Into the storm - Surf Filmavond

Shot over 5 years by director Adam Brown, ‘Into the Storm’ [En La Tormenta] charts the journey of surfing sensation Jhonny Guerrero from the slums of Peru to the world stage. As well as being a story of overcoming insurmountable odds, it is also a film about identity, family and community. We meet Jhonny at 14, living in the crime-ridden barrios of Lima, Peru. With his father in prison, Jhonny’s family are living a precarious existence. Amidst the chaos of his life, he finds solace in the ocean, learning to surf on a broken board. He dreams of one day becoming a professional surfer and raising his family out of poverty.

After entering a national trials, Jhonny is taken under the wing of former World Champion Sofia Mulanovich. With her help he starts to flourish, winning contests and becoming a favourite for Peru’s Junior Championships. But barrio life proves hard to escape and Jhonny continues to spend time with his wayward cousin. On a night out together they are caught up in a drive-by shooting and Jhonny is shot twice in the back and the arm. Having survived the shooting, he is moved out of the city for his own safety. Jhonny recovers, but he is isolated and lonely, living in a small beach town far from the world he knows. Struggling with the pressures of supporting his mother and little brother through his sport, he crashes out of a series of contests including the prestigious 2017 World Junior Championships.

Now at rock bottom, Jhonny hears his dad is due to be released from prison. He is torn between a desperate need for his father's love and support, and the bad memories he has of him from when he was young. It is only through resolving this relationship with his father that Jhonny can finally realise his true potential and achieve his dreams.