Fifth Tide Film Explores Friendship, Adventure, Adversity and Connection

Set for release this summer, Fifth Tide is a 20-minute surf film that follows Lena Kemna and Christina Gindl as they tackle big surf during the winter swell season in Portugal.

Fifth Tide authentically captures their grit as they prepare for surfing bigger waves by training their physical fitness, practicing their breath-holds to withstand hold-downs, and honing their minds to navigate the challenges and fears they might encounter in the ocean. The film follows their journey of paddling out nearly every day regardless of weather conditions to build their skills in the ocean and learn how its behavior changes with the tides, the winds, the swells, and the currents. While Fifth Tide shows moments of triumph, it’s about the raw and rugged process of getting there.

We asked Christina and Lena some questions to learn more about who they are and what Fifth Tide means to them.

How did you find your way to the water and surfing?

Christina: I am from Austria, which is a landlocked country. Even though I grew up in the mountains, hiking, skiing, and snowboarding, I was drawn to all the water sports my home had to offer.

Austria has lots of lakes, and we spent a lot of time at those lakes when I was younger. I grew up wakeboarding, waterskiing, stand-up paddling, and swimming across the lake with my dad for training. We loved it. Later on, I started sailing and kitesurfing. In the end, through kitesurfing in waves, I started surfing. I needed to learn about the ocean, reefs, currents, waves. So while I was still living and kitesurfing in Mauritius island, I started putting the kite surfboard aside and went surfing. It quickly got crystal clear to me that I will never go back to kitesurfing.

Waves are the perfect imperfection to me. Every single one is different, dictated by tides, reefs, swell directions. It is the hardest sport I have ever done, you really need to grow a connection to nature, the ocean, and that’s what I love so much about it!

Lena: I was led into being outdoors by my parents, especially by my dad. ‘There is no bad weather, only the wrong equipment’ — very much that mentality. I remember holding onto his shoulders when he would dive in a lake, long before I could swim. And I remember holding my breath thinking he probably forgot he had me with my tiny lungs hanging on there. I also remember windsurfing, camping, and countless hikes. A lot of this was not really adjusted to the capacities of a child, and I loved that.

Even today, for me it's not really about surfing. It's what most of my life revolves around, but really it's simply about being in nature.

What is unique about surfing that makes it different from other nature sports?

Christina: First, it takes a long time to really be good at it. If you didn’t start young, it is hard. I love that challenge. It teaches me patience. And so does nature. You are so closely connected with the ocean when surfing. It is the best feeling!

Lena: This is something I have thought about many times. Even though I am not very much of a spiritual person, I think it may be this. And I am not saying that other activities don't have that, not at all. Other people find this purposefulness in yoga, in sailing, in running. I also find it in freediving.

Has Fifth Tide made you see yourselves and your story differently than you did before it was created?

Lena: I think before the film we already knew how precious our routine is. Our simple lives of being out there, not every day, but almost. Struggling, freezing, laughing, wipe outs.
And then having these moments captured in a beautiful project, even if it was just for ourselves, is just super cool.

Where does the title “Fifth Tide” come from?

Lena: It's about the ocean, regularity, maybe even the monotony of the tides, and yet the ever-changing nature of them, their rough beauty, and the changes they bring about.

According to Dr. Gloria Mark, professor of informatics at UC Irvine, the average person has a 47-second attention span when viewing screens. What about your story will draw people's attention and make them want to engage with your film for a full 20 minutes?

Lena: My first reaction to answer that is “and if they don’t, that's fine by us!” This film was never made to please anyone. We had this discussion several times throughout the film with our team, and the two of us always stood our ground saying that we don't care if people get it. We are not going to put the crowd-pleasing sunset shots and the typical surf girl I-don't-know-what’s. This film is about our story, our type of music, our vision. In the end, it's just us telling our story.

In your interview with Strange Seas Mag, you mentioned you received criticism as you pursued your path. Who criticized you, and what was their criticism?

Christina: Personally, I’d say as two women fully living their passion, sharing all of this on their Instagrams, very authentically and true, with all ups and downs, you’ll always get supporters as well as haters. At this point, we don’t care much anymore. The looks of people when we walk down to the surf on a solid day, stormy, hard conditions, some laughing, some we can hear saying it’s a silly idea, and so much more. In the end, only we have to believe and trust in what we love to do most, and we do.

Lena: For one, people still laugh about us for not surfing well. And the thing is, we never said we did. That’s especially present in the competitive surf community, this feeling that we’re not taken seriously. But also, we really stopped caring about that. We simply surf, period. Then, Instagram is a second. I don’t know why people still shame influencers, it's getting a bit old, really. But we do receive quite some criticism there, both online and offline.

And a third for me is one that I believe applies to many women going for their dreams and achieving their goals in life. And that is, while everyone sees your wins, they don't necessarily want to see the day-to-day version of you that is required to achieve them. The dedication, the solitude, and the rough moments.

You've written that you connect with nature through surfing. Why is nature connection important?

Lena: I honestly haven't figured out why. It has no purpose. But it feels so purposeful. For me, life doesn't make much sense without it.

Christina: Nature connection is everything. Surfing, or any sport really wouldn’t be the same for me, if it wouldn’t be done in nature.

Everyone has a unique relationship with nature. How would you describe yours?

Christina: It’s my place of re-charge, re-fuel, and reconnect after tough or stressful times. And it has been like this ever since. Nature is the place I feel the most challenged, and at the same time most protected, supported. And in the end, what matters most, I feel most happy.

Lena: For me, it's the central anchor in my life, kind of like my North Star that I return to again and again. Sometimes, we get off our paths for a while, distracted by other responsibilities, but nature and the ocean always manage to call us back. And paddling out through stormy waves on a chilly morning is a pretty good way to get your mind right back where your body is.

To learn more about Fifth Tide screenings, get insights from behind the scenes, and watch clips, follow @fifthtide.film on Instagram.

Starring – Lena Kemna and Christina Gindl

Director of Photography – Antonio Saraiva

Camera – Luigi Rapanelli

Co-Director & Editor – Rico Stein

Film supported by: G-Shock, Barebells, GotBag and Dryrobe

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