.

There’s the Newport Beach community that came out to support when tragedy hit the coastal town during a busy summer day five years ago.

Tim Burnham, left, of Newport Beach and co-director; Skeeter Leeper, center, a Newport Beach lifeguard; and Jack Murgatroyd of Los Angeles and co-director, stand next to the statue of Ben Carlson at the base of the Newport Beach Pier in Newport Beach on Thursday, April 5, 2018. The three are in the process of making a movie to tell the story of Carlson, the first lifeguard in the US to lose his life during the line of duty. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The  Newport Harbor Alumni Association, on Saturday, May 18, will host an all-day festival showcasing the newly released film “Part of Water,” a documentary that not only delves deep into the life and death of Newport Beach lifeguard Ben Carlson, but also highlights the untold challenges that lifeguards face.

The gathering will include food vendors, live music and booths from organizations including the Surfrider Foundation and the John Wayne Cancer Society, as well as an after-party at the Lido House.

There will be four showings of “Part of Water,” which was released a few weeks ago at the Newport Beach Film Festival, shown to a sold-out theater on closing night.

“Our closing-night premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival was a huge success and something both Jack (Murgatroyd) and I will never forget,” said filmmaker Tim Burnham, who created the film with Murgatroyd, the same filmmakers who made “Dirty Old Wedge.”  “It was such a special evening having the community come together to watch our story of Ben and the world of lifeguarding. Having the family and foundation members there in support was also amazing. Such a great celebration of an amazing guy and selfless occupation.”

Carlson, who died just days after his 32nd birthday, was a longtime lifeguard, considered one of the best at his job. He was a strong swimmer, a surfer who charged big waves and an expert waterman.

The 15-foot surf Carlson jumped into from a rescue boat that fateful day, July 6, 2014, was massive. The struggling swimmer he was diving in to save made it to the boat, but Carlson did not.

In the film, the swimmer speaks publically about the incident for the first time.

Sign up for our Coast Lines newsletter, a weekly digest of news and features on how the residents of the SoCal coast are building ties to their changing environment. Subscribe here.

Along with telling Carlson’s story, “Part of Water” explores lifeguarding as a profession.

“Everyone thinks of lifeguards just hanging out getting a tan on the beach — there’s more than that,” Burnham said in a previous article. “I think it’s really great to showcase what they do and tell the truthful side about it and highlight the good things – and the bad things – about the job. As we see with Ben’s accident, it’s a treacherous job.”

After Carlson’s death, the community came out to support his family and legacy. The Ben Carlson Memorial & Scholarship Foundation was created to raise funds for junior lifeguarding programs, to help build a statue of Carlson near the pier, and for benefits held in his memory to fund scholarships and ocean-awareness educational tools for the public.

Sara Joyce Robinson, communications chairwoman with the Newport Harbor High School Alumni Association, said many students have been affected by Carlson, who helped run the junior lifeguard program.

“Our lifeguards are really important to us. When we heard about the film we thought it would be a great opportunity to celebrate the Newport culture, the coastline and the lifeguards who keep our coast safe,” she said. “We’re honored to show this documentary.”

Robinson said she hopes the film will inspire students to serve and give back in their own ways, “just like Ben did for us in Newport Beach.”

The screenings will be at noon, 2:30, 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. in Newport Harbor High’s Robert B. Wentz Theater. Each viewing will be followed by a Q&A session with the filmmakers, representatives from the Ben Carlson Memorial & Scholarship Foundation and NHHS alumni who worked alongside Carlson.

Tickets are $20; $10 for students and children under 14 for the noon and 2:30 p.m. showings. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Ben Carlson Foundation and the NHHS Alumni Association’s scholarship program.

Parking is available in the school’s main lot on 15th Street.

For more information or to buy tickets, go to newportharboralumni.org/movie