Maren Talbot
Editor. Former festival programmer who has watched more surf films than is healthy and still cries at the end of Morning of the Earth.
Our story
Why We Watch
Reelcactussaga began with a rewind button. One wave, watched twenty times, and a question that wouldn't go away: who decided to film it like that?
An independent guide to the craft
We're a small, independent editorial team based in Cornwall, writing about surf film culture for two kinds of people who often turn out to be the same person: viewers who love surf films and emerging filmmakers who want to make their own. We're not funded by surf brands, studios or competition organisers, and we don't sell gear.
Our focus is the human decision-making behind ocean footage — positioning, patience, subject choice and editing — grounded in real history and real places. When we discuss a film, location or photographer, we check names, dates and context against published sources such as film credits, festival records and interviews.
The contributors
Kofi Asante-Reid
Cinematography writer. Shoots land-based surf footage on cold northern coasts and writes our Filmcraft guides.
Inés Calderón
Photo editor. Water photographer who learned the craft on Basque beach breaks and edits our wave photography features.
Our editorial standards
- Accuracy first. Facts about films, places and people are checked; if we get something wrong, we correct it and say so.
- Respect for places. We don't publish directions to secret or fragile spots.
- Clear sourcing of quotes. Quotes from practitioners are marked as recounted to us unless we cite a published interview.
- No paid placement. We don't accept payment to feature films, gear or destinations.