Ceibo, new film on women's climate action, has North Devon premiere

A film focusing on women’s stories of climate activism will be screened in North Devon this week. 

The premiere of Ceibo will take place on Thursday, May 1 at The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe. It will be hosted by the directors, Maddie Meddings, who is from North Devon, and Lucy Small.

Set in Ecuador, the film follows surfers Pacha Light and Lucy Small. It explores climate activism by Ecuadorian women who are deeply connected with the natural world. The film gives them a chance to talk about their experiences and celebrates South American and Ecuadorian people. 

It was a small filming team. Maddie edited, filmed and helped in the writing process. Lucy wrote, produced and featured in the film. Pacha supported Maddie and Lucy in Ecuador during filming. She knew suitable filming locations and could find interviewees. Pacha was also a producer and features in Ceibo.

They were also supported by local filmmakers Erick Ramos and Erick Garcia. Additional helpers included sound designer Tanya Jones and filmmaker Lucy Jane. 

Maddie grew up in North Devon and first learnt to surf at Westward Ho! Grom club when she was 14. She spent as much time as she could outside of school surfing at Croyde and Woolacombe. 

At 16, she met Lucy, now a seven times British surfing champion. They are the best of friends who surfed for many years together when they were teenagers. As a gap year adventure, they both travelled around Mexico and Central America. 

Every summer for 11 years, Maddie was a surfing coach at a female surf school in Cornwall. She saw the obstacles to women surfing, including family commitments, being anxious about the water and having body insecurities. Working to dismantle these obstacles inspired her to portray women’s stories through film. 

They went to Ecuador in January 2024 and travelled across the country for filming. 

A memorable highlight of the trip for Maddie and Lucy was freediving in the Galapagos. They experienced the rich marine life the Galapagos has to offer. It was an incredible experience to see this diverse ecosystem. 

Both Lucy and Maddie explained how it felt to be hosting public premieres of their film.

Lucy said: “For so many years growing up as a surfer I had no one to aspire to be because surf films and magazines were filled with male surfers. I am so proud to share this important story that brings to the foreground the compelling and beautiful narratives of women in Ecuador, a country that has achieved so much in the protection of some of the world’s most unique natural wonder.”

Maddie said: “With global politics as they are I think a lot of us are experiencing a feeling of uncertainty - for our own futures and the future of our planet. We're desperate to support the causes we care about but often don't know how. We wanted to make this film as not only a joyous celebration of Ecuador and the people we met there but as an example of all the forms activism can take. With surfing at the film’s core we wanted to inspire people to make change and take them on an uplifting and exciting journey whilst doing so.”

The narrative of this film is about empowering the public to believe anyone can make a difference. The power is with the people to make change. 

Ceibo is being shown across the country. Lucy and Maddie will spend this summer enjoying their new film and looking back on the last two years of hard work in creating the film. 

Tickets for the premiere can be purchased through the following link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/north-devon-premiere-of-ceibo-and-qa-with-maddie-meddings-and-lucy-small-tickets-1299780882609?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=wsa&aff=ebdsshwebmobile&fbclid=IwY2xjawJ8awxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFkRGllbmh2dkNlVVZLVGlaAR5pfioiNUeVKk9tpXtMqUsFrPn5qCx-VIoxQWLP3xrWS8jHGeCdtdbAleKa5w_aem_eNDq6LGELJ0dafr5M8kMOg